Original Box VS No Box...does it matter?


I purchased an older CD player off of Audiogon to use as a transport. The ad said it had the original box and remote. When I called about the unit, I was told it was in near mint shape. However, when it arrived it was not in the original box and did not have a remote. The unit worked but looked like it had never been cleaned. The drawer also was stuck. They did find the remote but said they had lost the box.
I place a higher value on a unit with the original box -- I always feel like the unit was probably taken better care of and it does make for better shipping. The owner of the store said the only reason people worry about the box is for shipping. He also said they packed it as well as if it had been the original box (however, it was not double boxed).
Bottom line after three weeks the unit has malfunctioned 50% to 75% of the time and will not read the disc. Am I way off base about being upset about the false advertising (original box)? Thanks for your input.
patriot

Showing 1 response by bmpnyc

I wish I could save all my original boxes, but in my NYC apartment there is simply not enough room. I do flatten some original boxes for storage when I can. Sometimes the original box represents an owner who takes good care of gear, and sometimes it is meaningless. Psychology comes into play here. Why does almost every retail store sell with a ".99" ? Somehow it feels less expensive, even though we are obviously not being fooled. Original boxes feels safer., but have no real relationship to the item being shipped, providing that item is very well packed. Sometimes it helps the item feel newer.