eTronics versus Buydig--- My take.
Written: Apr 02 '03 (Updated Mar 22 '05)
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I first used Etronics.com a couple of years ago to buy my Father some CB equipment for his B-Day, however I admittedly never used this particular site for myself until I was on the prowl for a good deal on a Beltronics 985 Radar Detector. Even though I did not purchase my Beltronics Radar Detector at Etronics.com due to a 60 dollar price difference versus BuyDig.com, I have found some great deals at Etronics, i.e. my Panasonic CQ-DP102U car stereo system.
About the Site:
Needless to say eTronics is a site biased towards electronics. Whether it be home electronics, car electronics, or outdoor electronics, Etronics has almost anything electronic enthusiasts could dream of in their database. Unlike BuyDig.com and many other electronic biased web services, Etronics is loaded with deals; by far the best electronic selection I have seen on the internet. I could not find one new product that I was interested in that was not featured at this site (though many times that special product was not in stock, I'll explain later). This huge selection is not without compromise though. The prices at Etronics.com seem to be quite a bit higher than other web services that carry the same product.
Navigation through the site is a bit complicated at first, though most users should adapt fairly easily. Unlike the Plain Jane formatting of BuyDig.com, Etronics uses icons, and pictures of most products being sold. Etronics also offers info on most products, i.e. features of the product, general info, and accessories that can be purchased to improve the product. A slight gripe is Etronic's page load time. Compared to BuyDig, Etronics is quite the proverbial turtle. Fortunately the site does not bombard you with advertisements and annoying pop-up ads.
To purchase a product via Etronics.com you must have a major credit card. Unfortunately there are no other payment plans available. Standard return policy with the site is an unconditional 30 day money back guarantee, though shipping will not be refunded (something to think about if you are going with the $80 shipping plan).
My Experience:
I have surfed Etronics.com's web service for about two years now and have had both good and bad experiences with this web service. When I find a good deal at this site it almost always seems as if there is some sort of catch. For example, either the product is not available, or with the shipping charge the bargain quickly turns into a total rip-off.
I purchased my Panasonic CD-102U car stereo system for almost $50 less than what many were asking at other web services, i.e TTA Direct. I also had a very hard time finding this particular model locally so it was very refreshing to buy it at Etronics with such a low price tag (almost 80 dollars less than retail). A huge gripe with this site is the large amount of products not in stock. I was actually looking for a different stereo system at first. Etronics offered an amazing deal, however it was not available to be purchased; very frustrating. Almost 5 months later I still have not received a letter from Etronics letting me know if they have got the product I was looking for in stock.
Shipping is a little steep, and has went up in price over the past few years. Etronics has always charged quite a hefty fee for shipping, though I was not expecting to pay almost $100 for overnight delivery! In the end I went with ground, which only cost a little over 20 dollars. I received my stereo within 10 days (just a bit late). Etronics claims it should only take 7 days going with base shipping. Even with the inflated price of shipping I still saved quite a bit of money. My total cost came to $126.95 versus over $200 if I were to buy this product from a local stereo shack.
I have also purchased a CB from Etronics as a gift for my Father at a great price (saved almost $30 versus other sites). This experience included the same type of delivery ($18). Then, however, I received the CB in less than 5 days (that's almost as quick as the current more expensive shipping plan).
Final Thoughts:
While I do have my qualms with the site, i.e. products not being in stock, high shipping costs, etc. etc. the mass selection, fairly good customer service, optional extended warranties, etc. etc. all outweigh the negatives of this site. I recommend this site to anyone who is looking to buy an electronic/digital product. I do however suggest checking out other web services before you buy here. As I mentioned in the beginning of this review, sometimes buying elsewhere (in my case BuyDig.com) can prove to save even more money. In conclusion, I would definitely consider buying from Etronics.com again.
Note Looking for another great online store? You may want to check out my review on BuyDig.com
-Thanks for reading.
Recommended:
Yes
What product did you purchase or try to purchase? CB Equipment
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About the Author
Location: Atlantic Coast
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