Best UK high street store to buy a Mac?

[mikebatho]

My parents are looking to buy a macbook pro.

Being an older couple, they not as keen on buying online as I might be, so they're interested in buying on the high street. I guess they want somewhere to take it back should they have any issues.

Now they don't live in a city, so don't have a MacStore, so they're probably looking at TESCO, PC WORLD, ARGOS & CURRYS.

I know there isn't that much difference in price, only discounts on slightly older models, but I was wondering if anyone out there might be able to share their experiences of buying a Mac with any of these retailers? Good or bad, pros and cons.

Thanks.

 

[McScooby]

Apple Store? Or John Lewis for extended warranty.

 

[mikebatho]

Apple Store? Or John Lewis for extended warranty.

They don't have an Apple Store or John Lewis - only the retailers listed above

 

[L T]

I'd probably say John Lewis if you can't get to an Apple Store.

If you go with hem then make sure it's the latest model they are buying, I've been to a few stores where the MacBook pros on display were still the old ones with the SuperDrive.

----------

They don't have an Apple Store or John Lewis - only the retailers listed above

PC World or Currys then, they specialise in electronics. Like I said, check it's the latest model if you can.

 

[mojolicious]

Both Apple and John Lewis are able to deliver stuff, you know!

Another vote for John Lewis for customer service and extended warranty.

 

[gnasher729]

Apple Store? Or John Lewis for extended warranty.

John Lewis for being the only ones outside of Apple Stores where at least _someone_ will have a clue.

----------

PC World or Currys then, they specialise in electronics. Like I said, check it's the latest model if you can.

I'd say they specialise in extended warranties

 

[Kissaragi]

Never buy anything from Currys PC World, they have the worst customer service I've ever experienced. How they are still in business I don't know.

I'd get it from Argos or Tesco, they will be more reasonable if anything is damaged when you open the box.

 

[mikebatho]

Never buy anything from Currys PC World, they have the worst customer service I've ever experienced. How they are still in business I don't know.

I'd get it from Argos or Tesco, they will be more reasonable if anything is damaged when you open the box.

Thanks

----------

As I say, they only live in a town, not a city and don't have Apple or JL stores. Being older people they're superstitious of ordering online or via post. They just want to go into a store and buy one over the counter, but they only have the stores listed above....

 

[Umbongo]

I'd say they specialise in extended warranties

I'd say they specialise in exploiting elderly and the non-savvy customer.

As said above, Tesco or Argos are a better choice. They may not be electronics specialists but they are customer service specialists.

Problem is they aren't going to be able to walk in to either of those and buy a Macbook Pro though, well not a current 13" Retina if thats what you are going for. It'll have to be ordered and Tesco's price is above retail as its through Cleverbox.

I'd suggest they order it for collection through Argos, but they only stock the £1,249 one not the cheaper 4GB RAM 128GB model if you were going for a 13", I'd avoid the regular one and assume you weren't looking at a 15".

 

[mikebatho]

I'd say they specialise in exploiting elderly and the non-savvy customer.

As said above, Tesco or Argos are a better choice. They may not be electronics specialists but they are customer service specialists.

Problem is they aren't going to be able to walk in to either of those and buy a Macbook Pro though, well not a current 13" Retina if thats what you are going for. It'll have to be ordered and Tesco's price is above retail as its through Cleverbox.

I'd suggest they order it for collection through Argos, but they only stock the £1,249 one not the cheaper 4GB RAM 128GB model if you were going for a 13", I'd avoid the regular one and assume you weren't looking at a 15".

I think they're after the 4GB RAM 500GB regular model....

 

[mikebatho]

Now I'm actually thinking that trying to get them to order online from JL is the much better deal. Double the warranty, and would I be right in thinging the JL machine has the better processor?

http://www.johnlewis.com/apple-macbook-pro-z0mt4b-a-intel-core-i7-500gb-4gb-ram-13-3-/p1467264

http://www.tesco.com/direct/apple-macbook-pro-133-25ghz-500gb/639-2144.prd?pageLevel=&skuId=639-2144

 

[mojolicious]

Being an older couple, they not as keen on buying online as I might be, so they're interested in buying on the high street. I guess they want somewhere to take it back should they have any issues.

Can you imagine what sort of level of service they're going to receive from a Tesco store (particularly as the order has been fulfilled by one of their crappy 'partners') or from Argos?

Go to the John Lewis website and have a look at their policies. My interpretation is that it's possible to declare 'don't like it' after 89 days of use and JL will take it back without quibbling, having emailed you the postage-free return labels.

I would *urge* you to beat some sense into them!

Now I'm actually thinking that trying to get them to order online from JL is the much better deal. Double the warranty, and would I be right in thinging the JL machine has the better processor?

Yep, i7 vs i5.

 

[andrewcoleman]

Do your parents have a Waitrose near by? If you buy on the John Lewis website they can deliver to a local Waitrose.

 

[Ardmanz]

Out of the above I'd go for Argos. They have by far the best returns policy, although Apples warranty probably makes that kind of void.

 

[Apple fanboy]

I'd say they specialise in exploiting elderly and the non-savvy customer.

As said above, Tesco or Argos are a better choice. They may not be electronics specialists but they are customer service specialists.

