"Damp Squib" (Clearance-comet.co.uk)

Member Name: Trevor15

Product:	Clearance-comet.co.uk
Date:	21/11/01 (5213 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Easy to navigate

Disadvantages: Not much to offer

I've been after a wide-screen TV for ages. I've ordered a couple but they took so long in pratting about with the order that I cancelled them. But I still want one. A shiny silver-effect 32" for the living room. Smart. They are a bit pricey so stumbling across Comet's clearance site (not the main site), of course I had to have a gander. And to be honest with you I'm so underwhelmed. Damp Squib!


I don't go in for these bidding sites, too technical for me. But is it normal for clearance stock to be sold at almost the normal price? If yes, then what's the point? If no, then Comet have got everything upside down. £30 off the RRP off a washing machine that has a dent in it and shop-soiled is not so much a bargain. Is it? Oh well, it's a relatively new site and they say more stock is coming on-line all the time. Maybe things will get better.


All bids are sealed online and start at a £1, no reserve. First you need to register and give them your life story in order for them to flog it to some mail-shot nuisance. No register, no bids. Each auction last for one week only and the highest bidder get the goodies. Just submit your maximum bid and if it is eventually beaten an e-mail will wing its way to let you know, just in case you want to increase the amount before the auction closes. If it was me I'd keep my eye on it to make sure as e-mails don't always get through quickly. They do have a convoluted hierarchy of bidding, depending on how many lots you're bidding for, the amount etc. So check out the T&C carefully before jumping in.


The site is very well laid-out, no heavy graphics to slow the download. Always a good thing. The sections are divided into:


Fridge/Freezers
Cookers/Microwaves
Laundry/Ironing
Dishwashers
Vacuum Cleaners
Videos Recorders
DVD
TV
Camcorders/Cameras
HI-Fi
PCs/Peripherals
'Phone/fax



. . .it's easy to find your way around. Don't expect a lot of stock, some sections don't even have any lots. But where products are offered, sometimes there is more than one on offer, though this isn't always made clear. Simply select what takes your fancy, place your highest sealed bid and voila! Wait and see. Apparently the software on site places your smallest bid, incremental to your maximum. But do ensure that you know what you're buying and what the fault was in the first place. Click on the 'more info' icon under the product photograph and the details are supplied, along with the bid history and closing date. All items have either been returned, are slightly damaged, shop-soiled or end of line. Each is supposedly in full working order and backed with a 1 year guarantee. Not bad.


Delivery is going to set you back £7.05 for smaller items such as videos, increasing to £23.70 for larger white goods. It's worth bearing in mind that they will only deliver in mainland UK and to the address you supplied when registering. If you live close enough you could even pick your purchase up from the Chingford store. If you haven't heard of Chingford then obviously it's too far. (London E4 I believe it is?) Though if you are not collecting you may select a delivery date from the few offered, pretty accommodating really.


If you get stuck on anything prior to or during a bid there is a very detailed Q&A section, huge. If you can't get your answer there a help-desk number is in place. Chances are though with the Q&A being so well thought out and presented and in such an accessible format that all the information you'll need will be here someplace. Just takes a bit of time.


At the moment I'd give the site 1 star. The idea is good but the stock is limited, sells for roughly the same amount as normal shop prices, and once you add-on the delivery charge, not much of a bargain after all
. The more popular the site becomes, the more bids, more bids, higher bids - less of a chance of picking up something cheap. It's nicely laid out, easy to navigate and has a terrific Q&A section, backed up by the help desk. But for me, I won't be bothering. No doubt other stores will also jump on the bandwagon of clearance auctions and perhaps this competition will go some way to keeping prices lower, but as it is consumers vying against each other rather than the companies, perhaps not. By all means have a gander but don't expect much. They've just this second uploaded a washing machine for auction starting at a £1 - now that's a bargain!


www.clearance-comet.co.uk


And I still haven't got a bloomin' wide-screen TV...





[Not sure where to place this op as it's a string from the bow of Comet so fits in here, but as it is an online auction site and dooyoo have a category for that, perhaps it would be better in there? Oh, well. I've e-mailed, let dooyoo decide.]

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