Tips for safe hardware shopping

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It has been quite a long time since we are hearing a lot about customers getting cheated in computer markets.

This thread is for everyone to get the idea of the shops from where to buy and which shops are really reliable in terms of product genuinity, price and service and thus separating the fraudulents and fake sellers.

Lamington road is divided into two lanes, left and right.(Assuming you are facing towards Churchgate before the flyover/ chowk)

Left lane is reliable. You will come across many good shops initially and continuing towards the end.

Popular shops on left lane-- Computer culture, Computer selection, Jay computers, Braintone, Samvik, Dynamic computers, E-Lounge-TheITWares, Maruti compusystems. and some others i cant remember. (pls let us know and share here)

Popular shops on right lane-- Mahavir computers, Prime ABGB & RK infosys. Buy from any of these and above shops and get piece of mind. They are genuine and will never loot you by offering/ suggesting any crap brands. But yes prices may vary accordingly.

**The following shops were heard of either selling fake products or have complaints of fraudulent/ cheating.
--Cassette world, PC guide, Plug and play, Prompt computers, & some small shops in the lane gullies.

Dont get driven by the amount of crowds inside them. These shops sell anything from keyboards, writers to open box processors and graphics cards of some Chinese and Korean cos. for either original branded item price or much less prices and offer a yr or two yrs warranty. These chaps know well how to loot a noob or atleast try it on anyone. But some others may have good experiences too. so instead behaving hashly, speak up the experiences and let everyone know.

I'm personally not in favour of any shops. I digged in and found some results.

Members may support or oppose its upto them.

• Always quote the brand or model you want to buy-- Instead of just saying a 500gb drive, say you want WD green/blue 500gb sata.

• Dont say you need a 512mb nVidia or Ati graphics card, but always quote the exact lookout of model--Leadtek or Xfx gtx 280 or Sapphire 4870. After arrival of the product confirm the same on the box. Don just get carried away by the box art, but read everything properly on it esp. the model and the memory size/type. Same thing applies to other products.

• Even if you are a noob, dont be, now Grow and Go!! Before going to buy anything just survey the same on the net for what your are looking for. Get help friends and experienced persons. It is better to go with someone or your friend who has knowledge of the market, the shops or at least about pc or the component you will be getting.

• It helps if in case if you get in their traps and get cheated. You does have a real proof then apart from the bill. Thus help will put pressure on opp. party naturally.

• Last but not the least. Just for saving those 100-300 bucks dont shop from source you think is unreliable or untrustworthy or simply because you are getting hefty discount. This will definitely cost you afterwards which you might have to bear for another 3years.

• Difference or meare Rs.50/- to max Rs. 500/- is common depending on the product.

• Always buy from reliable sources, contact various shops, then compare prices and their service and finally decide.

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i will keep all this in mind. Thanks.

heading should be changed to " Tips for a safe hardware shopping"

Anyways, any proof that theses shops sell duplicate items or should we just stop buying from them since you bought something duplicate from one of them?

IMO, if you ask for a duplicate you can get a duplicate in any hardware shop. You must know the price the duplicate sells for though. else they can charge you almost the same as original.

Good advice, thanks. I think it is difficult for a layman to distinguish fakes from the genuine product, so a reliable store is a always the best place to buy. Chennaiites any advice on stores? delta peripherals came recommended from a friend, but any others?

Could you clarify on what you mean by fake? I mean, can you have a fake mobo, fake proccy etc..?? Or are referring to the cheap chinese hardware that goes kaput within a month?

buy a nokia battery from ur local guy, u'll know

most legit products come with a hologram...but now cheap co's are copying that too

Thanks for the info.

Well there's one more thing that you will have to mention. There are shops who do sell genuine products with proper packaging but don't give a bill- rather a challan or nothing at all. A bill is needed to avail warranty. Don't know about know, but McCanns never used to give bill for any hardware being purchased there.

nice i ordered all things online..

hey thanks for taking my suggestions into account!!
make this a sticky!!!

i must add some more shops -- in chunam lane you have loads of shops that stock old hardware and sometimes pass it off as new----example--modera electronics or some shop beside it----i took a friend along once to get a good deal on a dvd writer this was way back in 2005.the shop keeper produced a oem sony dw model which was in a sony dru-810 box and insisted we buy it.and his price was way cheaper than what any other shop would've sold us a dvd writer for.
any buyer off to spend their hard earned money must be aware of what they are buying just because the box is sealed doesn't mean you have the genuine parts in it.even you can seal a box with cello-tape.
be careful if you are a noob---head straight for mahavir computers/prime abgb.safest and the best places to buy hardware at good prices.(for the people who don't know--mahavir has 2 guys in it -- ask for kalpesh jain(fat guy!)rajesh jain(thin guy) prime abgb has meenal and a short stout guy -swapnil at the desk---sometimes gulbir does grace the shop with his presence---energetic sardar who could convince anyone into buying anything!! knows a lot.)

You say modera not good. But as far as i know they are known for being more price than in lr. They sell fakes? That is news to me.
And mahavir too do not provide any bill. They just generate a challan for their products.that was when i tried for a dvd writer in 2006 for sony. I insisted but he said the challan would do. So i decided against buying.

I have heard a lot about fake processors, fake mobos but I have never seen them.

Has anyone actually bought a fake proc, mobo or is just an urban myth??

gonna help alot to newbies ... gr8 job mate ....

there 2-3 shops with the mahavir electronics name----the one i am talking about--the first one is the big shop near the police station and the other 2 are in the lanes.i have always got a printed bill with part number and other details signed and stamped and i have been buying stuff from them since 2004 no problems and i would recommend him to anyone.

irrespective of where you buy anything from--insist on a bill(preferably printed and with the part number and signed/stamped)

Prime abgb sold me a power supply which was tampered with i got it changed the next day....from now i check everythng make them open it up.

If i want to buy any thing expesive like a graphic card i buy it from TE coz they are reliable.