Where do you get your PC bits from??
Discussion
I'm getting a bit fed up with this.
If I use Faeces World or their ilk I can't get what I want and it's usually expensive. That leaves online retailers.
I've used Scan (good choice but expensive delivery), Misco (very small choice), Ebuyer (screwed me over), dabs (not very big choice and expensive iirc), etc.
Settled with Scan in the end, but delivery costs 20 quid with VAT - even then I am left waiting now for half an order that I ordered last weekend to turn up on Thursday and I won't receive until next week now, after having taken 2 mornings off to wait in
What is the answer?
If I use Faeces World or their ilk I can't get what I want and it's usually expensive. That leaves online retailers.
I've used Scan (good choice but expensive delivery), Misco (very small choice), Ebuyer (screwed me over), dabs (not very big choice and expensive iirc), etc.
Settled with Scan in the end, but delivery costs 20 quid with VAT - even then I am left waiting now for half an order that I ordered last weekend to turn up on Thursday and I won't receive until next week now, after having taken 2 mornings off to wait in
What is the answer?
When did ebuyer 'screw you over' ? They had some problems a year or so back with customer service but now they are absolutely first class. I order from them about once every two weeks and deliveries are always on time or early. And they now respond to emails and customer service queries quickly.
Perhaps try them again ?
Perhaps try them again ?
bigdods said:
When did ebuyer 'screw you over' ? They had some problems a year or so back with customer service but now they are absolutely first class. I order from them about once every two weeks and deliveries are always on time or early. And they now respond to emails and customer service queries quickly.
Perhaps try them again ?
Perhaps try them again ?
Interesting.
Perhaps "screwed over" is a bit strong. I ordered some laptop memory from them last August, it duly turned up, but didn't work in my machine.
I returned it (their RMA system is overly complex IMHO) along with a note saying, if defective send me another 2 sticks, if it's fine then refund me as it must be an issue with my laptop. Also sent a receipt for my return postage as detailed in their T&Cs so they could refund me if it was defective. TBH I suspected my laptop didn't like the memory.
Didn't hear much for a while, then got an email saying it was defective and they would be refunding me. Not what I asked for, but OK. Checked after a while to see that they had only refunded for one stick of memory. Couldn't get any joy through their clunky web interface so called them and got that sorted.
Checking through my bank statement a couple of months later I realised that I still hadn't been refunded my return postage or the original delivery charges
Sent them an email and fingers crossed that seems to have resolved it - although I have to wait for my next CC bill to check... So they may be better now but it just seemed that CS were a bit incompetent.
www.ebuyer.com
www.dabs.com
www.scan.co.uk
www.overclockers.co.uk (in person for quality stuff)
www.CTRetail.co.uk (in person for cheap stuff)
www.hkwis.co.uk for bigger orders
All have let me down at various times, but you've just got to go with the flow and keep on top of them innit?
www.dabs.com
www.scan.co.uk
www.overclockers.co.uk (in person for quality stuff)
www.CTRetail.co.uk (in person for cheap stuff)
www.hkwis.co.uk for bigger orders
All have let me down at various times, but you've just got to go with the flow and keep on top of them innit?
bigdods said:
When did ebuyer 'screw you over' ? They had some problems a year or so back with customer service but now they are absolutely first class. I order from them about once every two weeks and deliveries are always on time or early. And they now respond to emails and customer service queries quickly.
We order quite a bit from them and for us the biggest failing is the delivery company. Best example - order Wednesday for next day delivery.
Thursday it doesn't turn up (online tracking on the site of the courier company that Links Cities says "7.30am goods loaded onto a van" "6.30pm goods unloaded from van" - how about delivering them instead of taking them on a tour of Bristol for the day?)
Friday it doesn't turn up (online tracking a copy of Thursday's)
Monday we find a card from a delivery failure on Saturday (we did not pay for Saturday delivery as we don't work on Saturdays). Van turns up later with one item out of the order (a £2 keyboard), the other &430 worth of kit nowhere to be seen. We send the driver and keyboard away with the message "all or nothing".
Tuesday no delivery, no online tracking
Wednesday see last Thursday
Thursday see last Thursday
Friday van turns up (sub-contractor in plain van) with the £2 keyboard. We send him away. He comes back 15 minutes later having rummaged through the van and found the remaining packages, which had not been grouped with the keyboard. Delivery complete, it took a subbie to sort out that they'd screwed up the delivery instructions at the local depot.
