CEX (Shop) > Reviews (49)

CEX, for those who don't know, is basically a pawn shop for electronic goods and accessories similar to Cash Converters. As I, like most people, tend to need more money than I get given. So, to have a shop pay you for reasonable prices for your expendable goods is a really useful utility.

The prices paid for the more luxurious or recent items by CEX seems pretty fair and appear to set them apart from the competitors. I've sold them plenty of items in the past but recently I have also had a few problems to deal with.

Apparently, CEX require you leave certain items overnight for 'testing'. For instance the 80GB ipod my brother and I attempted to sell them not so long ago. After a quick flash of the membership and a bit of computery stuff, I was given a receipt and advised to come back tomorrow. Not ideal, but I gave them the benefit of the doubt.

The next day I returned and had to brave the most nightmareish conditions. The shop was sweltering and had a queue of about thirty people. Seven staff and six tills, but two people were working, two were just standing about, one was playing on a computer and the others just talking to some friends at the end of the desk. When we questioned them it resulted in a staring contest between ourselves and various employees. Onorthodox customer service to say the least.

Smugly, one of the staff informed me that the link cable was broken. The brand new link cable which was fine the day before. I assumed it was just a problem with the cable and went home to get a different one. On the way I checked in the box and found the cable, frayed and smashed. When I returned and questioned this I was told they 'are professionals' and 'would never do that.'

I'd couldn't see one professional, just seven scruffy, stuck-up students. I am still pretty infuriated as I write this. Still, I will not let that experience tarnish my review.

The process of selling is very straightforward when it comes to DVDs and Games and prices are fair. Simple swap. Cash for Goods. Store credit can be obtained to a higher value than if you were to recieve cash. This service I have always found very effective.

I have plenty of second hand experiences of broken or damaged goods being bought from there and may also have been able to sell a few questionable items too.

The positive with CEX tends to be the prices they will pay for your second hand goods, possibly the best on the high street. On the converse, the downside is that many of the staff can be rude or workshy and the stores, a little untidy and unorganised. They have a sketchy returns policy. Basically you might as well just it sell it back to them for half the price.

They also do not offer the 'buy-back' feature some other shops do. This is where you may repurchase the item you sold within an agreed time period for a small fee extra. Suffice to say, I went to Cash Converters and wil be buying the ipod back soon.

CEX, they're better than most for DVDs and Games but be careful with your important equipment. Fair prices, but the occassional 'quality' issue.