Apple Store or Compu B?

Bang Bang

I've ran a quick search of the forums but found little up to date information.

I'm in the market for a new MacBook Air and am looking for advice from the forum members here.
Is there any difference at all in ordering from the Apple Store and ordering from Compu B?

I have bought from the Apple store in the past and found the staff on the phone and the online functions to be excellent but I felt that their delivery service let them (Apple) down.

So I can walk into Compu B and pay the same price as online with Apple but are there any disadvantages?

Thanks in advance.

Greentree_uk

Should be no difference at all. aside from it being a local store. They do all the servicing for Apple Anyway.

banquo

No difference

Losty Dublin

If you are ordering a Mac with some sort of an adjustment or add on like a SSD or extra RAM, CompuB may not have your specific one in stock there and then so they'd have to order in but that's about the worst that could happen. Even then, Apple may have to wait a few days for a similar order to be made so it's not a big deal.

Bang Bang

Thanks a million for the input lads. It looks like Compu B then

Just to reiterate that I have had no problems with Apple online in the past, I have used them a few times but I honestly feel that their chosen delivery company lets the side down, I found them (delivery company) to be very unreliable and to an extent unapproachable.

Sad Professor

Are you talking about TNT? Because I've always found them very good.

Bang Bang

Sad Professor wrote: »

Are you talking about TNT? Because I've always found them very good.

It was UPS anytime I've dealt with Apple. It's been over a year since I last dealt with Apple and I really didn't want to go through the unreliability of UPS again.

Colonel Panic

I would always order stuff via Apple directly. Their delivery and returns have always been top notch for me.

whiterebel

Colonel Panic wrote: »

I would always order stuff via Apple directly. Their delivery and returns have always been top notch for me.

Same here. Always found TNT and UPS to be very efficient.

unclebill98

Apple Store deliver using a variety of different companies. It seem to depend on whats being shipped. I ordered an ipad this year and got it via a small parcel company and then my larger order like imac etc came via UPS. Never an issue with any delivery.

As for Compu B, Dealt with the one in swords for a recent purchase of a mac mini but the staff where not really up to speed on the item and its use. There was a lad in blanch who just clicked with me when I explained what it was for and ended up buying it there and then. Normally I'd use the refurb store but the sales service was so good I just went with compu b. No issues as of yet but I've to return a keyboard/mouse cradle thing so hopefully they will not let me down :-)

7upfree

We dealt with CompuB on an SSD upgrade for an iMac last year. Top class servos. Would highly recommend them.

Bang Bang

unclebill98 wrote: »

As for Compu B, Dealt with the one in swords for a recent purchase of a mac mini but the staff where not really up to speed on the item and its use. There was a lad in blanch who just clicked with me when I explained what it was for and ended up buying it there and then. Normally I'd use the refurb store but the sales service was so good I just went with compu b. No issues as of yet but I've to return a keyboard/mouse cradle thing so hopefully they will not let me down :-)

I went to the Blanchardstown store and was greeted by a very good salesperson who wasn't going in for the big sell, which I like. I told him I was thinking of either the retina pro or MacBook Air, he asked what my plans for usage where, I told him and straight away recommended the Air, so honesty was his policy and I liked that. I bought there and then.

bonnieprince

Bang Bang wrote: »

It was UPS anytime I've dealt with Apple. It's been over a year since I last dealt with Apple and I really didn't want to go through the unreliability of UPS again.

I hear ye! UPS were pretty bad and downright rude when dealing with them. Even mentioned it on Apple's follow up customer service survey.

Well wear!

shrtdrk

unclebill98 wrote: »

Apple Store deliver using a variety of different companies. It seem to depend on whats being shipped. I ordered an ipad this year and got it via a small parcel company and then my larger order like imac etc came via UPS. Never an issue with any delivery.