Don't make me laugh. Tesco are shocking. I ordered a phone for my daughter which she needed for a certain date. I ordered it to collect in store so there was no issues with missing the guy etc. when I went to collect the phone, the seal was broken on the box (clearly a returned product). I waited half an hour as only one of the computers was working (store had been open about a month), for the guy to order another one. Went in the next day to collect it and they tried to pass off the same phone now sealed with white tape. You could clearly still see the broken silver tape beneath). I complained to the manager who offered me a free DVD. He didn't get that it was an offence to sell something as new when it was returned not once but twice. Also I didn't want a DVD, I wanted a new phone and not to have to visit the store three times for the purchase.

To the OP, why don't you just order it from Apple or JL for them?

 

[theluggage]

Being an older couple, they not as keen on buying online as I might be, so they're interested in buying on the high street. I guess they want somewhere to take it back should they have any issues.

You need to impress on them that no large high-street chain will have the full range in stock, repair Macs in-store or have any serious support expertise. Plus, the consumer protection laws on 'distance selling' are even stricter than high street sales. With the high street, if there's any problem, you're likely to end up in a game of ping-pong between the store and the manufacturer. Of course, the store is legally responsible but, last time I looked, it was still illegal to use blunt instruments, bladed weapons or firearms on sales assistants who insist otherwise.

Now they don't live in a city, so don't have a MacStore, so they're probably looking at TESCO, PC WORLD, ARGOS & CURRYS.

PC World and Currys are the same chain. They're probably your best bet for a reasonable range on display and some sort of advice and service - but only in the sense that influenza is a better bet than scarlet fever. Be very, very careful that they're not selling you an old model at the new-model price.

Argos and (for that sort of thing) Tesco are essentially warehouses where you order from the catalogue and they hand you the box... and unless you want the base model it will probably be 'home delivery only'. I know Argos have a pretty generous returns policy on most goods, but you need to check the small print to see if that applies to computers (or anything with a software component).

 

[mikebatho]

Howcome JL can offer 2 years warranty when you only get a year from Apple?

 

[mojolicious]

Howcome JL can offer 2 years warranty when you only get a year from Apple?

They offer a fairly limited range of white goods and consumer electronics so I guess they pick their manufacturers carefully to minimise the number of claims, and in many cases (possibly not Apple) will have highly preferential repair tariffs with those manufacturers.

Even then the free extended warranty must bite into profitability, but JL's carefully cultivated 'trustability' makes people willing to buy JL's own brand goods throughout the shop – furniture, bedding, linens, clothing etc – which presumably have much higher margins.

 

[McScooby]

slightly off topic, but the other reason I like JL (& not sure about the website) is that they price match any retailer on the high street in the UK anywhere (excl. online offers),
I got a 40" Sony Bravia off them, list price in store was £1200, down to £660, a few years ago courtesy of a bit of googling, might not be important, but if it is, everything has to match, warranty, delivery etc.

 

[theluggage]

Howcome JL can offer 2 years warranty when you only get a year from Apple?

Because the actual, extra liability for JL is farily modest, since:

• Under UK/EU consumer protection laws they're liable for manufacturing faults and defects for a lot longer than 1 year anyway, whatever the warranty says - and John Lewis (a chain that took over the last of the old fashioned, town centre department stores) have a high reputation to maintain so they are less likely to try and BS their way out of it. That's why Apple keeps on getting into trouble for mis-selling Applecare outside of the US.
  
• The 'bathtub curve': Most failures of electronics goods either happen shortly after purchase, or when the product is reaching the end of its life. Failures between 1 and 2 years are hardly unknown, but relatively rare.

Basically (outside the USA) expensive extended warranties are only really worth whatever 'extras' they offer - such as accidental damage cover, new-for-old, extra technical support, home service, rapid response etc.

 

[captain cadet]

My parents are looking to buy a macbook pro.

Being an older couple, they not as keen on buying online as I might be, so they're interested in buying on the high street. I guess they want somewhere to take it back should they have any issues.

Now they don't live in a city, so don't have a MacStore, so they're probably looking at TESCO, PC WORLD, ARGOS & CURRYS.

I know there isn't that much difference in price, only discounts on slightly older models, but I was wondering if anyone out there might be able to share their experiences of buying a Mac with any of these retailers? Good or bad, pros and cons.

Thanks.

I brought my iPad, my Laptop, TV and other bits and pieces from PC world and i got nothing to complain about. OK - I know they have had insurance issues so check what they give you - but there what ever happens has fixed my college laptop with any problem. They replace chargers easily also.

Argos - wont bother with as there system there is a magazine and the products and the prices are usaly out of date when you go to buy it.

Tesco - not really as there computer department aint that great (with me anyway).
It might be easier and cheaper to order on apple store and get it shipped to you - you can adjust the computer more there

 

[RickyB]

I'd probably say John Lewis if you can't get to an Apple Store.

If you go with hem then make sure it's the latest model they are buying, I've been to a few stores where the MacBook pros on display were still the old ones with the SuperDrive.

Apple still sell the SuperDrive version, although it hasn't been updated since 2012. If they want to burn CDs or watch DVDs on it they might want that one.

Like others I would stay way from PC World/Curry's. Tesco weren't very helpful in the past when we had a TV with dead pixels and had lost the receipt. I personally haven't had any problems with Argos.