RE: Bargain (TM) widescreen monitors

["Ian" <ian@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>> Assuming this is a consumer transaction (ie not in the name of
a=20
>> business),

>What is the situation then with small businesses - get stuffed, they
can
charge what they like >as a restocking fee?

Restocking fee? They don=92t even have to take it back if it's a complete
duffer, never mind for dead pixels.. Buying business to business online,
th=
e
general rule of thumb is hold *really* tight onto your ankles, and hope
the=
y
use lube. Any customer care is *entirely* at the discretion of the
vendor.(*)

We were screwed for around =A31700 in one year by various online vendors
fo=
r
blatantly faulty parts (things like buying ten PCs with extra ram, 9 are
okay, 1 stick of ram is duff, and the etailer refused to replace it, or
ordering a "new" PC, which arrived with some blokes spreadsheets
on it, and
again, wouldn't repalce it, that sort of thing)... And it has made me
rathe=
r
bitter and jaded about the whole thing. Very few bargains are *actually*
bargains, once you count in the added risks, and the assurance you get by
not focussing on the bottom line all the time is (imo) usually worth it.

We now deal pretty much exclusively with either local vendors, where you
ca=
n
build up a relationship with them, or with the larger suppliers (insight
ar=
e
good, for instance) where again, spending a good wadge of cash with your
account manager will get you looked at in a positive light when snafu's
happen. In stark contrast, we have had to write off =A36 worth of keyboard
this year - woo-hoo.

Ian.

(*)Usual disclaimers apply - our experience may differ from yours, I am not
a lawyer, yadda, yadda, yadda