Manufacturer vs. reseller

Simple question, just wanted to know the difference between buying from the manufacturer and the reseller i.e. is there any advantage to buying from either?

Like I thought of it logically this way: If my laptop broke/failed after some time of use, chances of resellers replacing my laptop is higher than manufacturers, because manufacturers know more about the laptop and therefore would try to fix it first. (I heard quite a few stories about people getting their lapotp fixed due to failed gpu/other parts only to find their 'fixed' laptop had faulty parts and had to get it fixed yet again, which is why I prefer getting a new laptop replacement.) Resellers probably send a general tech guy to sort the problem out but due to lack of model specialisation/availble parts, they can't get it fixed and will send a replacement? I could be totally wrong as I have no experience with this.

In particular I was thinking of getting a Sony Vaio fw21e, is there any problems with Sony warranty service? Heard they were a pain in the over cosmetic damage.

 

Ok well for example with dells. You can buy them from dell or through best buy. Something happens to it. If you bought it from dell you will either get a technician to your house the next day or a box to send it to them to repair (at their cost which you will received fixed in a bout a week) - this depends on which warranty you buy. If you get it through best buy you have to go through bestbuys amazingly awesome /sarcasm geeksquad.

I would go to the manufacturer if the price is not that much more.

 

Very few warranties cover cosmetic damage that the consumer does to the laptop, they'll cover the pieces inside. Acer had to replace my laptop's hard drive several times... not all Acer's fault... some my own, but they need not know. I think that getting a warranty from Best Buy (example) or Sony would suit you well either way. The one from Best Buy is more likely to replace the whole laptop sooner though, most manufacturers have a limit that the laptop must break a set number of times before you get a replacement.

Keep in mind that Best Buy / Circuit City will do more to keep you as a customer than Sony / HP / Dell / [manufacturer] (that's what I think anyway).

 

Wow, Both of you said completely opposite things. But it really just comes down to the warranty. Just make sure to check out the warranty from both ends. Also getting it directly from the dealer enables you to customize the laptop to your likings.

 

Yeah, that's true but I gotta agree with Isend2C. From my experience, resellers usually give far better warranty and costumer support than manufacturers. After all, the manufacturers get the money either way, so they take it for granted.

 

If you're going manufacturer direct w/ sony, you're overpaying (haha). Sonystyle usually carries items at MSRP w/ rare breaks in price.

If you're familiar w/ a distributor that has served you well in the past, then go with them. I personally hate CC and BB, so I w/ Amazon or Direct if the price isn't outrageous.

 

I kind of covered it in the Clevo Guide.

ODMs will rarely ever deal directly with the end-user.

So you have to go to vendors/OEMs to get the notebooks and the support.

 

I bought from sonystyle, using a student discount of 10% I got a better offer than anywhere else. without student discount, it still was even to other offers.

 

It depends. Warranties vary from manufacturer and resellers so you'd have to check to see who offers you what. Normally, every laptop comes with a built-in 1 year warranty from the manufacturer in terms of parts, but they rarely cover other things.

For example, if you crash your Windows or something and are not technologically literate enough to restore your computer, some retail stores will cover those types of incidents(and repair it for you) with their warranty while some manufacturers won't(they'll only cover hardware damages).

In terms of pricing, it also depends. Some retail stores will buy in bulk from the manufacturer and therefore can afford to sell lower than the manufacturer does. Some will sell at the same price they got(so no profit), or some will sell higher to make profit. Stores that normally do the 1st two options will try to make profit out of their warranties and replacement plans(as it goes where I work at Staples).

A distinct advantage the manufacturer has over a retail store is that they can customize your laptops, which most retail stores do not offer. Retail stores buy pre-configured models in bulk and sell them while you can configure your own notebook at some manufacturers(ex: Sony, HP, Dell, Lenovo, Sager...). Mind you, some online resellers also give this option.

So really it depends on which store or which manufacturers we're talking about, but those are the main differences.

 

All the previous posters have pretty much summed it up.....but again, it comes down to pretty much 2 things: warranty/support + customization.

You'll get better warranty deals/support service from someplace like Best Buy.....on the other hand, their machines are fixed-spec......so if you want a higher end component (like a BR drive or decent graphics), you'll more likely than not have to pay for a more expensive model.

However if you go through a manufacturer, you can get the components you want--even the high end stuff--on a config that will beat the price of anything you'll find in a store. The trade off is pretty much like what Edding200 said.....warranty/support can trail that of some retailers.

 

Thanks alot everyone. I'll probably be going reseller then as I can't configure the laptop model in SonyStyle.co.uk anyways. Plus my laptop budget just decreased due to my stupid internet provider so I shall be waiting to get the laptop in new year sales discounts hopefully *fingers crossed*

 

Could somebody tell me which resellers offer the option to configure the laptops? I can never find the right processor speed from the reseller so I feel my only option is the manufacters.

 

Hey caribbean spur, I don't think resellers offer configurable options which is why manufacturers hold a place in the buying market as well. They usually buy the standard spec laptops in bulk which is why they can sell it pretty cheap, they don't have the parts or labour to alter any specs i.e. add more ram, change hard drive etc. Configurable laptops can be done in manufacturers website or manufacturers stores, but in stores they usually order it in their system and tell you to come back when they have it ready.

 

One place to consider (if you belong) is Costco. They have fixed configs, but I believe their return policy is 90 days no questions, and their prices are good. Just a thought ;-))

 

If you buy it from a seller like Best Buy and it fails within the manufacturer's warranty period, Best Buy is obligated to send it to the manu.

 

Resellers still do deal with manufacturers. All laptops, regardless of where you buy them, come with a built-in warranty of 1 year with the manufacturer. Now, the reseller can add extra years onto that warranty.

Now here are the main differences in terms of warranties that I've come to notice in the time I've sold some .

- If you buy it from the manufacturer and it breaks within 1 year, you have to send it back to them and pay for shipping(most of the time) and all costs. From a reseller, in general you deal with them and they'll send it to the reseller and pay for shipping(at least we do at Staples).
So basically, for the 1st year it's a choice of dealing with the manufacturer directly or the reseller(whichever is more convenient for the buyer).

- If you choose to add another year(s), you're dealing with the reseller entirely. After that, anything that happens is through the reseller. If the laptop breaks and you have a replacement warranty, the store gives you a new one(or an equivalent one or a credit if the model is discontinued). If you're under a protection plan, they'll fix it for you(and exchange the parts if needed).

A thing to consider is that some places have warranties which last only for one use i.e. you break the notebook once in the 3 year warranty and it's no longer valid after that. You should always ask if the warranty is a one time use or if it lasts through the time it is issued .

Also consider some warranties only cover hardware malfunctions i.e. if a part goes wrong. Therefore, if YOU mess up your computer, it isn't their problem. Some places offer a protection warranty which covers even user made damages such as software issues(or viruses) or even coffee spilling on your notebook!

Hope that helps a bit ^_^