Best Buy Brings Back iPad Trade-ins, But Better Deals Still Abound

Just two weeks after offering a trade-in deal that allowed users to save $50 on the purchase of an Apple iPad 4, Best Buy has returned with a deal that will get users a gift card worth at least $200 when they trade-in an iPad towards the purchase of a new iPad with Retina display.

The deal, which is detailed in full on the company’s website, allows users with an iPad 2 or 3rd generation iPad to sell the device to Best Buy in exchange for a discounted current generation iPad: the iPad with Retina Display.

Users will be able to apply the gift-card they are issued to any iPad with Retina display that the company sells. For example, users can pick up an iPad Wi-Fi with Retina display and 16 GB of on-board storage for just $299, a iPad Wi-Fi with Retina display and 32 GB of on-board storage for $399 and iPad with Retina display and 16 GB of on-board storage and wireless data connectivity for $429.99.

Best Buy is careful to note that the amount of money applied to gift card will vary depending on the condition and age of the iPad the user is trading in, though the user will at least get a gift card for a minimum of $200.

Unfortunately users won’t be able to take advantage of the trade-in program online. Instead, they’ll have to head to their local Best Buy store. Not all locations offer the trade-in program, so it’s best if users simply call ahead to make sure that their local store does.

It’s important to note that this trade-in program doesn’t cover the first generation iPad. It also doesn’t allow iPad mini users to trade-in their devices. Users should remove their data from their iPad before taking it in to Best Buy. The company’s terms and conditions for trade-ins makes the user trading the device in responsible for removing all of their data.

As we noted the first time Best Buy’s trade-in program kicked off, those looking to get a better deal online can trade in an iPad 2 or iPad 3 towards a refurbished iPad 4 and get a better deal than what Best Buy is offering. For example, trading-in an iPad 3 with 16 GB of on-board storage will net a user $170 from the gadget trade-in site Gazelle. That same user can pick up a refurbished iPad with Retina display and 16 GB of on-board storage directly from Apple for $419.

Doing this would give the user an iPad with Retina Display for $249, $50 lower than what Best Buy is offering.

Read: iPad 5 Specs reportedly Finalized as Production Looms

Those looking into the Best Buy Trade-In program (or buying an iPad with Retina Display in general) might be better off waiting, as Apple is rumored to be preparing a refreshed device for release this fall.