I want to buy a laptop from PC World (it's not available from anywhere else) and I've heard that if you say the right things and talk to the right salesperson, they're authorised to give discounts. Does anyone have any idea how to go about getting a discount from PC World?

I wouldn't buy anything from PC World. The discount (if it exists) is probably just a bit off the salesman's comission.

If you want to see how much extra they slap on the price of things, go in and get the prices for a few bits of hardware (hard drives especially), then go to www.scan.co.uk and see how much cheaper they are.

For example, i've just done a search for a Western Digital 120Gb Hard drive.

PC World: £119.99
Scan: £56.74

Let us know what kind of laptop you are looking for and I bet we forumers can find you a better deal.

Here's my recommmendation:

Buy direct from Hewlett Packard, you'll be hard pushed to find a better deal on such a quality laptop.

http://www.hpstore.hp.co.uk/section?partner=1222&secid=9793

The only way youll get a discount from PC world is if you know someone who works for the DSG group whos willing to go and fetch the item for you and get their staff discount on it. There isnt any other way.

I'm looking at getting the Sharp MV1214. I'm open to other suggestions though! I'm looking for something of a similar price (£1000ish), size (12" monitor), under 2kg because I'll be carrying it around a lot and a long battery life (the Sharp says 5 hours). I don't really know anything about any other technical stuff.


Anyone on here work for PC World and willing to give discounts? ;)

There was talk of a little scam-ette with PCWorld's extended warrantee. Bascially, let the sales person talk you into buying an extended warrantee, but push them really hard on the price. They're not allowed to discount the actual laptop, but used to be able to negotiate on the price of the warrantee.

So if you get the warrantee for a heavily discounted price, you might save £100 or more on it. Now here comes the tricky part... Technically, you're allowed a 7 (or was it 14?) day cooling off period when you buy an extended warrantee. After you've left the shop you call Dixon's to tell them you've changed your mind and you want to cancel the warrantee but want to keep the laptop. They're obliged to refund you the face-value of the warrantee.

The idea is that you end up paying £40 or whatever for the warrantee, but when you get refunded for it cos you changed your mind, you get it's face value (which could be a couple of hundred quid).

Now... I've not worked for Dixons for years, they're complete gits when it comes to getting a refund for anything, and I don't know if the regulations have changed. In other words it's a risk, but it's the only way I know to get discounts.

On a general note I seriously wouldn't recommend buying anything big from them, discount or not. They're truely awful when it comes to after-sales support. Oh, and the extended warrantees are a joke.

I used to work in the call centre supporting the poor unsuspecting saps who bought PCs from PCWorld, Dixons, and Currys. And I could tell you some some pretty alarming stories....

I used to work for TIME. Keep away from them also.

PC World? I got my PC from there (with extended warranty) and the after sales service is shocking. Keep well clear IMO!!!

You contact them by Email with a problem, and their response is to give you a phone number to ring. You ring the number and you get five minutes of pressing buttons till you're where you want to be, then you're on hold for a further 10 minutes. Then you either get given another number to ring, or they talk you through the problem on the phone for another 20-30 minutes. THEN they decide you need an engineer out, cos it can't be sorted over the phone. THEN an engineer calls, fixes it(?) and two weeks later you're on the phone again.

PLUS, if on your first phonecall they deem it to be a software fault, instead of directing your call they give you a different number to ring and you have to go through it all again.

It is costing a small fortune, and this is on top of what I paid for the extended warranty!!

PC World? Stay well clear.:mad:

Originally posted by Speedy_Jim
There was talk of a little scam-ette with PCWorld's extended warrantee. Bascially, let the sales person talk you into buying an extended warrantee, but push them really hard on the price. They're not allowed to discount the actual laptop, but used to be able to negotiate on the price of the warrantee.

I worked there not so long ago and it was still the case. What you say is true from Dixon's point of view. Legally though they can't discount the warranty so the money actually gets knocked off the product. This is why when you cancel the warranty they can't take back the discount. They also shouldn't actually say they are discounting the warranty just something like "as you are spending a bit more money we can give you a bit of a discount".

They do this discount as they know in reallity the warranty is 95% profit!

Originally posted by markham
PC World? I got my PC from there (with extended warranty) and the after sales service is shocking. Keep well clear IMO!!!

You contact them by Email with a problem, and their response is to give you a phone number to ring. You ring the number and you get five minutes of pressing buttons till you're where you want to be, then you're on hold for a further 10 minutes. Then you either get given another number to ring, or they talk you through the problem on the phone for another 20-30 minutes. THEN they decide you need an engineer out, cos it can't be sorted over the phone. THEN an engineer calls, fixes it(?) and two weeks later you're on the phone again.

PLUS, if on your first phonecall they deem it to be a software fault, instead of directing your call they give you a different number to ring and you have to go through it all again.

It is costing a small fortune, and this is on top of what I paid for the extended warranty!!

PC World? Stay well clear.:mad:

ROFLMAO, I can relate to this, seeing as I used to work for them, well, their help line anyways, what you describe is exactly what happens, hence why I quit the job, too many irate customers who have bought ****ty Packard Bells and then complain about it, Dixons rip people off, plain and simple, that is why they are losing money hand over fist, they have already closed down their help line at nunnery square, it's only the internet help line they have there now and they had big plans for that property, lol, so I agree, stay clear, if you have any problems, try www.kry10.com we can always give you honest help with no mucking you about.

Originally posted by Kry10
they have already closed down their help line at nunnery square, it's only the internet help line they have there now and they had big plans for that property, lol, so I agree, stay clear, if you have any problems, try www.kry10.com we can always give you honest help with no mucking you about.

No they havent. Theyve closed the Freeserve helpline,PCWorld is still there.

Originally posted by slh73
No they havent. Theyve closed the Freeserve helpline,PCWorld is still there.

I assure you that they have closed PC Service Call, I know this because a good friend of mine worked there until a couple of months ago, it is no longer freeserve, it is Wannadoo now, the Packard Bell help line is now only based in Nottingham, PC World is still there, but that is the shop based at Meadowhall Retail Park, not what I am referring to which is at Nunnery Square.

Originally posted by Kry10
I assure you that they have closed PC Service Call, I know this because a good friend of mine worked there until a couple of months ago, it is no longer freeserve, it is Wannadoo now, the Packard Bell help line is now only based in Nottingham, PC World is still there, but that is the shop based at Meadowhall Retail Park, not what I am referring to which is at Nunnery Square.

And I assure you they havent...my wife still works for them.