Online computer hardware stores in the UK
- Thread starter Xmas
- Start date
tahir2, i believe, runs a computer store in the UK. he should be able to help you out.
epic
epic
www.dabs.com
www.ebuyer.com
www.komplett.co.uk
www.cclonline.co.uk
All pretty good online stores. Some have better customer service that others but I've found them all pretty decent.
www.ebuyer.com
www.komplett.co.uk
www.cclonline.co.uk
All pretty good online stores. Some have better customer service that others but I've found them all pretty decent.
Jawed
Legend
www.ebuyer.co.uk - competitive and comprehensive. Not possible to speak with anyone as everything is done via web, so potentially frustrating, though customer support facilities are extensive and the response time isn't bad.
www.dabs.com - more human, and roughly as competitive as ebuyer - very easy to use site
www.lowestonweb.com - restricted range of products but competitive pricing
http://www.cpucitystore.co.uk - helpful
Jawed
www.dabs.com - more human, and roughly as competitive as ebuyer - very easy to use site
www.lowestonweb.com - restricted range of products but competitive pricing
http://www.cpucitystore.co.uk - helpful
Jawed
Bouncing Zabaglione Bros.
Legend
www.dabs.com (very large, very cheap boxshifters but rubbish customer service)
www.overclockers.co.uk (some interesting stuff, poor rep for customer service, may have improved recently)
www.overclock.co.uk
www.tekheads.co.uk
www.simply.co.uk
www.komplett.co.uk (bit pricey, but often have stock when no one else does)
www.svp.co.uk (CD/DVD blank media and other bits & pieces)
www.crucial.com/uk (RAM, flashmedia, USB drives, etc)
www.overclockers.co.uk (some interesting stuff, poor rep for customer service, may have improved recently)
www.overclock.co.uk
www.tekheads.co.uk
www.simply.co.uk
www.komplett.co.uk (bit pricey, but often have stock when no one else does)
www.svp.co.uk (CD/DVD blank media and other bits & pieces)
www.crucial.com/uk (RAM, flashmedia, USB drives, etc)
Ones I've used and liked:
http://www.dabs.com/ - Big, cheap and reliable and you can easily see accurately how much is in stock. Downside is there product descriptions are often weak and sometimes innacurate. Don't expect to speak to any humans and delivery can sometimes take a few days.
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/ - One of my personal favourite stores. They don't have as big a selection as other retailers but what they do stock is always quality. Simply, they tend to stock the best products. They also can be suprisingly cheap on certain items, too. For instance, I picked up a 7800GT from there for only £205 - cheaper by far than anywhere else I could find. Also has a good forum for asking questions and advice. Delivery is expensive but is always next day. Downside is there stock levels are not always accurate and customer service is variale (can be great, can be poor).
http://www.scan.co.uk/ - Best known for their pioneering "today only" where you get some good bargains. Always worth checking, can be cheap. Good customer service, too.
http://www.ebuyer.com/ - Often the cheapest retailer and you can get some real bargains. If price is your main concern try here first. Prices change rapidly, too, so keep an eye on them. Customer ratings are handy. Downside is that I've read some bad things about their customer service but I've personally never had any problems (and have made around 6 or 7 orders from them). Large range of delivery options and prices, but next day isn't cheap.
http://www.dabs.com/ - Big, cheap and reliable and you can easily see accurately how much is in stock. Downside is there product descriptions are often weak and sometimes innacurate. Don't expect to speak to any humans and delivery can sometimes take a few days.
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/ - One of my personal favourite stores. They don't have as big a selection as other retailers but what they do stock is always quality. Simply, they tend to stock the best products. They also can be suprisingly cheap on certain items, too. For instance, I picked up a 7800GT from there for only £205 - cheaper by far than anywhere else I could find. Also has a good forum for asking questions and advice. Delivery is expensive but is always next day. Downside is there stock levels are not always accurate and customer service is variale (can be great, can be poor).
http://www.scan.co.uk/ - Best known for their pioneering "today only" where you get some good bargains. Always worth checking, can be cheap. Good customer service, too.
http://www.ebuyer.com/ - Often the cheapest retailer and you can get some real bargains. If price is your main concern try here first. Prices change rapidly, too, so keep an eye on them. Customer ratings are handy. Downside is that I've read some bad things about their customer service but I've personally never had any problems (and have made around 6 or 7 orders from them). Large range of delivery options and prices, but next day isn't cheap.
