Microsoft high-end laptops etc not kept in stock

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frednz

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#262035 31-Dec-2019 18:59

I was looking through advertisements for some of the better Microsoft computers, but several of them are not kept in stock by places like JB HiFi, Harvey Norman and Noel Leeming. At a time when, for example, some Microsoft laptops are being discounted by 20% for the Boxing Day sales, people are being told that there are no stocks of these in the whole country and to expect delivery at the end of January. This is apparently because several Microsoft staff are on holiday until mid-January.

And to secure one of these computers at a 20% discount, customers are asked to pay the full amount now even though there is a 4-week delay in delivery. Wouldn't just a small deposit be adequate? So, I wonder whether it may be better to order direct online from Microsoft in order to get earlier delivery?

JaseNZ

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#2383507 31-Dec-2019 19:07

Yup seen this yesterday, While this missus was in the jewellery store I was wandering around NL in the Westfield mall here in CHCH as you do and I noticed the blank spaces where the high end Microsoft stuff was supposed to be but with still the sale cards in place, I asked why there was none on display and one of the salesman said ain't got any. Not that I was in the market for one but found it a bit stupid and I could imagine lost sales because of it.

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richms

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#2383514 31-Dec-2019 19:55

And if they are anything like when I had to pre-pay for something, they still use the date of the invoice for warranty so you are screwed over for a few weeks of easier coverage of things.

Richard rich.ms

frednz

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#2383577 1-Jan-2020 08:32

JaseNZ:

Yup seen this yesterday, While this missus was in the jewellery store I was wandering around NL in the Westfield mall here in CHCH as you do and I noticed the blank spaces where the high end Microsoft stuff was supposed to be but with still the sale cards in place, I asked why there was none on display and one of the salesman said ain't got any. Not that I was in the market for one but found it a bit stupid and I could imagine lost sales because of it.

Yes, it's not as if you're buying an electric vehicle where the worldwide supply is quite short so that NZ-new EV buyers often have to wait several months for their vehicles. And when you buy a car, you don't have to pay the full amount up-front, a 10% deposit (or less) is often adequate.

Although it's clear that not many people want to buy a laptop that costs more than, say, $3,000, it seems that retailers just don't want to stock these items any more as they are probably slow-moving and take up space etc.

I agree that sales could be lost because of this policy, I was tempted by a couple of 20% off items which I might have bought if they had been in stock. To expect customers to wait 4 weeks just to buy a laptop seems ridiculous to me, even if you are getting a 20% discount and saving several hundred dollars.

Come on Microsoft, have a look at this problem and keep your retailers stocked up!

frednz

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#2383579 1-Jan-2020 08:41

richms:

And if they are anything like when I had to pre-pay for something, they still use the date of the invoice for warranty so you are screwed over for a few weeks of easier coverage of things.

Now there must be some consumer law that says the date of delivery is the warranty start date, not the date on which you paid for the item in full?

I think any respected retailer would use the date of delivery for warranty purposes, surely?

BlinkyBill

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#2383616 1-Jan-2020 11:55

frednz:

richms:

And if they are anything like when I had to pre-pay for something, they still use the date of the invoice for warranty so you are screwed over for a few weeks of easier coverage of things.

Now there must be some consumer law that says the date of delivery is the warranty start date, not the date on which you paid for the item in full?

I think any respected retailer would use the date of delivery for warranty purposes, surely?

It isn’t worthwhile getting hot about when the warranty starts, +/- a couple of weeks.

The vast majority of warranty claims occur after a few weeks of moderate use, that’s why extended warranty is a complete waste of money.

frednz

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#2383700 1-Jan-2020 18:41

BlinkyBill:
frednz:

richms:

And if they are anything like when I had to pre-pay for something, they still use the date of the invoice for warranty so you are screwed over for a few weeks of easier coverage of things.

Now there must be some consumer law that says the date of delivery is the warranty start date, not the date on which you paid for the item in full?

I think any respected retailer would use the date of delivery for warranty purposes, surely?

It isn’t worthwhile getting hot about when the warranty starts, +/- a couple of weeks.

The vast majority of warranty claims occur after a few weeks of moderate use, that’s why extended warranty is a complete waste of money.

Yes, the Consumer Guarantees Act covers most situations anyway, so I don't go for extended warranties although retailers try quite hard to convince you they're a good idea! The idea of retailers no longer having expensive items in stock and requiring full payment in advance of delivery is great for retailers as customers are providing free finance to them. You may as well deal online direct with the manufacturers if retailers get you to pay in full for your goods and then take a month or so to get them in! I mean, what advantages are there in buying an expensive computer from Harvey Norman etc in these circumstances?

richms

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#2383712 1-Jan-2020 19:51

frednz:

Yes, the Consumer Guarantees Act covers most situations anyway, so I don't go for extended warranties although retailers try quite hard to convince you they're a good idea! The idea of retailers no longer having expensive items in stock and requiring full payment in advance of delivery is great for retailers as customers are providing free finance to them. You may as well deal online direct with the manufacturers if retailers get you to pay in full for your goods and then take a month or so to get them in! I mean, what advantages are there in buying an expensive computer from Harvey Norman etc in these circumstances?

May as well buy online if they don't have one for you to take away immediately. If they have to order one in for you, and then probably try to charge you to have it send out to you when it comes in then what are they really actually doing to deserve their profits?

Not like the sales people offer anything over looking online for product knowledge. There is usually not a display that you can actually see how it is because its locked down, you cant even feel the weight of a laptop or in some cases even see how the hinge feels because its trapped in some POS display prison. May as well look at pictures on the web, ask in a forum and buy from the cheapest on pricespy.

Richard rich.ms

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frednz

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#2384368 2-Jan-2020 20:48

richms:

May as well buy online if they don't have one for you to take away immediately. If they have to order one in for you, and then probably try to charge you to have it send out to you when it comes in then what are they really actually doing to deserve their profits?

Not like the sales people offer anything over looking online for product knowledge. There is usually not a display that you can actually see how it is because its locked down, you cant even feel the weight of a laptop or in some cases even see how the hinge feels because its trapped in some POS display prison. May as well look at pictures on the web, ask in a forum and buy from the cheapest on pricespy.

I suppose there is one advantage of buying from a local retailer in that if something goes wrong and the item has to be returned, it's probably easier and cheaper to take it back to the store rather than courier it off to the manufacturer who in some cases may be located overseas. A local retailer may even give you a loan item while the item is being repaired. And things can get lost when given to couriers, so this can't happen when you take it back to your local retailer.

Jogre

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#2385943 6-Jan-2020 11:14

Hi Fred,

Sorry to hear about this! We've had staff on over the break so I'm not sure about the comment from the floor staff as we've also had lots of stock over the break. I've raised it with one of the team who deals with Surface in Retail so hopefully we get a resolution on that front.

Ta,

Jono