Sound Advice: ‘Open box’ sales can save you money

Q: In a recent column, both you and the person who sent in the question used the term “open box unit” when describing an electronics component for sale. What does that mean?

A: Open box is somewhere between factory-fresh merchandise and a refurbished unit, and the exact definition will depend on the retailer. Typically it is a display model or a product that was returned to the store slightly used.

Rather than return it to the manufacturer (who probably will go over it and sell it as refurbished), the retailer marks down the price and sells it as “open box.” You usually get the full manufacturer warranty when you purchase open box items, rather than the shorter warranty included with a refurbished product.

Sometimes open box products don’t have the box or even all the accessories, and the price will be adjusted accordingly. I have purchased plenty of open box products in my time. I can’t recall any specific problems, but hopefully when you are purchasing a unit that was returned, you aren’t buying someone else’s problems. The retailer usually will check it before putting it out for sale again, and you will have time to return it if it does not work to your satisfaction.

A dashcam can be used for entertainment and for protection. I’ve used them to record my adventures on the road, and it’s a lot of fun to go back and watch the videos. But in the event of an accident or vandalism of a parked car, a dashcam can provide valuable evidence.

I recently found a full-featured dashcam that is available for under $65. Redtiger is the world’s leading dashcam brand, racking up awards and recommendations from many technology and automotive publications. The Redtiger F8 4K dashcam offers a bright, clear touchscreen, 4K resolution, night vision and a parking mode that records if it senses movement. You can pair it easily with the matching app to download your videos and control the camera.

The Redtiger F8 is available in several different bundles and lists for $159.99, but is on sale on Amazon for $99.99 with a $20 checkbox coupon that reduces the price to $79.99. Using the code 15redtiger at checkout saves another $15, bringing it down to just $64.99, almost 66% off.

I’m getting in the habit of always using a dash camera. Some of the online videos that show accidents or vehicular assaults where the other party is clearly at fault are sobering, and having video evidence makes a big difference.

A pandemic of credit card skimmers is being reported nationwide. These stealthy devices mimic the look of the card reader at a point of sale terminal or gas pump, and unobtrusively fit right on top of them. Criminals use skimmers to capture your credit card information and PIN when you insert your card and use the keypad. I did a web search for credit card skimmers, and I was shocked by their sophistication and how perfectly they resemble the real terminals.

The surest way to protect yourself is to always tap your card rather than inserting or sliding it. Until recently I was more likely to insert my chip card, but now I’ve made it a habit to tap 100% of the time. You should, too.

Send questions to Don Lindich at donlindich@gmail.com. Get recommendations and read past columns at soundadvicenews.com.