COMET claim these days that they don't have sales, just permanently low prices and state on TV that they price check around 34,000 prices every week (or some silly such figure) and are deemed to be one of the cheapest and best large electrical dealers around - having said all this, with the exception of Currys, alternative choice these days seems to be limited to small local companies who provide the personal touch, but charge the earth, or mainly fly-by-night outfits that literally are here today, gone tomorrow.

Four years ago when I bought my first house, I needed a PC, and after checking out a few bog standard retailers such as Tiny and Currys ended up in my local Comet, not somewhere I would have anticipated buying a PC.

THE PRODUCT
I found what I wanted, a very nice Siemens Nixdorf machine complete with colour printer, speakers, scanner, modem, and desk for £900, no thanks to the staff in-store (the computer expert only worked two days a week). After making my selection, I sought advice for the best purchase options:

ME: Can I purchase this on interest free credit? (10% deposit and the balance payable in 9 months time),

HIM: of course you can madam....

He proceeded to process my details, but my application was referred as I had been living in my new address all of one day and had no ID.

He rang the credit company and begged on my behalf, (bang would have gone his commission otherwise) I earn £XX,XXX I begged (life without a computer and no baby-sitter in the evenings was unthinkable), this was irrelevant (when borrowing money salary is irrelevant in Comet).

After 20 minutes of begging (and very sore knees) they agreed to sell it to me providing it was delivered to my new address.

Delivery was arranged at a cost £11.95 (I lived less than ½-mile from the store), and arrived 5 hours late because the store was short staffed, although no-one thought to ring and let me know.

On unpacking, the modem was missing and I was advised by the store it was unlikely to be available for around 6-8 weeks (despite the fact that Currys had loads). I was also told that if any were received in store that one would not be reserved for me if a customer came in looking to purchase one on the spot.

The printer and scanner cables were also missing; not a good start considering this was a complete starter package, can somebody explain as I certainly don't understand?.

Another visit to the store, I left, the proud new owner of two sets of cables Free of Charge to finally get the computer fully operational (I had to crawl to friends to borrow a modem). After these escapades I immediately decided I would never shop in Comet again. Well, they do say never is a long time.

STORE CARD
Despite being reluctant to give me credit, a couple of weeks later I received a Comet store card giving me £x,xxx credit;

The TIME card can be used in Woolworths, MVC, Comet, NEXT, B&Q and Superdrug, and operates on the same basis as a credit card, allowing you up to a maximum of 7 weeks interest free credit, a minimum payment (which is actually set at 5% of your credit limit irrespective of your outstanding balance) - It is financed by Time Retail Finance, Leeds - and they no longer accept debit card payments over the phone.

A WORD OF CAUTION: IF YOU ARE GOING TO USE THIS CARD, REMEMBER PAY OFF THE BALANCE IN FULL BEFORE THE DUE DATE

INTEREST RATE:

• 29.9% for payments by direct debit,
• 31.9% for payment by any other means (a.k.a very, very expensive)

The interest free credit works on the same basis; if you do not pay the entire balance off within the interest free period, you will be charged interest on the entire purchase price, irrespective of the remaining outstanding balance,

For example,

you have just £5 outstanding, you WILL incur £100's in interest charges which you will be expected to pay monthly over a 4 year period.

Recently, we were looking for a new set of essential kitchen electrical items for the new house, yet a visit to Comet saw no-one in store willing to talk to us, hence we ended up next door in Currys and bought the lot on 6 months interest free credit.

NEW COMPUTER
Early 2001 and my Siemens decided it no longer wanted to behave itself, necessitating me having to go out and find a new one.

Once again we did the rounds and guess what? we ended up in Comet. We spotted a machine on the shelf, and had a little play around with it, this time I was very specific about what I wanted.

I advised the assistant that the machine on display had been sold before, she told me not to be ridiculous (my partner got stung big time by Dixons who sold him a fully used, inoperable machine - shucks they didn't know who they were dealing with).

I insisted she followed this up and 'lo and behold' a few minutes later she confirmed that the machine was indeed a customer return.

Unperturbed, I opted to buy it and was given £150 off for it being a discontinued model, 20 free CD-R's, and 12 months interest free credit, which on this occasion required a 10% deposit, 11 payments of £20 and a final payment of the oustanding balance within 12 months, or else incur interest charges.

You can make additional payments at any time during the 12 months - although no longer over the telephone - you can however use telephone and internet banking.

The CD-R's, surprise, surprise were out of stock.

PROBLEMS
On using the computer I found a problem with the CD-rewriter. I attempted contact the store, but number was ex-directory.

I contacted the call centre number and was advised that all Comet Stores are now ex-directory and you must contact them through their call centre number, who will then contact the store on your behalf. I was advised that the store could give me their number if they wished, but if when the message was passed on by the call centre, the store failed to call me back there was nothing they could do about it.

When I visited the store to complain about the machine, they told me they would fix it, no chance, result: problem still present, but I like the computer sooooo much I decided to live with it.

The CD-R's? I went to the store to collect them, they gave me 10 instead of 20, another visit (incidentally I now live about 10 miles away from this store and yes I know I should have checked before I left the store), and they reluctantly gave me another 10 of a different brand, not that I have ever been able to use them.

I also tried to buy On-Digital from them, who asked if I could back another time as there was no expert in store, I again waltzed off to Currys and 20 minutes later left the store a proud owner of a new digibox, instructions and contract.

OOPS AND AGAIN
I really should stop visiting my local Comet Store - one dark night not long before Christmas - my father rang me asking whether I fancied going with him to buy a new printer, never one to miss a trip out, particularly when Martin was getting hammered in the pub - I agreed - and found, on the bargain end of the line, an IBM Computer Base with CD Re-writer and 20Gb Hard disk and a matching black 19" inch monitor for just over £500, with 6 months interest free credit - my justification here is that some people would spend c£1,200 on a computer, I just got two for the price of one - a nice techie guy came around and networked the two and I got myself ADSL - Bargain - only trouble is I am tied into a contract with BT for 1 year on two telephone lines, one of which I no longer need - just my luck.

SUMMARY
I would say that over the years I have been well qualified to comment on the products and services from Comet - well I've bought three computers from them so they can't be that bad - and trust me, if you are looking for a bargain AND a good credit deal, you could do a lot worse, my local store regularly sells off bargain basement computer products, which simply means that the items have been superceded - not that they don't work. They are not bad on price, although Currys and PC World have become more competitive (until recently all three stores were next door to each other - giving ample opportunity to mix and match) - but I am afraid as for staff service, pretty chronic - although in the main their hard sell on guarantees isn't as bad as Currys.

SERVICE - 2/10: PRICE 8/10 PRODUCT RANGE - 6/10
BARGAINS - 10/10 (You just have to look for them)

I can't give you contact details of my local store as they have changed their telephone number and are now ex-directory. How ridiculous is this?

They seldom have the item you want in stock, ranging from washing machines to telephones, although I must admit, Currys are no better.

Will I shop there again? probably, as their credit facilities really are rather generous - oh and that laptop (I wish - are the prices of those things ever going to fall - I really need one).

Sue