where to buy: online or in a store???

[Santuzzo]

Hi,

I have already started several threads on my i7 build that I want to get.
With the help and advcie of you guys I have made decisions on what parts to get, but now I'm not sure where to buy from.

I found a store that sells online and also in stores, and they have a branch where I live (Amsterdam), so that would be a big advantage if something does not work within the warranty period: I could just bring the PC to the store and they fix the problem for me.

I also found an online store that is farther away, which would mean if something is not working, I'd have to send the part(s) by mail to them and the shipping expenses would be on my charge. But this said online store does offer a much better deal, they are more than 10% cheaper.

Just to give you an idea: the cheaper store (online) would get me the system parts for 1870 US$ whereas the store located closeby would charge me for the same system about 2130 US$. Now that is a huge difference to me. Both prices are just the parts without assembly. I'd have to put them together myself. (Which I'm not sure yet if I could do it, BTW. But at a surcharge both stores also offer to assemble the system for me)

But then what if something does go wrong and I do have to return parts? In that case the mroe expensive store would not cost me anything, but the other store would require for me to ship the defective parts to them at my expense.

Do you guys have any experience with this?

Pros and Cons of ordering form an online store versus buying at a "real" store?!

I'd appreciate your opinions and thoughts on this.

Lars

 

[Press_Corpse]

Personally, if you could split up the order between thee two so it is cheaper, I would recommend that. Here in the US, there is a store called Microcenter, and they sell the i7 920 for a good chunk cheaper than newegg. However, Newegg is cheaper for the most part. So, I would look at prices for both and if one part is cheaper elsewhere, order there. We here can help you with any troubleshooting so at least that gives you peace of mind

 

[Santuzzo]

Personally, if you could split up the order between thee two so it is cheaper, I would recommend that. Here in the US, there is a store called Microcenter, and they sell the i7 920 for a good chunk cheaper than newegg. However, Newegg is cheaper for the most part. So, I would look at prices for both and if one part is cheaper elsewhere, order there. We here can help you with any troubleshooting so at least that gives you peace of mind

Thanks, man ! I appreciate that! You guys on this forum have been a great hlep so far already! And yes, it does definitely give me piece of mind that I will get help form you if I have problems with some parts of my build.

I was considering that, too, to get some parts at one store and some at another, but this online store I found now (the one I am talking about in my initial post of this thread) was cheaper on all parts.

My main concern is just what would happen if a part is defective or stops functioning and I need to return it. See, with the "real" store I would just brign it, and they would fix it for me, whereas with the online shop I'd have to send it in (and first find out WHICH part it is that is not working, so I don't send in a wrong part that's not defective) and I would have to pay for the shipping here.

 

[Press_Corpse]

Well, if you feel better with knowing you could just walk down and exchange certain parts at your local store, then choose that. Do whatever you feel most comfortable with. Considering your on a computer now, I'm led to believe that you have a 2nd computer in house. So, at least you won't be without internet for e-mail or tech-forums help. So it is up to you on where you want to buy.

 

[Santuzzo]

Well, if you feel better with knowing you could just walk down and exchange certain parts at your local store, then choose that. Do whatever you feel most comfortable with. Considering your on a computer now, I'm led to believe that you have a 2nd computer in house. So, at least you won't be without internet for e-mail or tech-forums help. So it is up to you on where you want to buy.

Thanks for your help!

Yes, I do have a 2nd PC, it's an old P4, I have had for 7 or even 8 years, and it served me VERY well, never had problems with it. It is just time for a major upgrade, but I will keep my old PC

With regard to where to buy: I'm probably worrying too much at his point and overcomplicating things, I do have that tendency to have a hard time with making final decisions when buying stuff, so I want to check out every detail and make sure I'm doing the right thing. This can be a PITA sometimes.:laughing:
I was thinking just now, shipping a defective motherboard or whatever to the online store would not even cost much more than a few bucks. But first I would have to find out WHICH part in my PC is the one that's defective. That would be the tough part I guess.

But that online store does have a much better deal!

Thnaks again for your help, I appreciate it!

 

[Press_Corpse]

Again, if you are worried about shipping, pay more and buy from your local shop. In the end, it will probably even itself out in the end. Just do whatever you feel more comfortable with. It isn't a hard decision, you're just making it out to be
I too own a p4 computer and am upgrading to an i7 rig in the next couple paychecks. Or, waiting for income taxes to come back

 

[Santuzzo]

Again, if you are worried about shipping, pay more and buy from your local shop. In the end, it will probably even itself out in the end. Just do whatever you feel more comfortable with. It isn't a hard decision, you're just making it out to be
I too own a p4 computer and am upgrading to an i7 rig in the next couple paychecks. Or, waiting for income taxes to come back

Cool !
I will actually be able to write the PC off from the income tax since I will use it for work!

Oh, one thing I did not mention about the store versus online store dilemma: the store would not be able to deliver the parts until 27th of February, so I'd have to wait another 2 weeks. That plus the 10%+ they charge more than the online store, makes the decision easier in the end. I don't want to wait much longer anymore......I wan my new PC nOW

 

[tastegw]

as for the case goes, not sure if you have one allready,

i find it cheaper to pick one up locally in some cases.

if the seller doesnt offer free shipping, that can really run up the price.

 

[Santuzzo]

Thanks guys!
I appreciate your opinions and advice!

Now I looked into warranty conditions and it seems the online store I was considering buying from dos NOT cover the shipping charges either ways in case a defective part has to be sent in to them, so I'd have to pay for sending it to them and also for them to send the replaced/repaired part back to me.
That sounds like bad customer service to me, what do you think?

I compared with some other online stores here, and it seems many handle it the same way. I found one store that covers at least one way of the shipping, so customer would only pay for sending the defective part in, but the store would cover the costs for sending the replaced/repaired part back to the customer.


Have you guys experienced cases where a part stopped functioning within the warranty period and you had to send it in to have it repaired or replaced? How was the procedure?

 

[jfenwick]

I've RMA'd a number of items over the past two years to ncix.com as well as my local store. The online store cost me $12 of shipping, mailed and forgotten until the new part came in which they covered postage on the return. The local place I drove to (20min) waited in line for service (30min), drove home (20min), drove back two days later (20min) waited in line (30min) and drove home (20min) with my new part. Total time = over 2h, my old consulting fee was $60/h minimum so the $12 postage was was well worth my time.

Just my 2 cents: Check some customer support feedback on both these places, my local places are horrible, I only buy from ncix.com now and on occasion the canadian newegg.ca site as well as they have good customer support as well. That makes it or breaks it for me, i'll pay an extra few bucks to know there will be no hassles and I can talk to a real human when i call.