Great shipping and price / REFURBISHED HDD (WTF?!) - BUT IT WORKS!! (Stak Trading)

Member Name: boolio

Product:	Stak Trading
Date:	09/10/08 (75 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fast Shipping, Cheap Price

Disadvantages: Refurbished HDD not expected but received

Stak.com were one of the two stores in google product search who had the 'ST3250820ACE' (Hard Drive for Sky+ Boxes) in Stock, alot of other people had the product but no stock until 10th Octbober.

The other store did not reply to my stock inquiry so forget them.

I read lots of bad reviews on Stak on the internet, several very bad, some quite bad and a few not too bad at all, a couple of good ones too, but enough to make me very aware that something might go wrong with the order, or epecially aftersales if I needed it. I figured I wanted the drive that badly at that cheap price (£32 inc shipping wow!) that I would take the risk.

I ordered on monday around 2pm.
I chose standard 1-3 day delivery.
I received the package the next morning (WHAT!!?? I was shocked)

The packaging was perfect.
The model number was correct.
The hard drive said 'Seagate Certified Repaired Hard Drive'

AHHHH that is the catch, it is a refurbished drive, great, no mention of that on the site at all.

However, I upgraded my sky plus box and now have over 100hours (as apposed to supplied 20hrs) of recording storage space and it works perfectly so far.

And that is for under half price of what you could get from the leading sky+ upgrade seller (who gives you a little kit which is basically a torx driver, probably this or other similar drive and some instructions).. I'm a happy bunny!

Although due to the crap reviews and bad aftersales, I wouldn't trust Stak with an order over £50 I don't think. BUT if I am in the same situation where they are the only shop I can get a PARTICULAR part from, I would risk it again.

What I am saying is I would recommend only using them if you are aware something is likely to go wrong, be different or have a hard time exchanging stuff/refunding etc.

If you are building a whole system, I would forget them as your just increasing the probability of a bad experience more than tenfold, use someone more stable or source the parts from different people if you have very specific needs.

There is still a warranty on the drive as it says on the sticker, not sure if it is still 5 years but that's what it says, and if seagate say that, they mean that I think.

Summary: Good if they are only shop who have what you want, otherwise go elsewhere they seem dodgy.