Best Buy open-box conditions: Excellent vs Good vs Fair
By Sloane Glitchford, Founder · Checked 21 Oct 2026, 12:22 UTC
What Best Buy's open-box Excellent, Good and Fair grades mean, how returns and restocking fees work on open-box, and why price match won't cover them.
The short answer
Best Buy grades open-box items in three conditions: Excellent, Good and Fair. Best Buy says all three work like new and are restored to factory settings. The difference is cosmetics and what's in the box:
- Excellent looks like new and comes with all the original parts, packaging and accessories (or a suitable replacement).
- Good may have minor scratches or dents and may be missing non-essential parts, accessories or the original packaging.
- Fair may have larger dents or scratches and could be missing parts and accessories.
(Best Buy, "The Best Deals on Open Box Items at Best Buy")
Open-box items follow the same return window as new items: 15 days for most products, or 60 days for My Best Buy Plus and Total members. They are not covered by Best Buy's Price Match Guarantee. Details are below. [2] [3]
What "open box" means at Best Buy
Best Buy describes open-box items as products that have already been opened. They "may be customer returns, display models or items with damaged packaging." The company says it examines open-box products and prices them based on condition, and that "the price of a specific Best Buy open-box item will fluctuate with the grading" (Best Buy open-box guide).
So two open-box units of the same TV can carry different prices. The grade is what explains the gap.
Excellent vs Good vs Fair, side by side
| Grade | Works? | Looks | What's included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Excellent | Works like new, restored to factory settings | Like new | All original parts, packaging and accessories, or a suitable replacement |
| Good | Works like new, restored to factory settings | May have minor scratches or dents | May be missing non-essential parts, accessories or original packaging |
| Fair | Works like new, restored to factory settings | May have larger dents or scratches | Could be missing parts and accessories |
Source: Best Buy's open-box guide, quoted above. Best Buy calls these "Geek Squad-verified conditions."
Older grade names. On some Best Buy product Q&A pages you'll still see answers that use the names "Excellent-Certified" and "Satisfactory" (example Q&A page). Those answers are written by brands and shoppers, not by Best Buy's policy pages. The current Best Buy guide lists only Excellent, Good and Fair, so go by the grade shown on the listing you're buying.
Which grade should you buy?
This part is judgment, not Best Buy policy:
- Gifts, or anything you might resell boxed: Excellent is the only grade where Best Buy says the original packaging and accessories (or a suitable replacement) are included.
- Things that live on a shelf or behind a desk: Good can make sense if you don't mind a small scratch. Check what's listed as missing first.
- Appliances or TVs where the price gap is large: Fair can work if you accept visible flaws. Confirm that every essential piece is there, like the power cord, stand and remote, before you pay.
Best Buy's own advice is to compare the open-box price with the brand-new price, check the physical condition and included accessories, and check whether a manufacturer or store warranty still applies. Best Buy says open-box items "in many cases" come with the same manufacturer warranty as new, which is not the same as always (Best Buy open-box guide).
Return rules for open-box items
Best Buy's Return & Exchange Policy says the return period "begins the day you receive your product and applies to new, clearance, open-box, refurbished and pre-owned products."
| Who | Most products | Activatable devices (phones, cellular tablets, hotspots, cellular wearables) |
|---|---|---|
| Standard customers | 15 days | 14 days |
| My Best Buy Plus / Total members | 60 days | 14 days |
Source: Best Buy Return & Exchange Policy [2]
The same page says Verizon devices that can be activated have a 30-day return period for all customers, and that the member extended windows don't apply to Marketplace (third-party seller) purchases. [2]
Restocking fees can still apply. The policy lists:
- A $45 fee on activatable devices (excluding prepaid phones). [2]
- A 15% fee on drones, digital cameras, camera lenses, camcorders, projectors and several other categories. [2]
There's no restocking fee if the product is unopened, or for purchases in AL, CO, HI, IA, MS, OH, OK and SC, or where prohibited by law. An open-box item has already been opened, so read the fee list before buying an open-box camera or projector.
Condition matters on the way back, too. Best Buy says items "need to be returned in a like-new condition" and that items that are damaged, dented, scratched or missing major contents "may be denied a return." It also says missing accessories or packaging can mean a denied return or a deduction from your refund.
Tip (my suggestion, not Best Buy policy): with a Good or Fair item, take photos of its condition and contents when you pick it up, so it's clear which flaws were already there.
Price match doesn't cover open-box
Best Buy's Price Match Guarantee covers "immediately available new products sold from Best Buy." It excludes Marketplace products, clearance, refurbished and open-box items. It also won't match a competitor's open-box, clearance, refurbished or pre-owned price. The open-box price you see is the price.
FAQ
What's the difference between Best Buy open-box Excellent and Good? Best Buy says both work like new and are restored to factory settings. Excellent looks like new and includes all the original parts, packaging and accessories (or a suitable replacement). Good may have minor scratches or dents and may be missing non-essential parts, accessories or packaging.
Is Best Buy open-box Fair worth it? It depends on the price gap and what's missing. Best Buy says Fair works like new but may have larger dents or scratches and could be missing parts and accessories. Check that the essential pieces are included.
Can you return a Best Buy open-box item? Yes, under the same return policy as new items: 15 days for most products for standard customers, or 60 days for My Best Buy Plus and Total members, counted from the day you receive it. Restocking fees and like-new condition rules still apply. [2]
Does Best Buy price match open-box items? No. Best Buy's Price Match Guarantee excludes open-box, clearance, refurbished and Marketplace items.
Do open-box items come with a warranty? Best Buy says they come with the same manufacturer warranty as new "in many cases." Check the listing or ask before you buy.
Take the codes with you
Shopping clearance in store, not just Best Buy? Grab the free Clearance Tag Quick Card, a one-page cheat sheet for reading clearance tags. If you flip what you find, the $12 Reseller Field Kit adds six phone-sized field cards and a profit tracker. These are our own products. No results are promised. [5]
Policies change. Everything above was checked against Best Buy's pages on October 21, 2026. Always confirm on the listing and at the register.
Sources
- Best Buy, "The Best Deals on Open Box Items at Best Buy" (official), checked 21 Oct 2026, 12:22 UTC
- Best Buy Return & Exchange Policy (official), checked 21 Oct 2026, 12:22 UTC
- Best Buy Price Match Guarantee (official), checked 21 Oct 2026, 12:22 UTC
- Best Buy product Q&A page (not store policy: shopper and brand answers on a Best Buy product Q&A page), checked 21 Oct 2026, 12:22 UTC
- The Clearance Cheat Sheet: Reseller Field Kit on Whop (official), checked 21 Oct 2026, 12:22 UTC