Member Advice on Computer Fairs & Shows

Following on from my 'Advantages of building your own PC' review I thought I'd go into a bit of detail on one of the other resources for buying PC parts, software and full systems. Now, as you can tell from my other reviews, I am somewhat of a bargain hunter.. Everything I buy is as cheap as possible! So of course, I am a regular at computer fairs. Brief outline: Computer fairs have been around for as long as I can remember (admittedly I can only ...
...for buying almost anything PC related. The fair I go to regularly is held 6 times a year, and I'm pretty sure it is a travelling fair (meaning you can follow them to the next stop to return anything if the actual trader is based at the other end of the country!) Usually held in sports halls, such as the Kelvinhall in Glasgow (my usual haunt), computer fairs always tend to follow the same outline. Firstly, the organisers charge a small amount for ...

unnameable 11.12.2003 (21.12.2003) · Read full review
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Review of Member Advice on Computer Fairs & Shows

Computer Fairs started in the days of the early 286 PC, Sega Megadrive and Amiga. Over the years, computer fairs and computer markets have become incredibly popular amongst home users, businesses and enthusiasts alike. Today you'll find a regular show in almost every large town in the UK, packed out with local computer companies and often attended by thousands of people. You are probably wondering why they have suddenly become so popular. I believe ...
...usually businesses with either shops, mail order or internet outlets, so they can be relied on to sell decent quality goods backed up with a reliable after sales service. Also, because of the huge success, the prices are being cut to the absolute minimum as there are very low overheads compared to the normal outlets, and there is an increased number of customers compared to day to day numbers. The atmosphere is relaxed, and the stallholders seem ...

nicanddarrell 25.10.2002 · Read full review
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Computer Fairs have now taken off with a vengeance. You can buy 90% of the hardware/software you need at ½ the recommended price. The best bargains seem to be ink cartridges. You will probably find a computer fair in most towns and large villages at least once every few months. They are normally filled with local computer companies and also sole traders who have decided to take the plunge. The reason they can offer much cheaper prices is that unlike ...
...wages, heating and rent. If you decide to sell a small table at the fair is around forty to fifty pounds for a full day depending where you live. Most vendors nowadays normally either do a catalogue, mail order or Internet ordering. You can get free technical advice if unsure what you need to purchase. This is ideal for people like me who are unsure of what joy pad to use with my system up to needing a new motherboard. It is helpful to take details ...

Night_Rider 10.02.2002 · Read full review
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Review of Member Advice on Computer Fairs & Shows

Ok!! This is an attempt to give a little bit of a low–down on computer fairs held within the north-east of England Computer Fairs are rather like giant car-boot fairs come antiques fairs only obviously selling computer related products (mostly all new, but you can still pickup the odd second hand bargain). First though! “ Are computer fairs worth while”? I should say so the money you save on computer related products can at times be unbelievable, ...
...to look around there’s always somebody cheaper or with a better deal”. I must admit though you should have a bit of computer related knowledge before setting off to one of these fairs (if you are planning to buy), as the stall holders don’t really have the time to stand and chat (if you are “green” go somewhere you can get good advice with good customer relations). If you have not been to a computer fair before it’s worth the entrance fee just to ...

paulbowes2k1 07.09.2001 · Read full review
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Review of Member Advice on Computer Fairs & Shows

It must be my sad personality, but I love going to Computer Fairs. It's not for everyone as my wife can testify, she once spent a few hours aimlessly following me around one at Blackpool and on the fourth route round fell asleep and later vowed never to go to one with me again. Like most women she seems to take everything in the first time round and can't see the point of doing the same more than three times - bless her. Finding them is not as difficult ...
...I don't really need to check for these events, they seem to come at me from emails and clandestine meetings in dark car parks after closing time. If I was normal though I would probably look where everyone else does for them in the local classifieds and a recently recommended web site at http://www.computerfairs.co.uk ; it even listed some I’ve been to, so can’t be that bad. It really breaks down into three types of people who go to ...

