laptop shop closes down - they finally get what they deserve

swingking

I was in Dundrum tonight and saw that the laptop shop is closing down. They have on the outside that they are having a closing down today-sale.

I went in and asked the guy what his deals were. He showed me a Samsung NC10 for the sale price of 400 euro.

It does not surprise me that this place is closing down. In fact I'm sort of glad (although I do feel sorry for the staff as they find themselves out of work)

This place was a total rip-off ; the NC10 is going on the web for about 360. Saw it on powercity's website. The other deals the guy was showing me was a 800 euro laptop, giving 20 euro off or something. The laptop was totally over-priced. I then was hoping they had good savings on the accessories like the sleeves and bags; again nothing. Extremely overpriced compared to the web. Now I know that the web prices don't cover shipping but it's still not justified

They were a product of the celtic tiger and they died with the recession. But they only have themselves to blame

Cabaal

The web will always be cheaper for electronics, look at pc world or for that matter ANY store that sells pc or pc related parts

Pete4779

Tech shops are long gone. They cannot work in the internet era; I don't think it's the Celtic Tiger's fault, it's the lack of a business model in an industry that is technology/internet based. Any tech stock is always out of date and overpriced by the time it is in a shop.

swingking

but look at the American model ; Best Buy.

They are doing extremely well and keep their prices at a managed level hence the reason why they are so successful.

jahalpin

swingking wrote: »

I was in Dundrum tonight and saw that the laptop shop is closing down. They have on the outside that they are having a closing down today-sale.

I went in and asked the guy what his deals were. He showed me a Samsung NC10 for the sale price of 400 euro.

It does not surprise me that this place is closing down. In fact I'm sort of glad (although I do feel sorry for the staff as they find themselves out of work)

This place was a total rip-off ; the NC10 is going on the web for about 360. Saw it on powercity's website. The other deals the guy was showing me was a 800 euro laptop, giving 20 euro off or something. The laptop was totally over-priced. I then was hoping they had good savings on the accessories like the sleeves and bags; again nothing. Extremely overpriced compared to the web. Now I know that the web prices don't cover shipping but it's still not justified

They were a product of the celtic tiger and they died with the recession. But they only have themselves to blame

Of course a bricks and mortar shop is going to be more expensive than the web.

The main reasons for this are;
- Rent is very high in shopping centres (esp. Dundrum) (The internet shops warehouses would normally be located in out of town areas, which are far cheaper than renting in the centre of a town or in a shopping centre)

- VAT is 6.5% higher here than in the UK

- Rates are very high in popular shopping centres here (Same as rent above)

- Public liability insurance is very expensive, a web based company doesn't really need this as the public aren't usually allowed onto their premises.

- Wages - retail is usually more labout intensive than warehouse operations per unit

- Margins - the margins on computers are usually very low and the shop was probably unable to discount the products by much more

tallaghtoutlaws

swingking wrote: »

but look at the American model ; Best Buy.

They are doing extremely well and keep their prices at a managed level hence the reason why they are so successful.

To be fair the likes of Best Buy even Power City buy in large quantities off the suppliers allowing them to sell the product at a better price than your local PC/Laptop store. Its the same with all independant stores when it comes to electronics. They dont buy in Large quantities and dont get the same discount. Best Buy storerooms are jammed full of stock and the have hundreds of each product. Gives them the ability to drop their prices.

Terrible comparision in fairness.

jimmycrackcorm

swingking wrote: »

I was in Dundrum tonight and saw that the laptop shop is closing down. They have on the outside that they are having a closing down today-sale.

I went in and asked the guy what his deals were. He showed me a Samsung NC10 for the sale price of 400 euro.

It does not surprise me that this place is closing down. In fact I'm sort of glad (although I do feel sorry for the staff as they find themselves out of work)

This place was a total rip-off ; the NC10 is going on the web for about 360. Saw it on powercity's website. The other deals the guy was showing me was a 800 euro laptop, giving 20 euro off or something. The laptop was totally over-priced. I then was hoping they had good savings on the accessories like the sleeves and bags; again nothing. Extremely overpriced compared to the web. Now I know that the web prices don't cover shipping but it's still not justified

They were a product of the celtic tiger and they died with the recession. But they only have themselves to blame

If you buy a laptop or whatever over the internet and save some money then all well and good - but if you have some problems with that then you really get to appreciate the value of the money you pay for the local service. How about the normal tech-illiterate user who can walk back into a shop to get a problem solved in five minutes compared to waiting three weeks to getting the same issue resolved by post - what price do you put on that?

snappieT

Fact of the matter is that the laptop show was started by a couple of guys when CompuStore shut up shop. While they may have been good salespeople, and known about the product, they didn't seem to know a whole lot about pricing, range, marketing - the kind of things owner/managers need to deal with.

Though I only ever bought something there once, and it certainly wasn't a major purchase, I'll be sad to see them go. All we're left with on the south city centre now is Peats, IT Direct, and Beyond 2000, each of which have their own negative points themselves.

dudara

Not a consumer issue per se - better suited to Rip Off Ireland

dudara

Enii

I bought my laptop there. Was happy enough with the price and I negotiated a free sleeve too.... that was the one in Santry - is that closed too?

Pixelcraft

snappieT wrote: »

Fact of the matter is that the laptop show was started by a couple of guys when CompuStore shut up shop. While they may have been good salespeople, and known about the product, they didn't seem to know a whole lot about pricing, range, marketing - the kind of things owner/managers need to deal with.

