Laptop from Costco or Currys?

Author
Discussion

RockyBalboa

Original Poster:

768 posts

161 months

Monday 27th June 2022
quotequote all
Need a couple of basic laptops < £400.

Is there any preference between Costco or Currys?

xeny

4,307 posts

78 months

Monday 27th June 2022
quotequote all
I'd go with a couple of https://www.costco.co.uk/Computers/Laptops-MacBook... for £349.99 each, but I have no love of Currys.

edit - FWIW that's also probably the lowest spec laptop they offer I'd inflict on anyone I wanted to do anything productive for me.

Edited by xeny on Monday 27th June 15:27

paulrockliffe

15,679 posts

227 months

Monday 27th June 2022
quotequote all
I recently bought from Currys because they were the only place I could spend a load of vouchers. I wouldn't use them if you can avoid them.

Their website confirmed the order was placed and gave me an order number, they charged my credit card and the vouchers card I used, then I heard nothing. When I chased them up they told me that the order hadn't gone through, despite them needing to refund my cards and me having a confirmation number. They couldn't simply place the order for me, I had to wait for them to refund everything and reorder.

Although my order was apparently non-existent they repeatedly tried to sell me extra insurance in the meantime. They would have happily charged me for something I didn't own.

I didn't give them permission to use my email address, but I get weekly contact from them asking me to review my purchase, including from a third party.

They're not even cheap enough to be worth the hassle, so if oyu don't have vouchers to burn, I would literally use anyone else.

Geffg

1,127 posts

105 months

Monday 27th June 2022
quotequote all
I’d go Costco purely for their gaurantees etc.

itcaptainslow

3,699 posts

136 months

Monday 27th June 2022
quotequote all
Costco, all day, every day. Their customer service would be better than Currys if it were only a tenth of what it is now.

vaud

50,421 posts

155 months

Monday 27th June 2022
quotequote all
Or Dell Outlet, or laptopsdirect.co.uk; you would get next day delivery on the latter.

rfisher

5,024 posts

283 months

Monday 27th June 2022
quotequote all
Never ever ever ever ever ever use Currys for anything.

Ever.

Lucas Ayde

3,557 posts

168 months

Monday 27th June 2022
quotequote all
rfisher said:
Never ever ever ever ever ever use Currys for anything.

Ever.
Certainly think twice about using their ebay store - I have had a total nightmare with a broken Quest 2 strap and getting a warranty replacement. Currently talking to Meta/Oculus directly about a warranty return. Currys ebay store is not part of their general online/shop retail system.

I've generally found that ordering online from their website and either delivery or picking up instore is a fairly reasonable experience though, apart from a bad experience way back when they first offered the service which you could put down to teething troubles.

Still, not as solid and smooth as Amazon's order handling but worth trying them as they often have better deals (though Amazon usually match them quickly). Having a bricks and mortar shop presence is useful though as you can take products directly back if they faulty or there is some sort of issue. Also handy if you need something quick. eg. I recently found myself away from home without a Qi charger which I needed for my phone (dodgy USB port) and was able to reserve one in the local retail shop late in the evening and pick it up first thing the next morning just before my battery died.


Dolf Stoppard

1,323 posts

122 months

Monday 27th June 2022
quotequote all
rfisher said:
Never ever ever ever ever ever use Currys for anything.

Ever.
This.

Trevor555

4,428 posts

84 months

Monday 27th June 2022
quotequote all
Lucas Ayde said:
rfisher said:
Never ever ever ever ever ever use Currys for anything.

Ever.
Certainly think twice about using their ebay store - I have had a total nightmare with a broken Quest 2 strap and getting a warranty replacement. Currently talking to Meta/Oculus directly about a warranty return. Currys ebay store is not part of their general online/shop retail system.
I used their Ebay store for a tumble drier that turned faulty within 3 months.

Initial contact with them said they'd collect it, but then they went silent.

I raised a case with Ebay saying "not as described" on the basis it was sold to me with a warranty, and said warranty was not workable.

Ebay/paypal went in my favour and refunded me in full.

Too late for you to try that?

Jenny Tailor

1,727 posts

37 months

Monday 27th June 2022
quotequote all
Dolf Stoppard said:
rfisher said:
Never ever ever ever ever ever use Currys for anything.

Ever.
This.
Simply not true.


What I like about Curry's. - You can get a ream of printer paper there.
What I don't like about Curry's. - Everything else.

If it needs any sort of electricity to work....


DANGER WILL ROBINSON - DANGER DANGER - BACK OFF!!!



vaud

50,421 posts

155 months

Monday 27th June 2022
quotequote all
Jenny Tailor said:
What I like about Curry's. - You can get a ream of printer paper there.
"Now your paper comes with a one year warranty - would you like to extend that? It includes accidental damage to your paper when loading your printer.Only £49.99, or on offer today for £39.99?"

