Buying a MacBook in the UK - Apple direct or Amazon.co.uk?

[dwright1974]

Hello

I bought a 2nd hand Mac min ia month ago and am now sold on them, so much so I want to buy a Macbook/iMac.

In the UK, the same Macbook is about £40 cheaper on Amazon than on the apple website. Are there any advantages to buying direct from Apple?

I have bought from Amazon before in the UK and never had any issues with them but I was wondering if anybody has any comments?

I have searched the forum and they seem to have good reviews from Amazon.com for US purchases.

Thanks in advance

- D

 

[rogerw]

i wouldnt buy from apple. had good service from john lewis and Dont know about amazon but I would choose somewhere where if something goes wrong, you can bang the unit down on someones desk.

 

[l33r0y]

Hello

I bought a 2nd hand Mac min ia month ago and am now sold on them, so much so I want to buy a Macbook/iMac.

In the UK, the same Macbook is about £40 cheaper on Amazon than on the apple website. Are there any advantages to buying direct from Apple?

I have bought from Amazon before in the UK and never had any issues with them but I was wondering if anybody has any comments?

I have searched the forum and they seem to have good reviews from Amazon.com for US purchases.

Thanks in advance

- D

Call Apple. See if you can get £40 worth of free stuff.

If you go through a third party, it'll only delay things if you need to get something repaired etc.

I understand it may help some people to talk face to face, but at the end of the day they are just a pointless middleman

 

[dwright1974]

i wouldnt buy from apple. had good service from john lewis and Dont know about amazon but I would choose somewhere where if something goes wrong, you can bang the unit down on someones desk.

I have also seen them in John Lewis for the same price as Apple but with 2 years warranty - that is a bonus I think!? I picked up one of the 'old' apple keyboards from there last week for £19.

Thanks

- D

 

[rogerw]

Call Apple. See if you can get £40 worth of free stuff.

If you go through a third party, it'll only delay things if you need to get something repaired etc.

I understand it may help some people to talk face to face, but at the end of the day they are just a pointless middleman

not really, i bought a laptop ( g3 ibook,oh no) from JL - Southampton , it developed a fault 2 months later and i went to the store with it and they offered to replace it there and then or my money back - absolutely no hassle at all (chose replacement, and the guarantee (2yrs) started again) .

 

[l33r0y]

not really, i bought a laptop ( g3 ibook,oh no) from JL - Southampton , it developed a fault 2 months later and i went to the store with it and they offered to replace it there and then or my money back - absolutely no hassle at all (chose replacement, and the guarantee (2yrs) started again) .

Hey that's pretty good... Mmmm time to reconsider methinks... - thanks

 

[dwright1974]

Hey that's pretty good... Mmmm time to reconsider methinks... - thanks

I guess this opens my question up further and I had been thinking about buying from John Lewis (other electrical retailers are available!) because:

a. It's a lot of money to spend online - a leap of faith just in case something does go wrong

b. JL give you the two years warranty

Thanks for all your comments

- D

 

[tjcampbell]

Go to the airport! I bought a Blackbook at Stanstead Dixons for £807!!!!

No tax baby. (even when just flying within the EU)

 

[weckart]

I was told at Apple, no less, that all Apple repairs are done instore, if you have access to an Applestore, whereas John Lewis sends these off to a third party for repairs. The compromise with the extra year's warranty with JL is that you could be without your laptop for weeks, whereas Apple promise to turn repairs around within days.

Anecdotal evidence in this thread suggests that JL does better than Apple thinks.

 

[rogerw]

Go to the airport! I bought a Blackbook at Stanstead Dixons for £807!!!!

No tax baby. (even when just flying within the EU)

yes, i have done this just recently cos as a business user (not that grand but VAT registered) Its even better cos the discount for, inter europe flights, is just that - a discount. It is not actually the vat or duty ( this doesnt exist within europe now) its just happens to be the same value as. So if you are vat registered, you get this discount and still have the vat to claim back as well!

back to the web or shop buying, I dont know what the apple store now are like but my experience, about 2 years ago with their customer service department, or whatever they call it now, was not, er... good to say the least. Unless you like spending hours (yes and some more) on multiple phone calls. They were really piss poor. Having teeth pulled would seem to be a far more pleasurable experience. Shame really cos for a couple of years before this time they wern't bad at all. Thats why id only buy a large expensive item like a Mac from a shop now.

good luck with the purchase!

 

[thePhilster]

yes, i have done this just recently cos as a business user (not that grand but VAT registered) Its even better cos the discount for, inter europe flights, is just that - a discount. It is not actually the vat or duty ( this doesnt exist within europe now) its just happens to be the same value as. So if you are vat registered, you get this discount and still have the vat to claim back as well!

Wow!! I didn't know that at all! So, the receipt would have the VAT number of Dixons (assuming that's who you got it from in the airport) and would show the VAT too? That's one helluva discount for a business user who's VAT-registered (ie ME)... Would work out at around £940 ex VAT for an entry-level MBP!

 

[rogerw]

Wow!! I didn't know that at all! So, the receipt would have the VAT number of Dixons (assuming that's who you got it from in the airport) and would show the VAT too? That's one helluva discount for a business user who's VAT-registered (ie ME)... Would work out at around £940 ex VAT for an entry-level MBP!

yep, dixons even used to advertise this on giant posters at their stores - airside only.

 

[dwright1974]

That's genius - Dixons!!

Just checked their website and they have Macbooks like the one I want for £705!!

I guess you don't even need to actually fly - book the cheapest flight anywhere. You can ring and reserve so check-in, collect the item, go to Cust Service and apologise and tell them you can't fly today, (blame the cat, or something), and then go home with your shiny new laptop plus about £130 in your wallet!

Normally, I wouldn't go near Dixons/PC World/Currys but sometimes you have to just swallow your pride!!

Flybe have a flight to Glasgow from Birmingham tomorrow morning for £45 - that means you're still saving about £90 on the cost of the macbook!

Thanks for that everybody ... now flybe.com!!

- D