see-search.com 02.02.2003 (14.04.2003) · Read full review
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Review of Member Advice on Computer Fairs & Shows

Computer fairs are an excellent place to pick up some really good bargains when it comes to everything computer related. They are becoming more widespread as well which is equally a good thing. Personally, if I need a new component for my computer then I never, ever use the high street shops, because quite frankly they rip you off. You can buy the same thing from a computer fair for a fraction of the price, but don't be fooled into thinking that ...
...the computer I am using now directly from components found at a computer fair, saving around £300 on the cheapest equivalent shop price. There are of course a few things to consider though. Sometimes the products are second hand, butthe seller should make this pretty clear when he sells it to you. If the product is out of its box, etc then this is a good sign that perhaps its not as new as you might think it to be. You should also get a guarantee ...

wampyrii 01.04.2001 · Read full review
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I have been fortunate enough to have only been to one, and never again! I say it's where all the cheap obsolete inferior stolen junk is on sold. Yes, true, it’s all very cheap but what exactly are you paying for? Ask yourself the question! The fair I went to was very well laid out with hundreds of people scouring the stalls for the best bargains they could find. All very nice. There was a very wide selection of goods on offer too; from hundreds ...
...no good to man nor beast (except maybe if your are a junk collector) to very fine looking pirate DVD’s that you probably wouldn’t get to play in a month of Sunday’s, then there was all the new stuff, well, where do I start??? Nearly every PC component under the sun was on offer in some shape or form. I noted a number of items had their serial numbers and packing tags removed. I asked one stall keeper the question. Why, what is there to hide? I was ...

neildemmert 07.07.2004 · Read full review
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Review of Member Advice on Computer Fairs & Shows

These have to be the best place to gain information on a partial level. The retailers that attend these are on the majority, friendly and extremely helpful when it comes to questions about the products they sell. These fairs are also when you can pick up a wide range of bargains as you can compare prices between the stalls and search for that all inlusive bargain thats out there amongst the sellers. I attend the fair in Manchester nearly all the ...
...at sometimes 30% cheaper than the shops for games and hardware then these are a must for people that buy hardware or software on a regular basis. Alas, be aware that there can also be a few rogue retailers so ask what support and return policy they employ before purchasing from them. A respectable seller will tell you and even give you there shops address and contact numbers should any problems arise. ...

dfjericho 07.12.2000 · Read full review
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Review of Member Advice on Computer Fairs & Shows

The early to mid 90s were a great time for computer fairs and most weekends I'd be in some sports centre or banqueting suite buying up bits to make PCs for friends and family because there were bargains to be had. a few years on, I'm still dealing with the legacy - where do I get a driver for this no-name video card?, can you get replacement pens for this plotter? . In my mind the world has moved on and computer fairs are an increasingly marginal ...
...lose a pint of blood on some poorly finished case or extract tiny jumper covers from motherboards, and that may be an age thing or maybe I'd rather be doing something else. There are items still worth scouring the fairs for, as mentioned below, but their diminishing importance is apparent in the way they've been colonised by pirate DVD suppliers, satellite scramble cards, playstation mods and other stuff that makes them closer to boot fairs with ...

oedipus 24.08.2001 · Read full review
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Review of Member Advice on Computer Fairs & Shows

I have been going to computer fairs for quite a while now. Certainly you will get a far cheaper price on your goods buying this way than through a retail shop. There is also a wide choice of products, you can find almost anything from these places. However you do have to be careful. Building systems for friends, relatives and myself, I have bought a lot of stuff from these places and on the whole have got good quality goods, fully working as I expect ...
...is important to get a receipt when you buy anything just in case. I have a number of stories I will share with you that both promote and demote computer fairs. Firstly I was at a fair in Stoke with a few mates and we chipped in and bought a few hard drives off this bloke selling suppossedly "untested" drives. Obviously we got them home and they were all knackered but this wasnt the qualm, the fact that they were sold as 4.3Gb to us and actually turned ...

