homehelp - Buying Computer Parts

Buying from RS infotech
RS infotech is not primarily a retailer.  For your convenience our technicians carry a small stock of basic parts at reasonable prices for repairs and upgrades, but generally we advise people to buy computer parts by mail order or from a reputable local shop.  Read on for our independent advice.

We Recommend Mail Order
If you know what you want, then for the best value and choice we recommend you buy hardware and software yourself from reputable UK mail-order retailers such as Scan (www.scan.co.uk) in Bolton and Stak (www.stak.com), both of whom we find give reliable service and offer both Internet and telephone sales and support.

Specialist Mail Order
For some items it is worth looking for deals at specialist retailers, e.g. for printers we recommend Ameiva (www.ameiva.co.uk) and PrinterBase (www.printerbase.co.uk), for broadband equipment, Broadband Buyer (www.broadbandbuyer.co.uk) and Clarity (www.clarity.it) - all of whom give excellent service.  For software, especially Microsoft packages, it is worth checking for special offers on sites such as Software Select (www.softwareselect.co.uk).

Local Computer Shops
Local computer shops such as 1st Direct in Preston can also offer good value and sound advice, but not all shops have such a good reputation.  The large chains such as PC World tend to be expensive and the staff tend to be salesmen on promotional incentives or commission, so their advice is unlikely to be impartial.  Our core business is school and home ICT support rather than retailing, but some local shops compete in the same markets so we have compiled a list of competitors to help you compare services and prices.

Computer Fairs
Computer fairs are just like other travelling markets - a mixture of reputable traders and some dodgy fly-by-nights, and getting a valid VAT receipt can be tricky.  Prices are often thought to be cheap, however generally prices are similar to mail-order but without the benefit of a customer service department to handle returns.  On the whole, we do not recommend them.

Also Not Recommended
From experience we also do not recommend online suppliers who refuse to communicate via telephone, such as well-known Dabs Direct (www.dabs.com).

What About OEM Products?
'OEM' or 'brown box' products are cheaper than the 'retail' equivalent, but be aware that although OEM literally means "Original Equipment Manufacturer", in practical terms it means 'no fancy box, no instructions, no retail niceties', i.e. to buy OEM by mail-order you need to know exactly what you are doing.  OEM should not be confused with 'generic', which means unbranded.

Check the Manufacturer's Website
The best advice we can give you is to always double-check the specification of anything you are about to buy - look it up on the manufacturer's website as well as reading the retailer's description.  If no manufacturer is stated, ask the retailer for it.  If the retailer won't tell you, be suspicious and look elsewhere.

If in doubt, feel free to ask us - we are always happy to give independent advice; we are not on commission from anyone, we do not expect you to purchase from us and our advice is almost always free - it is all part of our service!