A Christmas Bargain?

Every year, in the days immediately after Christmas, we’re contacted by increasing amounts of people who have bought computer systems elsewhere and can’t get things working correctly.

In 2021, we had 40 enquiries, in 2022 it rose to 64, in 2023 it rose again to 87 and this last year it rose to 105! These are figures for the week after Christmas, based on phone enquiries and store walk-in requests.

The majority of these systems had been sold to the buyer as ‘Full Spec Gaming Systems’, yet most were unable to play the most basic mid-range games, mainly because they were older generation equipment or lacked the required graphics or CPU power. Needless to say, people were disappointed.

For us, this disappointment causes a loss of faith in our industry, not to mention the personal cost to the buyer to get the machine to where they need it to be. Often this is at a time of year when finances are stretched to breaking point anyway, receiving an unexpected bill for upgrades or replacement is not what people want, need or expect!

When we ask where these machines were purchased, it’s not from one single source, but there are common themes… The terms ‘Refurbished’, ‘Recycled’ and ‘Good As New’ featured quite heavily in the adverts we were shown, along with messages like ‘Full Complete Gaming System’, ‘Will Play The Latest Games’ etc… These were typically (but not exclusively) from places like Facebook Marketplace, eBay, Amazon, OnBuy and many catalogue websites. 

Warning Signs To Watch For

• The product description is vague
• The retailer doesn’t have a physical presence in a store or office, or their support number takes ages to answer (try calling it before you buy!)
• The product description doesn’t detail the exact components or range
• The warranty terms are vague or overly restrictive
• They only accept payments in either Cash or PayPal
• They evade specific questions on warranty
• An unrealistically low price
• They are evasive when asked about upgrades

How Do I Buy Responsibly?

• Visit an independent IT retailer for advice, genuine retailers (like ourselves) will happily give you unbiased advice. 
• Know what you expect from a machine, we run gaming workshops for parents who are buying a system for the first time (free and without obligation to purchase), we will give you the tools you need to make an informed purchasing decision. This will involve you being asked what games you (or your child) are planning to run, then checking a particular specification will work for that game or software program.
• Check the warranty terms. Genuine retailers will provide at least 12 months RTB (return To Base) warranty. Some individual components may carry a longer warranty. Ask about labour charges to replace these if needed after the initial warranty period.
• Pay by card where possible.
• Check Lead Times – If you’re buying for Christmas, this is a particularly busy time, ask about guaranteed delivery dates etc.
• Check reviews on popular review platforms, like TrustPilot.