CyrixDes 06.09.2000 · Read full review
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At a computer fair you are likely to see lots of type of stall, some of these you have to watch out for some of them you have to look for, others I cant say either way. Lets start at the places to avoid. Firstly there is nearly allway someone there claiming to sell untested goods at a fraction of the cost. These people claim they do not know whether or not the pieces will actually work. Well I tell you the chances are slim to none. If you think about ...
...products and some of them did actually work they could make alot more money out of it. Take it from me that these components are no good and should not even be considered no matter how tempting te offer seems to be. Stall that are on the border line include people selling really old stuff, but selling it comercially, normally you can pick this kind of stuff up at boot sales etc for half the price. I'm not saying that its ot going to work but it might ...

thepanther 25.08.2000 · Read full review
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Review of Member Advice on Computer Fairs & Shows

When I went to my first computer fair It was in Middlesborough and that is where my experience of fairs lies. Ive been to them a few times and each time I pick something or somethings up for good prices. There is some dodgy folk around trying to sell stuff but I rely on my judgement I stood at one stall looking at processor prices, then my g/friend said to me about needing a m/board. Then I was pulled to one side by the stallholder. He told me that ...
...fast processor. I queried this with him and he replied with an offended expression "look I build computers for a living, here look I can put these two together for a special price." He looked a bit crooked to me as well as me having doubts over what he was selling. I said no, your alright and continued looking around. In comparison we went to other stalls and the stallholders were more laid back and offered helpful advice only when asked and pointed ...

floater 29.06.2001 · Read full review
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I've been going to the Abacus comptuer fairs for quite a while now, and I've got to say they are pretty damned good! They operater right through the North West of England, from Llandudno (Okay, so that's Wales, but only just) right up to Blackpool! The fairs are well organised, and you don't find any of the cowboy traders that you'll get elsewhere. I've not had any trouble with one piece of hardware / software I've bought from these fairs. In the ...
...Abacus staff themselves give you simply wasn't enough, and you inadvertantly buy a piece of hardware that just ain't gonna work, all the traders give reciepts with contact numbers and, although I cannot speak for ALL the traders there, the one's who I have had to call have offered a fast and satisfactory response. The prices for entry to the fairs differe depending on the location. I can't find the info on their site for exact prices (http://www.fairs.co.uk) ...

Aterlatus 25.02.2001 · Read full review
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Review of Member Advice on Computer Fairs & Shows

Many people nowadays go to computer fairs to get those bargains on computer hardware since more and more people are becoming computer literate and competant. Computer fairs are a great place to go to get cheap products for your computer and also loads of other stuff like consoles, mobile phones, lava lamps and other such articles. When you buy from the vendors at computer fairs, many of them are computer businesses trying to get in some extra dosh ...
...the fairs is under the same laws and regulations as if you were buying from the shops- AS LONG AS YOU GET A RECEIPT - I shopped at the computer fairs(BCF- www.computerfairs.com) for many years and was very happy with my purchases. recently it has gon downhill slightly. I seem to have to take more and more stuff back because it is faulty. I don'y know if it is manufacturing problems or if it is the vendors trying to sell off seconds at the computer ...

E_N_I_G_M_A 26.11.2000 · Read full review
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Review of Member Advice on Computer Fairs & Shows

These fairs are growing in popularity so get there early or you'll be waiting for ages and all the bargains will go! Try "Bowlers" in Manchester, it's an indoor cricket ground that everyone knows well. Golden rule is CAVEAT EMPTOR (let the buyer beware). If you are buying something small it could be a gamble, if you are buying something larger make sure you know who you are dealing with and if possible test it yourself or get a good demonstration. ...
...have a proper shop somewhere. 2 - Take a test unit to test any hardware you buy (or insist on a demonstration if practical) 3 - Use credit cards wisely. You may get insurance for expensive items but it could also end up in fraud. 4 - See if you can get a written guarantee. 5 - Don't rush in if you see something cheap. There may be something better and cheaper on another stall. 6 - If you're not sure what you want or whether there are compatibility ...

Outspoken1 10.08.2000 · Read full review
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Review of Member Advice on Computer Fairs & Shows