Stak it high, sell it low (Stak Trading)

Member Name: Nottmsteve

Product:	Stak Trading
Date:	23/09/01 (971 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Cheap, Wide product range

Disadvantages: Not the best service, Poor after sales service

Stak trading are an on line computer store, not particularly specialising in any one product, but are a builder's dream.

The site is well laid out, if a little basic, with product descriptions alongside the prices.Anything and everything that you need to either build or upgrade your computer is here.

With regard to pricing, the first one that you see is ex VAT, although clicking for further details on the product provides both an inclusive and exclusive price.

Pricing on the whole is better than reasonable, with most products having prices that are very hard to beat. I bought a raft of items : -

Motherboard - onboard graphics, audio
CPU
CPU Fan
PC133 Memory
New ATX case
Keyboard

The saving on this little lot against my local, highly competitive store was over £70.

There are also weekly offers to be had, special offers and a bargain basement.
The bargain basement is quite a gamble as they do not provide any sort of guarantee that the product even works!
Orders can be placed on line, by telephone, or in person at their store in Rugby,Warks.

As my business often takes me in that neck of the woods, I decided to save the delivery charge, which isn't the most competitive, and pay them a visit.

Maybe the best way to order from Stak is online, because a personal visit isn't the happiest of times. I have been 3 times in total, and on each occasion there is only one person serving so a queue quickly forms.

When it comes to your turn, you think "great". Big mistake. This person merely takes your order and money, you then have to wait what feels like an eternity until the goods are bought from the warehouse (about 15 yards down the corridor).

I also had the misfortune to be supplied with the wrong product, a 1ghz Athlon chip with 266FSB, which wasn't compatible with the motherboard sold to me at the same time!

I rang the custo
mer services line. It's hard to describe the best adjective here; lethargic probably covers most of it. To say there was a distinct lack of interest is an understatement. This meant another trip to Rugby - no apology given, to get the correct CPU.

You would think after this experience I wouldn't go back, but money talks.

OK, so the service wasn't the best, but there is often a trade off with prices. I mean,Harrods will be better at customer care than the barrow boy, but prices....

As an on-line buyer, you are not subjected to the queues or the waiting, but I think this is important background to what you should expect.

I would use them again, purely on price. I think if I lived any great distance where the only option was mail I would maybe think more carefully.

Summary: