Is buying laptop from online store a good choice?

Discussion in Computers, Electronics & Gadgets started by whnuien • May 4, 2014.

  1. whnuien

    whnuienActive Member

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    My laptop is now very old, the battery life has expired and there is no way I can use it without the laptop being on charge all the time. I'm planning to purchase a new one and I noticed that buying from online store costs cheaper than buying from shops out there.

    I never purchased laptop online before so I'm a bit skeptical with the option. Do you think it is a good choice at all to buy from online? If you have an experience then please do share.
     
  2. lovemwaf

    lovemwafActive Member

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    It is definitely a good choice. When you buy online it is nice and easy because you are able to find the specifications very nice and easily. Once you know what you want, then you can really nice and easily make a selection and find something that you can buy at a cheaper price than in stores.
     
  3. deathbyprayer

    deathbyprayerActive Member

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    Its fairly cheap to buy a laptop online and you won't have to worry about getting to the store. I personally ordered my PC online and I have had no problems with it. Just make sure that the retailer you're buying from is legitimate and tested. The only thing you have to worry about is the shipping, sometimes they take too long to deliver your package and bad shipping companies tend to deliver items that are broken.
     
  4. Denis Hard

    Denis HardWell-Known Member

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    Because you'll get the laptops cheaper on the net, it is a good choice but you need to buy from reputable sellers only. Do some research and find out which stores have a good reputation of selling quality electronics [at the cheapest prices]. Once you do your homework, go right ahead and make your purchase. Just make sure you do some research and read reviews on more than one site before making a purchase.
     
  5. deansaliba

    deansalibaActive Member

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    I have bought computers and laptop from Ebay before with varying degrees of success. I am looking for a new laptop right now and will have a look online, but I don't want to buy a refurbished one and I don't want to be held up by the amount they will charge to ship it to me.
     
  6. streakanime

    streakanimeMember

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    I've been purchasing my computers from Walmart lately. The desktop I have now is nearly 5 years old and it still works great. I think I paid $500 for it. When I was in school I remember spending $1,000 ish on a Dell laptop. With school money, of course. But, it was a piece of junk.
     
  7. ohiotom76

    ohiotom76Well-Known Member

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    I would say that if you are able to find a good deal directly from the manufacturer's web site then it should be perfectly safe to order from them. In fact, you will likely get their most cutting edge models vs. ones that have been sitting on store shelves or in warehouses for months. If you are considering buying it from some independent retailer, such as a small online shop, I would be more cautious.

    Check the specs on the system being sold, and compare them to a system with equal specs on the manufacturers web site to see if you are in fact getting a good deal. Just because a retailer says something like "30% Off!" doesn't mean it actually is. The price they are charging may in fact be exactly the same as what you would pay if you ordered if from the manufacturer directly. Also, check for any reviews for the model itself you are considering. You should often get results from sites like CNet - when looking over the review, make note of the date the review was made. This will give you an idea of how old that particular model of computer is.

    Also, when ordering something like a computer online, try and factor in shipping insurance and/or requiring a signature on delivery. If you are buying it from some cut-rate seller, they may not include this.
     
  8. Gelsemium

    GelsemiumWell-Known Member

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    Maybe it's a good choice if the company has a local support because if something goes wrong who are you going to turn to? Sometimes getting the best price is not everything, post sales services also count a lot and I would not like to be stuck with a damaged computer in my hand and no one to talk to.
     
  9. Sly14Cat

    Sly14CatActive Member

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    I see no problem with buying a computer online as long as you get it from a reputable seller. For example, I got my computer online, and it's from Dell, and it came with everything as advertised. I'm sure this goes with other suppliers such as HP, Sony, System76, etc. So as long as you're careful about who you buy it from, it's perfectly safe to buy a laptop online.
     
  10. epiczail

    epiczailBanned

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    I buy a lot of big ticket items online like laptops and gaming consoles. I typically buy almost everything online actually. It's just so much easier for me than going in store. Although if I'm not 100% sure as to what I want I will go to the store.
     
  11. robinegg

    robineggMember

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    There are more deals available online, but you cannot try it out. Also, it is quite complicated if there is something wrong with your new laptop, because you can't simply take it back to the store and ask for a return or a replacement. Sometimes you need to spend a long time on the phone with reps and tech support before they relent and offer to replace the computer. Then you need to contact the shipping company to return the faulty machine, and it can take quite a while for them to ship a replacement. Personally I've had to wait for over a month because they had to make a new laptop, and there was a problem in production, yada yada yada... It was extremely frustrating and next time I will just buy from Future Shop.
     
  12. Parker

    ParkerWell-Known Member

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    Buying a laptop online is definitely a good choice. You can get great deals online that cannot be found in local stores. You do have to be careful about who and where you purchase from. There are plenty of reputable places to buying laptops. Ebay is a good choice and most major brand names have online stores. Some brand names often have outlet stores online.
     
  13. 003

    003Well-Known Member

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    Yes, it's a very good choice as long as the site that you are buying from is legit. Buying online now is like buying on the store itself except that you wouldn't have to go to a store and leave your house. It's just going to be delivered to your house. Also, often their offers are better than the ones in an actual shop. They also give the same services actual shops do like repairs and warranties.
     
  14. Thejamal

    ThejamalActive Member

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    What I did with the laptop I bought a few months ago was go to the store to try out the model and then just order it online for a better price. I wouldn't recommend just buying a computer without at least seeing the model and being sure it's the right one for you. I also got it ordered through the store so it wouldn't get damaged through shipping to my house.
     
  15. Kazix

    KazixMember

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    If you want to save the money, then yes, purchasing laptop an from online store is a better option. The thing you want to do is to go to a 'regular' store and checking out the laptop model 'in real life' before buying it online. Things like the keyboard and the general feel are extremely important when purchasing laptop.
     
  16. isabbbela

    isabbbelaWell-Known Member

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    Sure, as long as you buy from a reputable trustworthy online store I don't see what would be the problem. My last laptop I got at Best Buy, but the one before this I got at Dell online store. And I never had issues with them. The only problem on getting a laptop online is that if you have problems and need to exchange or return it's more of a hassle.. they will do it, but you need to send it back, then wait for a new one to come... in that sense it's easier to buy in store since you can just take it back and get a new one right then and there!
     
  17. CrystalMarie

    CrystalMarieActive Member

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    Depending on the site, you can find good quality laptops at great prices. I was skeptical about my first purchase also but everything worked out fine. I think as long as you aren't buy it used, you should be okay.
     
  18. ghostwheel

    ghostwheelMember

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    It's fine as long as it's from a reputable store. It's always a good idea to do a little bit of research (ie. online reviews etc) before making any online purchases.

    As for myself, I'm still using the same laptop I bought online from a different country five years ago. The thing broke within 2 years but I managed to get it repaired by having a courier ship the laptop to the store. They fixed it within a few weeks and sent it back with new parts.

    Next time, I'm going to order from a store at the country where I live to save myself the palava from having to deal internationally (also, buying from your own country will likely give you the option to pay for extended warranty where they will pay for shipping costs in the event of failed hardware)
     
  19. Jessi

    Jessi<a href="http://www.quirkycookery.com">QuirkyCooke

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    Yes!

    Just choose a good company to buy from and you'll be fine. You'll be getting the same thing that you could get in the store, so long as you buy new instead of used or refurbished.
     
  20. Shiditios

    ShiditiosNew Member

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    Definitely do it online. It's a lot easier to see the specifications of the laptop you want to buy online and you can easily see the better prices online as well. I don't have much experience here, but I think online is the way to go.