I probably use www.overclockers.co.uk most often, simply because they tend to get stock of items like new video cards before anyone else. Their customer service is indeed variable. It is often impossible to get through by phone.
I like www.scan.co.uk. They are efficient and have good customer service (in my experience, at least).
Otherwise, I use www.dabs.com and www.insight.com/uk, especially for more "office-type" hardware, such as networking gear.
For portable gear, like mobile phones and PDAs, I like http://www.fingertech.co.uk and www.expansys.com.
I like www.scan.co.uk. They are efficient and have good customer service (in my experience, at least).
Otherwise, I use www.dabs.com and www.insight.com/uk, especially for more "office-type" hardware, such as networking gear.
For portable gear, like mobile phones and PDAs, I like http://www.fingertech.co.uk and www.expansys.com.
I work at Gladiator Computers (not run it..just one of the technicians there). We mainly focus on PC Packages these days
We offer excellent service which is second-to-none IMHO (I would say that) but I admit there are places that are cheaper for components out there.
We offer excellent service which is second-to-none IMHO (I would say that) but I admit there are places that are cheaper for components out there.
These days I usually use www.ebuyer.com - mainly because of the pricing which is both low and flexible when it comes to delivery. Their customer service is all done via a ticket system which is great for us because we know what we're talking about (supposedly!) and if you *suggest* that your allocated goon does something, e.g. refund you postage, they usually do it. 
They are a bit lazy sometimes when it comes to busy periods (e.g. Xmas) - they let you go ahead and order something with a specified delivery date, then it's only when you file an inquiry that you get an automated "we are currently experiencing a backlog of X days..." message. I've never had that happen and not been able to get the postage premium refunded though.
They are a bit lazy sometimes when it comes to busy periods (e.g. Xmas) - they let you go ahead and order something with a specified delivery date, then it's only when you file an inquiry that you get an automated "we are currently experiencing a backlog of X days..." message. I've never had that happen and not been able to get the postage premium refunded though.
BTW if you are in Watford you can save postage by going to www.savastores.com (part of Watford Electronics). They're pretty good too.
pocketmoon66
Newcomer
MuFu said:
I used to visit 'Watford Electronics' when it was just the guy selling stuff from his house! I wish I'd bought shares
Bouncing Zabaglione Bros.
Legend
MuFu said:
Is there still a Watford Electronics in Watford? They closed their original shop there (the one just down from the rail station) ages ago, and now use their other shop somewhere up north.
Heh, I remember my first big order from Scan.... On the day of delivery I got a phone call from their courier, who sounded kinda sheepish and said they'd "lost" my delivery. I asked them how they could possibly have lost it and he told me, sounding rather embarassed, taht the van had been hi-jacked. So, looks like some Scallies got my first T-Bird system Scan where good about it, though, can't fault their service.
Anyway, how does this Hexus thing work? /me intrigued....
Scan where good about it, though, can't fault their service.Anyway, how does this Hexus thing work? /me intrigued....
Many thanks for all the replies! I haven't had a look at all of the links yet, though I have to say I like the filter options at dabs.
Link doesn't work for me. Well, I guess a big store just down from the rail station would have been too good to be trueMuFu said:
Bouncing Zabaglione Bros.
Legend
Xmas said:Link doesn't work for me. Well, I guess a big store just down from the rail station would have been too good to be true
Well probably the reason that Watford Electronics closed their shop in Watford is because if you walk just around the corner from where it was, PC World built a honking big store. Fine for bits and pieces, but expensive and limited choice. It only works out economical if you want one or two small things were any postage from an etailer would cost more. Might be okay for some of their components if you want OEM stuff.
If you are in Watford though, there are a few places to check out:
- PC World as above, less than 10 minutes walk south from the train station, in the smaller retail park where the Artworld and Comet is.
- Computer Exchange and Maplins (opposite Pizza Express at the bottom of the High Street near the main entrance of the Harlequin shopping centre)
- the camera shop up at the top of the high street near the camping store by the big square pond also sells computer stuff.
- There's a small store about opposite the Burger King (the one outside in the high street, not the one in the shopping centre) that sells hardware. They have a lot of exotic cases in racks, though I don't know what they are like in there.
Tahir2 said:
Aha, sorry bout that typo.
Hmm... something to do with Savastore must be in Watford because my friend lives there and he went to see them! [Edit - nope! He must have been talking out of his arse. Either that or "6 junctions up the M1" = "in Watford", dohhh...]
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