Nine days for next day delivery. Hmm. ebuyer were very apologetic, I spoke to them "a few" times, but couldn't get any more joy from the courier than us.
Mind you I had already had problems before, some years back I ordered something and a couple of weeks after ordering (had completely forgotten about it) I get a phone call "It's ....Link here in Yate, I've got a package for you here from (company name)". Me: "That's nice, going to deliver it then?". Them: "Oh you want it delivered, I'll put it on the van tomorrow then". Erm, not sure what else they were expecting me to want, given that their function is to deliver stuff.
Nowadays we tend to ask suppliers who they use for deliveries
Interesting - it's a company that Links Cities that I'm having issues with today.
1 order, 2 packages. One turns up - driver doesn't think other one is on van. I call Scan. Scan calls courier. Scan call me - they have been assured that it is on another van and will be delivered later in the day. Lunchtime I call courier myself - other package is "lost" - could be in a corner somewhere or fell off the van Great! Later, call Scan again, they confirm that courier told them it was on another van.
It's currently 4.35pm on Friday evening, what do we think, turn up today while I am here or next week when nobody is home?
Meanwhile this weekend I am upgrading a PC - I have a PSU, a hard drive, some cables, but no bloody case to put them in!
1 order, 2 packages. One turns up - driver doesn't think other one is on van. I call Scan. Scan calls courier. Scan call me - they have been assured that it is on another van and will be delivered later in the day. Lunchtime I call courier myself - other package is "lost" - could be in a corner somewhere or fell off the van
Great! Later, call Scan again, they confirm that courier told them it was on another van. It's currently 4.35pm on Friday evening, what do we think, turn up today while I am here or next week when nobody is home?
Meanwhile this weekend I am upgrading a PC - I have a PSU, a hard drive, some cables, but no bloody case to put them in!
NiceCupOfTea said:
Interesting - it's a company that Links Cities that I'm having issues with today.
1 order, 2 packages. One turns up - driver doesn't think other one is on van. I call Scan. Scan calls courier. Scan call me - they have been assured that it is on another van and will be delivered later in the day. Lunchtime I call courier myself - other package is "lost" - could be in a corner somewhere or fell off the van Great! Later, call Scan again, they confirm that courier told them it was on another van.
It's currently 4.35pm on Friday evening, what do we think, turn up today while I am here or next week when nobody is home?
Meanwhile this weekend I am upgrading a PC - I have a PSU, a hard drive, some cables, but no bloody case to put them in!
1 order, 2 packages. One turns up - driver doesn't think other one is on van. I call Scan. Scan calls courier. Scan call me - they have been assured that it is on another van and will be delivered later in the day. Lunchtime I call courier myself - other package is "lost" - could be in a corner somewhere or fell off the van
Great! Later, call Scan again, they confirm that courier told them it was on another van. It's currently 4.35pm on Friday evening, what do we think, turn up today while I am here or next week when nobody is home?
Meanwhile this weekend I am upgrading a PC - I have a PSU, a hard drive, some cables, but no bloody case to put them in!
The courier you are talking about can be a blooming shambles, but I have a local driver that knows me and goes above and beyond when she sees my name on anything.
So worth getting on friendly terms with the driver.
Edited by rich1231 on Friday 23 February 17:19
Just managed to get some sense from them.
2 parcels, loaded onto different vans. One drops my stuff off. The other doesn't realise he's got to deliver anything in my area (WTF!?). So he takes it back to base and knocks off.
My options:
They deliver it between 6-9 tonight (I am out)
They deliver it tomorrow morning (Will be in and out all morning)
I go to depot tomorrow to pick it up.
So it is option 3. A fiver says it will get put on a sodding van and won't be there when I go to collect.
2 parcels, loaded onto different vans. One drops my stuff off. The other doesn't realise he's got to deliver anything in my area (WTF!?). So he takes it back to base and knocks off.
My options:
They deliver it between 6-9 tonight (I am out)
They deliver it tomorrow morning (Will be in and out all morning)
I go to depot tomorrow to pick it up.
So it is option 3
. A fiver says it will get put on a sodding van and won't be there when I go to collect.a reputable company
whoever is the cheapest dabs, misco etc
but not “where in the world” unless its an absolute dire emergency
do keep faith with our local stationary supplier for consumables who always get us out of the shit
big print run we always run out of toner or binding combs etc, and they can usually get it for us tc
beano500 said:
Overclockers.co.uk gets my vote too. 