"Ah now I see you have chosen the elite paper which is excellent; you should consider a gold plated USB connector to ensure all of the data gets to the printer to fully realise the print quality of the paper. Only £49.99, or on offer today for £39.99?"

Monsterlime

1,205 posts

166 months

Monday 27th June 2022
quotequote all
I would also avoid Currys. Purchased quite a pricey laptop from them last year (it was the best price, anywhere, at the time), was delivered faulty. Unlike other retailers (ie Amazon) they INSISTED it would be collected and sent for repair before they would ship a new one, which was scheduled to take 14 days or more. In the end and after much effort, I got a refund but not before they then tried to send me a replacement while refunding me (after 14 days) and being honest I rejected it.

Ended up buying from Scan who had it discounted, so didn't lose out by much. Would not use Currys again. Currys wouldn't let me exchange it in store either, whereas I know I could have with Costco (had they sold the particular laptop I wanted).

These are the reasons people buy at Amazon etc, better customer service. I know Amazon sometimes get a bad rap, but I have always had positive experiences with them when I have had problems, and things get replaced, quickly.

Cloudy147

2,719 posts

183 months

Monday 27th June 2022
quotequote all
Lots of bad experiences for Currys it seems. Personally I use them for pretty much all electrical purchases. Not had a problem that I can recall. Only had one product go faulty within a few weeks of purchase, took it back to the shop and they refunded me.

The said my last purchase was a laptop from HP directly as curry’s didn’t have them in stock. That too went faulty and HP service was truly first class. They organised collection and new delivery but as it was out of stock again I asked if I could keep it as daughternuses it for
Homework. They ageeed, sent me a new one when back in stock, then organised collection a week after the delivery to make sure we were happy with everything. can’t imagine getting that level of service from any high street.

But as for curry’s, personally I’ve had no issues and their prices seem decent.

MYOB

4,784 posts

138 months

Tuesday 28th June 2022
quotequote all
Yep, have used Currys throughout as their prices are pretty much unbeatable and being out of town, parking is great. Since covid they do the park and collect thing which is handy as I park up in the bay, pop into Costa and get a drink. I notify currys via their website I’m outside and by the time my coffee has been served to me, I head back to the car and wait a couple of minutes for them to bring my item out. Great service, great price.

But I know their staff aren’t knowledgeable about their stock but I do my own research.

Edited by MYOB on Tuesday 28th June 01:47

Klippie

3,123 posts

145 months

Tuesday 28th June 2022
quotequote all
I bought a MSI gaming laptop from them, the best price in the UK, they couldn't have been better, the day after I ordered the computer they sent me a £150 off voucher, the computer arrived in the store for pick-up when they said it would and they refunded me the £150...excellent.


D1on

802 posts

186 months

Tuesday 28th June 2022
quotequote all
paulrockliffe said:
I recently bought from Currys because they were the only place I could spend a load of vouchers. I wouldn't use them if you can avoid them.

Their website confirmed the order was placed and gave me an order number, they charged my credit card and the vouchers card I used, then I heard nothing. When I chased them up they told me that the order hadn't gone through, despite them needing to refund my cards and me having a confirmation number. They couldn't simply place the order for me, I had to wait for them to refund everything and reorder.

Although my order was apparently non-existent they repeatedly tried to sell me extra insurance in the meantime. They would have happily charged me for something I didn't own.

I didn't give them permission to use my email address, but I get weekly contact from them asking me to review my purchase, including from a third party.

They're not even cheap enough to be worth the hassle, so if oyu don't have vouchers to burn, I would literally use anyone else.
I've had exactly the same experience with them before...

James6112

4,311 posts

28 months

Tuesday 28th June 2022
quotequote all
Out of those 2, I’d use Curry’s rather than Costco
Only because I get 10% their gift vouchers through work!
Bought a lot of stuff there over the years, never a problem.

anonymous-user

54 months

Tuesday 28th June 2022
quotequote all
xeny said:
I'd go with a couple of https://www.costco.co.uk/Computers/Laptops-MacBook... for £349.99 each, but I have no love of Currys.

edit - FWIW that's also probably the lowest spec laptop they offer I'd inflict on anyone I wanted to do anything productive for me.

Edited by xeny on Monday 27th June 15:27
Agreed, I think you will struggle to find anything better than that for the money.

alscar

4,076 posts

213 months

Tuesday 28th June 2022
quotequote all
I’ve always found John Lewis pretty good and either online or in person far better than Curry’s - not difficult I know