posted on October 25, 2000 12:35:58 AM new
Feeling a teensy bit nervous just now. I have placed a bid on eBay for a laptop computer. Has anybody else bought an largish electronic item either on eBay or from a .com? Did it all turn out OK? I don't really like the idea, but I have been trying to find a used laptop locally & not having a lot of luck. So I turned to eBay. I've been scanning the listings for a couple of weeks. The seller I finally decided on has almost 300 FB with 4-5 negs, but they were more niggling type complaints rather than the "I never got it" or "this is a piece of crap" type . The rest of the FB are pretty much all glowing. The seller is Canadian but with reasonable shipping costs. I liked the fact that when I sent emails asking questions, they contacted me with answers within 24 hours each time. And they say they have a 30 day warranty from the date of receipt of item.
So I took the plunge and placed a bid. This is a Dutch auction, and the laptops are Dells that were formally corporate leases. The only other Dutch auctions I have ever bid on are for bubblewrap & mailers and the like, so that too is a bit of an adventure. This is also the most pricey thing I have ever bought online...
I am finally going to get a laptop! I'm so thrilled...tell me I have not lost my mind!
posted on October 25, 2000 01:04:00 AM newBarry: uh...it is not so very reassuring when someone who says they have lost their mind tells me I haven't lost mine...
posted on October 25, 2000 02:46:14 AM new
Hi, Bunny!
Sounds like you did your homework and I wouldn't expect any problems based upon the info you posted.
Just make sure you have covered all the important bases like a minimum 166mhz chip, and that you will get the actual full retail version (with disks/cd's/manuals) of whatever software they are including, and not just some preloaded copy.
posted on October 25, 2000 04:59:25 AM new
You didn't mention what Dell you bid on...Dell has online forums where you can post questions and read. When I bought that slightly used Dell last year I checked out their forums and asked some questions about the unit I was considering.
Dell also had a battery recall on some models: The recalled batteries are the Latitude, CPiA, CPiR, CPtc, CPtS, CPtV, CPxH and CPxJ Inspiron 3700 and 3800 models.
posted on October 25, 2000 05:00:45 AM new
having bought and sold computers on ebay in the past, bunnicula, here are a few suggestions:
email seller before the end of auction to ask any questions. Make sure the computer has been verified to work properly, for example, did they boot it up, test each drive, is there anything that doesn't work on it or is damaged. Is the screen and outer case ok (no cracks?) What about ports/connectors and cables. What software, operating system and browser does it have?
can you return the computer if it doesn't work properly when it arrives? are you comfortable with the payment arrangements?
don't just rely on the ad, ask questions in email and see what kind of response you get. A legitimate seller will be able to answer the questions in a way that makes you feel comfortable.
i bought my computer on ebay and it turned out to be brand new, which was better than expected. My seller had no negs, make sure you're *really* ok with the negatives he did get. sorry can't remember the userid of the seller who sold me mine, otherwise i'd give it to you
if i can think of anything else for you to ask i'll post it here. have a nice day
posted on October 25, 2000 05:04:56 AM new
sorry bunnicula just reread your comments, and say that the ad mentioned a 30 day warranty (good) and that the seller answered your emailed questions promptly. good signs.
the CDW site might have a page of product specifications for the computer model that you're buying. Compare the page of specs to what the ad says you're getting
posted on October 25, 2000 07:57:56 AM newPowerhouse: it is a P133. I will mostly be using it for writing, so I think that will be powerful enough for me.
Meya: Thanks, I looked at the recall info as I made my bid. This Notebook is a Latitude, but it is an LM & not the CPt & CPx models mentioned in the battery recall, so it should be OK. I hope
Enchanted: the auction mentions all the ports, but...cables? Laptops have cables other than for power? I didn't think to ask them about that...back to email for me to get the answer!
posted on October 25, 2000 08:39:29 AM new
Bunnicula, I wouldn't be investing anything in a 133, unless it's DIRT CHEAP (under $200). A lot of software coming out is giving 166 as the minimum standard. I'd also want to find out whether the model I was bidding on had been made for the US market, and whether it can be serviced here. I'd want to know the year of manufacture, and ask the seller to assure me that the guts were all original, or give me branded specs of the components (mobo, HD, graphics and sound cards, modem, etc. etc.). Because "30-day warranty" doesn't mean a darned thing, I'd make sure the terms of the warranty were detailed somewhere on the seller's site or in the listing, and that they included full refund with shipping and insurance both ways if there were any performance defects. If it's possible to pay the seller directly using a credit card, I'd definitely do that, so I could do a chargeback if worst came to worst. (This only applies if the card is issued by a US financial institution, but does apply to sales outside the US, from what I have read.)
Given what I've been through with new and used computers, I'd never buy one this way, especially an old rental laptop that's probably been subject to a lot of abuse. Sorry to be pessimistic, but good luck in any case.
posted on October 25, 2000 12:17:35 PM newPareau: I won't be loading any new software on any laptop I get. The one program of interest to me is a word processing one such as Word (already on the one I bid on, or WordPerfect). I will be using this thing only for writing on--for notes when doing research at libraries, for my writing group, and the like. That is the reason I am not interested in spending big bucks ona new laptop
I may use it *very* occasionally while travelling to access my email but that would only be a very rare thing. It comes with a 33.6 modem & this person says they would upgrade that to a 56K modem for $29 extra if I want.
I will email them about some of the other points you raised--thanks for the tips.
. The rest of the FB are pretty much all glowing. The seller is Canadian but with reasonable shipping costs. I liked the fact that when I sent emails asking questions, they contacted me with answers within 24 hours each time. And they say they have a 30 day warranty from the date of receipt of item.
...) Barris