Last week's screen and memory purchase were here in no time!
You can't always rely on any courier to get it right though
Last week's screen and memory purchase were here in no time! You can't always rely on any courier to get it right though
Have used Overclockers myself in the past, and while they are 'OK', I find that www.microdirect.co.uk are brilliant.
You pay your money ...you make your choice.
Why not try your local pc shop. Sure they may have to order that special item, but if you mention a better price and they want the business they will match you.
Maybe offer £5 extra since your saving on the p&p.
Small businesses have more overheads so try not to haggle too much. In emergency there your first port of call.
also its good to pass them business, if you keep getting friends and family with PC/network issues.
I always carry business cards from my local shop. Anytime anyone asks for help that I pass a card over.
I've become friends with the staff and now they offer me great prices on all products.
They have also saved me from the countless phone calls/txts/emails from people who don't even send an xmas card but call when they get the BSOD !
Why not try your local pc shop. Sure they may have to order that special item, but if you mention a better price and they want the business they will match you.
Maybe offer £5 extra since your saving on the p&p.
Small businesses have more overheads so try not to haggle too much. In emergency there your first port of call.
also its good to pass them business, if you keep getting friends and family with PC/network issues.
I always carry business cards from my local shop. Anytime anyone asks for help that I pass a card over.
I've become friends with the staff and now they offer me great prices on all products.
They have also saved me from the countless phone calls/txts/emails from people who don't even send an xmas card but call when they get the BSOD !
Agree with using your local computer indie - sometimes they can really help you out of the sh1t.
I alway recommend mine to anyone that asks me about computers.
Local indie know this and helps me out - like giving me a 3gb HD for print server. Not much I know but I also get 'slightly' better prices aswell etc.
Microdirect - used once - nuff said.
Ebuyer - much better than they were last year but still have a problem with CL. BUT if you go on ebuyer they have a forum and they are asking about problems with CL and appear to be trying to sort it out.
CL are a franchise operation (as far as I an aware) until my local depot had a regular driver service was very poor (like saying I had been carded and saying they couldn't find my address?!) but with a regular drive can't fault them.
Not used the others mentioned.
I alway recommend mine to anyone that asks me about computers.
Local indie know this and helps me out - like giving me a 3gb HD for print server. Not much I know but I also get 'slightly' better prices aswell etc.
Microdirect - used once - nuff said.
Ebuyer - much better than they were last year but still have a problem with CL. BUT if you go on ebuyer they have a forum and they are asking about problems with CL and appear to be trying to sort it out.
CL are a franchise operation (as far as I an aware) until my local depot had a regular driver service was very poor (like saying I had been carded and saying they couldn't find my address?!) but with a regular drive can't fault them.
Not used the others mentioned.
rich1231 said:
NiceCupOfTea said:
Interesting - it's a company that Links Cities that I'm having issues with today.
1 order, 2 packages. One turns up - driver doesn't think other one is on van. I call Scan. Scan calls courier. Scan call me - they have been assured that it is on another van and will be delivered later in the day. Lunchtime I call courier myself - other package is "lost" - could be in a corner somewhere or fell off the van Great! Later, call Scan again, they confirm that courier told them it was on another van.
It's currently 4.35pm on Friday evening, what do we think, turn up today while I am here or next week when nobody is home?
Meanwhile this weekend I am upgrading a PC - I have a PSU, a hard drive, some cables, but no bloody case to put them in!
1 order, 2 packages. One turns up - driver doesn't think other one is on van. I call Scan. Scan calls courier. Scan call me - they have been assured that it is on another van and will be delivered later in the day. Lunchtime I call courier myself - other package is "lost" - could be in a corner somewhere or fell off the van
Great! Later, call Scan again, they confirm that courier told them it was on another van. It's currently 4.35pm on Friday evening, what do we think, turn up today while I am here or next week when nobody is home?
Meanwhile this weekend I am upgrading a PC - I have a PSU, a hard drive, some cables, but no bloody case to put them in!
The courier you are talking about can be a blooming shambles, but I have a local driver that knows me and goes above and beyond when she sees my name on anything.
So worth getting on friendly terms with the driver.
Edited by rich1231 on Friday 23 February 17:19
same thing here , I had so many deliveries (almost daily) at one point that I got to know the local driver really well. Got to the point where we'd have a quick chat , he'd ask how the kids were doing at their new school etc.. He knows I am in at 8AM so always comes to me first even though thats out or his round order :-)
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