As for Compu B, Dealt with the one in swords for a recent purchase of a mac mini but the staff where not really up to speed on the item and its use. There was a lad in blanch who just clicked with me when I explained what it was for and ended up buying it there and then. Normally I'd use the refurb store but the sales service was so good I just went with compu b. No issues as of yet but I've to return a keyboard/mouse cradle thing so hopefully they will not let me down :-)

Hey there

I kinda have a similar quandary. I need to upgrade my macs. I've had the current batch for years. In the beginning I dealt with O'Sullivan Graphics, next upgrade CompuB in Limerick. (I had an issue with the machine I ordered at that time in that I wasn't told that mac were moving away completely from their own chips and by the time my new G5 & Graphic Design software was nearly ready to ship, Apple were selling the G5 with intel chips. I wasn't allowed to switch to the newer machine.)

Now I need to upgrade again. Mac & software. Macs only option seems to be the new cylinder Mac Pro machine. Not worth the price in my opinion. Also there are rumours that mac are looking to using their own chips again. A state of the art Mac would be out date pretty soon.

I think my only option is the 'Buy Refurbished Mac - Apple Store (Republic of Ireland)' http://store.apple.com/ie/browse/home/specialdeals/mac and I have been watching the site. Unclebill98 mentions refurbished machines. Has anyone any details on how successful is this route, experience, advice.

Doodah7

shrtdrk wrote: »

Hey there

Also there are rumours that mac are looking to using their own chips again. A state of the art Mac would be out date pretty soon.

I think my only option is the 'Buy Refurbished Mac - Apple Store (Republic of Ireland)' http://store.apple.com/ie/browse/home/specialdeals/mac and I have been watching the site. Unclebill98 mentions refurbished machines. Has anyone any details on how successful is this route, experience, advice.

There is an article in this month's Mac Format magazine regarding the issue of Apple using their own chips in Macs. The conclusion is that they are years away, if ever, from doing so. I wouldn't let such an issue sway you over purchasing Macs now.

Refurbished products from Apple are just as good as brand new and there are some significant savings to be had.

shrtdrk

tallpaul wrote: »

There is an article in this month's Mac Format magazine regarding the issue of Apple using their own chips in Macs. The conclusion is that they are years away, if ever, from doing so. I wouldn't let such an issue sway you over purchasing Macs now.

Yes I read that article too. Usually these rumors start around two years in advance. I agree, however at the time of my previous big upgrade purchase I'd been told the intel chip macs wouldn't be available in Ireland for years.:( That wasn't the case.

So thinking purchase a refurbished Mac if I can get the one I want (well you'll note there are considerable time gaps between my big upgrades) then upgrade sooner

unclebill98

shrtdrk wrote: »

Hey there

I kinda have a similar quandary. I need to upgrade my macs. I've had the current batch for years. In the beginning I dealt with O'Sullivan Graphics, next upgrade CompuB in Limerick. (I had an issue with the machine I ordered at that time in that I wasn't told that mac were moving away completely from their own chips and by the time my new G5 & Graphic Design software was nearly ready to ship, Apple were selling the G5 with intel chips. I wasn't allowed to switch to the newer machine.)

Now I need to upgrade again. Mac & software. Macs only option seems to be the new cylinder Mac Pro machine. Not worth the price in my opinion. Also there are rumours that mac are looking to using their own chips again. A state of the art Mac would be out date pretty soon.

I think my only option is the 'Buy Refurbished Mac - Apple Store (Republic of Ireland)' http://store.apple.com/ie/browse/home/specialdeals/mac and I have been watching the site. Unclebill98 mentions refurbished machines. Has anyone any details on how successful is this route, experience, advice.

Just to add. The vast majority of my Macs are refurbs, iPads, iMac, Powerbooks etc. Only reason I bought the Mac Mini from Compu B was the refurb site never had the spec I wanted as most shipped with flash drives.

TBH you would be hard pressed to even know its a refurb'd machine. Its like opening a new one and you have the same warranty and you've saved a few bucks too.

Doodah7

unclebill98 wrote: »

TBH you would be hard pressed to even know its a refurb'd machine. Its like opening a new one and you have the same warranty and you've saved a few bucks too.

+1

I just got delivery of a refurb Apple TV. I would swear that it has never been touched by a human hand since the day it left the factory. The packing of product including the cable is identical to the 'normal' version that I got last Christmas. Literally the only difference is the outer box.