A good source for experienced users. (updated 7/06)
Written: Dec 18 '01 (Updated Jul 16 '06)
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The Bottom Line
There's definitely a place for outfits like CompuVest. You just have to understand that it's the equivalent of an Army surplus store for computers.
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I've placed five orders with CompuVest in the last six months and have been quite satisfied.
I found them by accident while I was looking for a 233 MHz Pentium MMX processor for a "legacy" computer. They had it for $35, and it was in my mailbox in three days by ground shipment.
I had similar success finding an internal 250 Meg Zip drive with a black bezel. 62 bucks, versus $140 - $180 retail. This was just the drive, packaged in bubble wrap. No CD, cables, instructions, or fancy packaging. But I didn't need that stuff, nor did I necessarily want to pay for it.
This is a point the other reviewers may not fully understand. You're mostly buying OEM and "white box" merchandise. This is the way manufacturers and integrators buy stuff. They don't want retail boxes and gimmicks -- just send us the parts and we'll know what to do with 'em. Surplus, odd lot, and discontinued components go to places like CompuVest for retail sale. I've not seen any evidence of "pulled" or refurbished parts being represented as new.
I also ordered a Sony CD-RW for that legacy computer. Once again the packaging was plain, but it contained everything I needed to install the drive. It didn't work because of a controller incompatibility. Looking up the drive specs on Sony's web site, it was clear that it was not the right drive for the machine. I filled out the online form, returned the unit and had my refund in less than two weeks, minus the 15% restocking fee. If I'd known what I was doing, I wouldn't have ordered the unit. That's the way the world works.
I have encountered one error, and it was with a Diamond modem. Diamond switched one of its external models from v90 to v92 in mid-run and did not change name of the product or the model number. You had to look at the suffix on the part number and locate an obscure table on the Diamond web site to figure out which driver to use. CompuVest shipped the modem with the wrong driver. I downloaded the right driver from the web and notified CompuVest of the error. They sent a note thanking me and saying this explained some problems customers had been having with the modem.
Sometimes the stuff on their site is a bargain. Sometimes it's not. You have to know what you want and be willing to check around with a couple of other sources to compare. The restocking fee is not unique among online retailers, does not apply to defective merchandise, and is disclosed on the site. Smart consumers owe it to themselves to check the merchant's terms before ordering. Some reviewers suggest that CompuVest engages in deceptive practices or sells faulty merchandise. After several orders, I have not found this to be the case.
CompuVest provides fast service and merchandise you might not find elsewhere, but no handholding.
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Update on 7/15/2006:
My experience with CompuVest during the past year suggests that I add a note of caution to this review.
I ordered a hard disk drive last October and specified delivery by UPS to the usual address. The order did not arrive, and the CV web site showed "in progress" status for the order instead of a shipment tracking number. I contacted CompuVest customer service, which explained they had shipped by FedEx. I told the representative that the web order form indicated UPS and that the address I provided would only accept UPS shipments. He was able to find the tracking number, contact the FedEx depot and reroute the shipment to an alternate address. Great follow-up, but very disconcerting that the web site provided the wrong information.
When the package arrived, the drive had been thrown in the box without any kind of packaging, except crumpled up brown paper stuffed on top. This might be okay for retail products, but not for OEM parts. Previously, CompuVest shipped fragile parts in anti-static bubble bags cushioned by plastic peanuts. I mentioned this to the representative, who offered to take back the drive if I had any problems with it. Again, good follow-up. But who wants to invest hours setting up a hard drive that might have been damaged?
By comparison an OEM drive I ordered about the same time from newegg.com arrived well-packed in an inner cardboard box.
During the past several months, CompuVest seems to have fixed the order status functions on its web site. I no longer buy hard drives from them, but I continue to order other parts, which are usually shipped quickly. Packaging seems to have improved, although the wrong item was shipped on a recent order.
Based on return addresses, it appears that CompuVest has outsourced its fulfillment operations. As a result, this online merchant is less reliable than in the past, though still a good source for occasional bargains and hard-to-find items. I have lowered my overall rating to "average."
Recommended:
Yes
What product did you purchase or try to purchase? Disk drives and OEM parts
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