TigerDirect - Credible or should be avoided?

[CityK]

Hi there,

If you read my post here, you will see that I just discovered that big online retailer Tigerdirect now has a Canadian operation. In the past I have read a few negative remarks about their (American) operation, but never heeded much attention seeing that I would never be ordering from them. Now that they operate out of Canada too, and have become a viable alternative, my very very brief examination of their website earlier lead to the observation of some apparent (pricing trickery or) discressions on their site (I will, when time permits head back to have a thorough look). This leaves me wondering about their credibility. What say the gents? Yay or nay on Tigerdirect?.

CK

 

[blakerwry]

I've heard way too many bad things about them and nothing positive, I'm not desperate enough to shop there. Maybe if I lived in ca it would be more tempting.

 

[blakerwry]

I should say that some of the more notable things about Tiger that I've heard are them sending used (probably returned equipment) out the door as new.... and generally sending broken stuff...

In regards to you wanting a Speeze/Spire HSF... I'd say you'd be fine. The HSFs come in a nice protective retail packaging from speeze/spire and they are probably going to be placed in a box with peanuts to further protect the HSF. HSFs are pretty durable themselves, and I doub't tiger would have anything other than new spire/speeze HSFs available.

 

[Mercutio]

They're mass market, like Fry's or Best Buy, only heavily shifted toward PC goods. I've heard horror stories of Tiger shipping out returned motherboards without manuals or interface cables, of receiving multiple damaged cases or ISA products when PCI was ordered.

But, I've also heard goodness about next-day-shipping to cover mistakes and phone reps nice enough to say "I'll go ahead and charge you at the sale price, even though it ended three days ago".

I think there's good and bad with them, just like any other big retail outfit. I don't order from them, but for a hobbyist who isn't familiar with internet shopping options (they're basically a catalog company), I think they're a better option than the local shop-that-sells-ECS-boards-for-$150.

 

[e_dawg]

Don't bother taking a chance on Tigerdirect.ca when there are some pretty good places to order stuff from in Canada ... maybe if you can't find the item you're looking for in Canada.

http://www.ncix.com is my favourite place online. I have ordered a couple thousand $ worth of stuff from them over the last two years -- never a problem except them taking a long time shipping out my Papst case fans. Since Onvia.com (with their ridiculous discounts) became a B2G operation and subsequently went bankrupt, NCIX has been the only online computer parts retailer that I have liked. Buy.com subbed in for Onvia for a while before they stopped shipping to Canada, but they were rather disappointing. NCIX is good; you won't be disappointed (unless you call them... Engrish not very good... e-mail or web support works well, though)

There are good places to purchase items locally as well. For example:

http://www.logiccomputerhouse.com

http://www.canadacomputers.com

Check out Premier Computing Canada (below) in Etobicoke; I haven't been there, mind you, but the website looks okay.

There are a dozen computer stores along College Street west of Spadina that look like they may be decent; Canada Computers is probably your best bet in that area, though.

Other places online include:

http://www.dangeo.ca (excellent prices on some items)

http://www.pccanada.com (right here in Etobicoke; you can drive down and pick up your order)

http://www.eglobalbc.com

http://www.memoryexpress.com

 

[e_dawg]

Whoops, that should be http://www.dangeo.com

 

[CougTek]

http://www.memoryexpress.com

Their online ordering system sucks. You have to provide a valid e-mail address and they contact you later to give you details about shipping cost. No way AFAIK to know how much they'll charge to ship your order else than the e-mail exchange. This is slow and inefficient. Buy there only if you're in the area.

 

[e_dawg]

Good point, Coug. That's why I put MemoryExpress last

 

[CityK]

e_dawg: I was aware of all of them, except for dangeo. Nonetheless, I appreciate the time you took to provide the links.

Thanks for the feed back, gents.

Cheers, CK

 

[CougTek]

Thanks for the feed back, gents.

I am far, VERY far, from being a gentleman.