What’s the difference between “refurbished” and “factory reconditioned?” The Samsung UN55F7100 is the only one of the whole lot of Samsung TVs listed as “factory reconditioned.”
“Refurbished” covers everything from buyers’ remorse to returns and products whose defects have been repaired by the pros to damaged packaging and discontinued items. If you can accept their checked past, refurbs have a lot of love to give.
A “factory reconditioned” item was returned, inspected, and restored to fully working condition by the original manufacturer or a certified partner. And the original manufacturer stands behind it with a warranty. It’s as close to new as you can get without technically being “new”.
Here’s the official definition by a previous Woot staffer of the conditions and here’s an explanation of refurbished/recertified that may help.
I bought a Samsung 7100 the last time this deal came around, it arrived broken and I still cant get woot to replace it or give me a refund. In fact they dont even respond to support emails!
They replied once in the more then three weeks that this has been going on, telling me that this TV was no longer available for replacement and only for a return. Maybe now that they are selling it I can get someone to finally get back to me and REPLACE the TV…
Really I would just like someone to reply to my emails, I have had to resort to posting like this, as they don’t seem to respond any other way these days. Even then last time I was told “We are escalating this to a CSR” and still no one contacts me.
Not to sound like the typical whiny customer, but I have been a woot customer for years and had great support. So far it has been TERRIBLE.
I don’t need the issue solved “immediately” but at least getting back to me in a day or two to let me know things are in process would be nice…
Mine arrived in a beat up box and has several screen flaws, woot has so far been unable (or is it willing?) to help me or even respond to emails about it.
I would recommend not buying a TV from woot and just waiting for the newer 7150 to go on sale, which it does from time to time.
It may cost more but you wont have the awful experience I am having with trying to get a function product.
I think I asked yesterday- did you send in your serial number to CS? Last communication I have from them on your order is that they needed the serial number from your TV to process the return. If you’ve already sent that in, can you PM me with it? You can use the envelope beside my username, I can make sure CS gets it.
I did! Like not even an hour after they emailed me the question.
No reply…
Someone contacted me this morning, through a different email address, so I sent it again to them.
I am just waiting to see when they get back to me, it is only fair to wait a few hours before complaining again. =p
I purcheed a 43" hisense refurb in 2012 from woot and it quit last week.
http://www.woot.com/offers/hisense-42-1080p-led-hdtv
Maybe it’s the brand - I purchased a 22" Vizio refurb in 2010 and it’s still just as nice as the day I bought it http://www.woot.com/offers/vizio-22-720p-lcd-hdtv-apr-24
((knocks on wood 
))
Nothing wrong with a refurb. It’s the brand you have to watch out for.
Man this has been my experience with woot cs lately too. Not for TVs but other stuff and it is only by complaining on the forums that u get any response. What is going on woot?! I am not sure it is safe to shop with woot anymore, especially for big ticket items like this.
We bought the VIZIO 70’ on 8/11 and it came promptly and the box was intact. TV right side did not work: dark screen.
I got on the vendor site and made a claim and they called the next day to say WOOT does their own returns.
I got the same serial # request email from WOOT/Alex a week later-
and then another email saying the RLM # had been sent to the shipping company on 8/25…
and then nothing even though I emailed and put a support request through WOOT’s site every other day.
THEN I just called up my credit card company and disputed the charge and made sure that WOOT knew that.
BINGO - the shipping company called yesterday for pick up Monday.
Try your credit card company: the vendor has a 30 day return policy you are getting to and you don’t want to deal with that. And at least you know you are protected by reams of emails in your claim against WOOT 
I too have been a Woot customer for years and have been watching the TVs as I intended to buy one, However, reading these posts about CS has spooked me. I’ll buy it local where I have somewhere to go if necessary. It’s too bad because some of the deals seemed pretty good, but not for a black screen display item.
once you compare prices and warranties the deals aren’t that good at all. the 80 inch is available for around $300 more from amazon and that includes enhanced delivery. a contracted company will deliver your tv to any room in your house, set it up and plug it in, and dispose of all packing stuff.
any tv from amazon over $999 also qualifies for 2% rewards credited back to your account, which for the 80 inch model, is another $60 back to spend on something else.
I really want to upgrade my 55 inch living room tv, but it’s too close to black friday and I hear way too many problems dealing with woot to even consider buying from here - especially with these poor discounts.
forgot to mention. the 80 inch is discounted another $50 for prime members while a similar vizion 70 inch is discounted $20 plus a $100 amazon gift card.
Question:
Will Woot! ever sell plasma TVs?
Not sure if this is a serious question or not but as a short answer to your question, “very doubtful”.
None of the major manufacturers except for Samsung and LG still make plasmas. Panasonic stopped making them in 2013. Pioneer stopped making them at least a year before that.
On top of that Samsung cancelled all new 2014 plasma models and chose to continue offering the 2013 models. John Ryu, VP of Samsung’s Visual Display R&D office said that he doesn’t think the technology has a future beyond 2014 at his company.
All of the manufacturers say the same thing:
- Production cost on plasma is higher than LED LCD.
- Its very difficult to increase resolution on plasma.
- OLED will likely be the next videophile technology.
As far as Vizio goes i’ve owned 3, 2 were refurbs with only minor problems (they would randomly shut off)
THe biggest complaint about these are the remotes being offered have no keyboard, and are often times unresponsive which while minor can be very annoying.
Wow they’re so shiny and pretty it’s like looking into the sun!
Bought 2 Vizio refurbs from Woot a couple years ago and they are still going strong, no problems whatsoever including the remotes.