The iPod range from Apple is the most popular family of media players in the world. iPods make up around 70% of all music players sold in the US.

First introduced in October 2001, the iPod revolutionized listening habits and made MP3 players the most common way that people to listen to music. In the following years, Apple regularly updated the iPod range, introducing new models and making significant improvements in design and performance every year. http://www.wired.com/gadgets/mac/commentary/cultofmac/2006/10/71956http://www.howstuffworks.com/ipod.htm

Currently Apple makes four types of iPod, the iPod Shuffle, iPod Nano, iPod Classic and iPod Touch. Each of these types is available in different versions with different storage capacities, different colors and sometimes different features.

iPod users use iTunes software to load music onto their device. iTunes can be used to “rip" music from CDs, to buy music from Apple’s online iTunes store, and to add music files from any other sources to their iTunes library.

Many of the recent iPod models are far more than simply music players. For example the current iPod Nano can record and playback video, while the iPod Touch is a true handheld computer that can be used to watch video, surf the internet, play games and run iPhone applications. http://www.apple.com/ipodnano/ http://www.apple.com/ipodtouch/</ref>

While iPods are very popular for their good looks and ease of use, they do tend to be significantly more expensive than many alternative media players. One option if you’d like an iPod but find the price too steep is to consider buying a refurbished one.

Keep reading to learn more about refurbished products, and how to buy a refurbished iPod, saving yourself money on regular Apple prices while still getting an excellent product.

The first step before buying a refurbished product is to make sure you understand what exactly this means. People can be reluctant to buy refurbished technology because of a lack of understanding of the term, as well as due to not being sure where and how to buy refurbished items.

“Refurbished” can mean several things, including products that were sold to a customer who removed them from the box but decided to return the product without ever using it. It can also mean items that had some minor cosmetic flaw, such as scratches or dents, and can mean products had some more serious fault that has been been fixed by the manufacturer before offering the item for sale as refurbished.

Sometimes “refurbished” can even be used to describe an older model that was overstocked, and was never sold to a consumer but remained in store in its original packaging..

As many as a fifth of electronics products sold in the US are returned by consumers, and only a small proportion of those had any serious problem. Over two-thirds of electronics that are returned by customers actually work perfectly, but were not what the customer had imagined they were buying, and were taken back when the mistake was discovered..http://blogs.consumerreports.org/electronics/2008/08/refurbished-e-1.html

Products that were returned with either small cosmetic defects or more serious technical issues are then restored to as-new working condition by manufacturers. These products are then re-inspected for quality and repackaged before being offered for sale as refurbished items at much less than regular price. These factory refurbished products will usually come with some kind of warranty, and they will usually be exactly the same in appearance and performance as their brand new equivalents. Hence, buying refurbished products can often be a good way to acquire a product that is just as good as new for a substantially reduced price.

There are three main places where you can buy good quality refurbished products. The first route to consider is to buy directly from the product manufacturer, i.e. Apple. The second option to look into is buying from online at internet retailers that usually offer a selection of refurbished products for sale. The final main option is to try to find the product at “buyout retailers” which are specialists in overstocked and refurbished products.

Generally the first place to start the search for a refurbished product is from the original manufacture. This is particularly true in the case of Apple, which tends to be good at ensuring high quality and provides long warranties.

Refurbished iPods and other special iPod deals can be found on Apple’s website. On Apple’s US website, they can be found in the section labelled the Special Deals on www.store.apple.com. This section will have all the deals currently available on all iPod models.

These offers may change fairly regularly so if don’t find what you were looking for first time, you may want to go back to the site later to see what new deals have become available. However if you want to be sure of getting the best bargains, you should be willing to be a little flexible and also consider alternative to the models that you initially had in mind so as to take advantage of the best offers available.

In other countries apart from the US, look for the relevant the Apple site for your own country using a search engine such as Google. Usually Apple’s websites in other countries will be organized in much the same way as Apple’s US site. However if you explore the site for sections with names like “Special Deals”, “Outlet”, or “Refurbished”, you should easily find the parts of the website that you will need..

Once you have found an iPod that you are interested in buying, make a point of checking it is the model you expect, and has all the features and specifications that are important to you. Remember, refurbished items might sometimes be slightly older versions of current products, so there may be differences that aren’t obvious right away.

As well as product specifications, you should also check information on warranties and especially the return policy. You want to make sure you’re getting a product that meets your needs at a good price, and that if anything does go wrong when your refurbished iPod is delivered, you will be able get a replacement or a refund. Apple is especially good in this regard, and you will most likely find that a full one year warranty is included.

After Apple, other good places to look are online sellers like eBay and Amazon which often offer refurbished items for sale, including all types of iPod and many other Apple products. There are also some specialist online sellers that carry refurbished electronics, including Overstock.com.

One thing to watch out for is whether these sites will ship to your location. Some may only ship to US addresses, though Overstock.com has recently started offering shipping to the UK also. If shipping is an issue look for local equivalents to these sites in your own country. US military personnel should also check whether these sites will ship to overseas US military locations such as APO/FPO addresses, as they often will not.

Again, remember to carefully check exactly what model you're getting, and also review what exactly will be included with the product. A refurbished item from some retailers may sometimes be missing such things as an instruction manual. Also remember especially to review the warranty terms and the returns policy. These sellers will usually not be nearly as generous as Apple, but you should still get something like a 30 day period in which you will be able to get a replacement or a refund if you have any problems with your refurbished iPod.

The final place that you might want to search for refurbished iPods are large “buyout retailers”. These specialist buyout retailers buy in excess stock from more mainstream retailers, and then offer it to the public at very competitive prices. Most of these specialist retailers carry many kinds of refurbished electronics, including TVs, computers, and iPods.

Retailers that you may want to check out include refurbdepot.com, warehousedeals.com and the outlet stores of Crutchfield and Target.

Once again, whenever buying a refurbished product, be careful to review all the product details and specifications, and to look over the warranty and return policies.