Right to haggle for laptops?

irishbran77

I'm going back to college after this summer but need to buy a laptop beforehand. It's killing me trying to raise the money but I'm deciding whether to just go into currys or pcworld and ask for the manager to see if they can do me any deals... what do people think?

I'd like to know if others here have been haggling in shops lately and whether you've been largely successful or not.

Cheers all.

blubloblu

Can't be any harm in asking for a student discount.

jor el

Buy online, you'll get a much better price than PC World or Currys. Try elara.ie or if you're feeling brave, laptopsdirect.ie, but I would not recommend them.

Colonel Sanders

jor el wrote: »

Buy online, you'll get a much better price than PC World or Currys. Try elara.ie or if you're feeling brave, laptopsdirect.ie, but I would not recommend them.

laptops.ie is most certainly only for the brave, I had a terrible experience with them and I think there's been a few threads on boards giving out about them

OP, re. haggling if you don't ask you don't get

MOH

Got a great deal from laptopsdirect last year, no problems, but have heard bad things about them.
On the other hand, I've heard tons of bad stuff about PC world.
Always avoided Elara as I felt they were overpriced, but got a Samsung NC10 off them a few months ago for a few quid more than laptopsdirect, and was delivered in 24 hours, so they might be worth a look.

MunsterCycling

MOH wrote: »

Got a great deal from laptopsdirect last year, no problems, but have heard bad things about them.
On the other hand, I've heard tons of bad stuff about PC world.
Always avoided Elara as I felt they were overpriced, but got a Samsung NC10 off them a few months ago for a few quid more than laptopsdirect, and was delivered in 24 hours, so they might be worth a look.

You pay for actually having customer care, not just sending problem e-mails etc in to the bin.

Haggle haggle haggle...

MC

foggy_lad

i would say yes haggle like your life, or your student nightlife depended on it! ask and you might get something off or something thrown in to sweeten the deal, dont ask and you are saying you dont want it a bit cheaper.

Shannonsider

Its never any harm to have a cheaper figure from a competitor (or a slightly cheaper made up price to what they are offering) even if you wouldn't buy from that competitor. Give them the whole this is your budget spiel and that you can get the same laptop down the road for €50 less.

A great time to be a consumer.... if only we had the money to spend!!

I also find going into shops later in the day, especially just before closing time is great cos at that stage they just want a handy sale and may be more inclined to give you what you want just to get you out (I know it doesn't always work but worth a shot!)

Messed Up Mind

If you're looking at buying a Mac, they have an education discount website. You get 8% off the cost and they're delivered within 48 hours.

chalkitdown

Messed Up Mind wrote: »

If you're looking at buying a Mac, they have an education discount website. You get 8% off the cost and they're delivered within 48 hours.

The OP is obviously looking for an inexpensive laptop, and you recommend a Mac?

chalkitdown

chalkitdown wrote: »

The OP is obviously looking for an inexpensive laptop, and you recommend a Mac?

I got D.I.D to drop a prive of a laptop from €580 to €490. I'm sure you could apply the same to other laptops.


Shopping around is the best thing you can do.

Also, definitely contact PowerCity via their website. Pick a laptop and send a comment to them like "hi, just wondering if i could by any chance get a better price on this at all?" and they'll ring you back, telling you how low they'll go.

With Power City it requires no effort and it's all over the phone, so you dont feel awkward or embarrassed or anything, Excellent stuff by them.

Xterminator

i dont work for this crowd, but my company is a customer, and they mail us special offers from time to time.

They have good brands like toshiba at decent prices (on the special offers), and you can drop in and collect (brinks n mortar too!).

http://www.bms.ie

At very least you can compare the prices to harveys etc.

irishbran77

I went into a currys store and asked the manager about a 370 euros laptop. I very nicely and hesitantly asked about maybe if I could get a deal since I know I can buy cheaper online. She said she would take 10 euros off it, or throw in a 2gb memory stick. Now I know that it's cheap enough as it is, but the smirk on her face told me she was taking the piss a little! I would too if I was in her position, but I'm still going to do my research before getting that deal...

Am I being a stingy, cheap ...!?!

Antigone05

we cant pay for what we feel is the cost of something unfortunatley, we pay what the price has been set as.

you will only be entertained for so much, comparing online pricing to bricks and mortar wont get you far.

best way to do it is have the cash in your hand. go up to a shop (harveys, currys, DID etc) and say i have 350quid. what can you give me.

if they cant give you what you need or want, try elsewhere. eventually you will find your right price and product.

partyatmygaff

You've no right to haggle but you can try, some shops might let you. PC world definitley do and so do Harveys and Power City.

Jev/N

partyatmygaff wrote: »

You've no right to haggle but you can try.

Aside from some exceptions such as unilateral offers, you have every right to haggle and make any offer you wish which is then left up to the offeree to accept/reject