Sad to see them gone, knew they guy that set it up. I think a thing people don't realise is that suppliers to these shops rip them off, the margin on laptops etc is quite small. It's too simplistic to think it's all the shops fault.

Corruptedmorals

Always a joy to see staff let go..especially those with nothing to do with pricing and store policy...

rameire

snappieT wrote: »

All we're left with on the south city centre now is Peats, IT Direct, and Beyond 2000, each of which have their own negative points themselves.

The Stephen's Green branch of The Laptop Shop is still open.

APM

Sad to hear his,

When I was in the market for a new laptop the guy in the Santry store told me if I brought the spec I had picked from Dell he'd try to match it. Fair play.

Never nice to see friendly, good staff losing their jobs

mehmeh12

That computer store just off the Easons in Dun Laoghaire is the worst..not only are the staff rude but the prices are a blatant rip off. I hope get burned down.

clarker92

swingking wrote: »

I was in Dundrum tonight and saw that the laptop shop is closing down. They have on the outside that they are having a closing down today-sale.

I went in and asked the guy what his deals were. He showed me a Samsung NC10 for the sale price of 400 euro.

It does not surprise me that this place is closing down. In fact I'm sort of glad (although I do feel sorry for the staff as they find themselves out of work)

This place was a total rip-off ; the NC10 is going on the web for about 360. Saw it on powercity's website. The other deals the guy was showing me was a 800 euro laptop, giving 20 euro off or something. The laptop was totally over-priced. I then was hoping they had good savings on the accessories like the sleeves and bags; again nothing. Extremely overpriced compared to the web. Now I know that the web prices don't cover shipping but it's still not justified

They were a product of the celtic tiger and they died with the recession. But they only have themselves to blame

you have no idea what your talking about mate, i worked in the dundrum store for 1 and a half years and we had a price match promise with retail store prices only. use your head and ask questions and you find that out. look around and then you find you'll get the best price. obvo the web will sell it cheaper, if you look it will be cheaper than most places inc. pc world and compustore. its called bills and rent mate... use your head next time you say something .. last of all we closed not because of the recession but because of issue with other internal stores causing us problems.

mehmeh12

clarker92 wrote: »

you have no idea what your talking about mate, i worked in the dundrum store for 1 and a half years and we had a price match promise with retail store prices only. use your head and ask questions and you find that out. look around and then you find you'll get the best price. obvo the web will sell it cheaper, if you look it will be cheaper than most places inc. pc world and compustore. its called bills and rent mate... use your head next time you say something .. last of all we closed not because of the recession but because of issue with other internal stores causing us problems.

Still at the end of the day that store was a blatant rip off. Glad that are closing

Amalgam

snappieT wrote: »

All we're left with on the south city centre now is Peats, IT Direct, and Beyond 2000, each of which have their own negative points themselves.

All 3 have piss taking prices, I was a customer of them loyally (or blindly.. take your pick) over the years, but when your pricing makes PC World look cheap, you know you're in trouble. Try returning something to IT Direct, even sealed, it's like starting a war. Not nice.

I don't believe this 'bricks and mortar' complaint from Irish retailers. Elara have a bricks and mortar presence in Dublin and their prices are better than the above 3 for starters.

A few of the Chinese\Oriental PC shops on Capel Street have comparative or cheaper prices too, which puts to bed the idea that you can't offer value and be on a Dublin street, as a Tech\PC retailer.

jahalpin

Amalgam wrote: »

I don't believe this 'bricks and mortar' complaint from Irish retailers. Elara have a bricks and mortar presence in Dublin and their prices are better than the above 3 for starters.

.

Elara have an office at Parkwest which is not quite the same as having a shop in one of the big shopping centres in Dublin.

The rent in Dundrum is very expensive, the rates in Dundrum are also very expensive. The cost of security (cash, shoplifting) etc must also be factored into the retail prices

Actual shops have to order stock in advance and have it avaliable to take away whereas as a lot of web based shops don't have the item in stock but only order it when it is ordered from them. Online shops can therefore operate on lower margins as there is no stock-holding risk

Amalgam

I'm aware of the problems of kerbside retail.

If you're in a high rent area, move.. why complain about a downturn if you can't trade due to your own lack of commercial foresight and acumen. It is annoying to hear retailers complain about their lot on RTE Radio.

Particularly in Dublin, with technology sales, there's a sense of not even trying, bordering on contempt. As a potential customer, if you're stumbling across motherboards and components that have up to a 150 euro difference in price, after VAT has been taken into consideration, compared to IRISH online retailers, then you have every right, as a customer, not to feel the need to support that business.

I don't care if Dublin Castle is visible from the shop window, or if I can purchase something in a vibrant and modern office block on Parnell Street, what I do care about is getting a price and service that has some backbone to it.. and if that means shopping at home, so be it.

3DataModem

Got my lapton in the Stephen's Green branch. Chucked in a bluetooth dongle and the price was keen.

Rebel021

mehmeh12 wrote: »

That computer store just off the Easons in Dun Laoghaire is the worst..not only are the staff rude but the prices are a blatant rip off. I hope get burned down.

By far the biggest rip off pc shop around,can't wait for it to shut down

Rebel021

3DataModem wrote: »

Got my lapton in the Stephen's Green branch. Chucked in a bluetooth dongle and the price was keen.

Wow a bt dongle:rolleyes: