Would YOU buy a laptop off ebay?

[Misty89]

My choices are not happening with a laptop for DD15 for the holidays........i JUST cannot afford a new laptop. $600- 700$. I was told by my sister that i should stay away from Compaq ($400) so thats out. I have been looking on ebay.....i see tons of them for below $300. I am always afraid to buy from ANY seller, regardless of a 1$ item or a $500 item if the seller has less that 99% feedback...but i still wonder, How many Diser's would buy a laptop off ebay???

any input would be great!

Tina

 

[princesspwrhr]

I would be leary of electronics on Ebay. But if the $400 for a Compaq is in or near your budget have you looked at the HP that is going to be $379 at Best Buy on Black Friday?

 

[Misty89]

I saw that......but i work all day on BF(8am-4:30pm), and the Best buy that is being built in my city does not open until feb 2007


thanks for the thought
Tina

 

[A Mickeyfan]

I would be too afraid to do that... I want to know that I can go to the store at least for the first 2 weeks in the even something was wrong with it..

 

[kat3668]

maybe Walmart would price match?
I have bought a laptop off of Overstock.com and had great success. They are a really good reputable website.

 

[angwill]

I have experienced buying a notebook off ebay. Don't do it especially don't buy any computer used. The notebook we bought off ebay from a 100% good feedback seller worked for under 6 months and then died completely and it is not fixable. We also found out after buying it that we could no longer purchase a new battery for it. We are now out $350 and I wonder if everyones computer gave up like ours because he had a whole lot of them.
Since then I have been advised by a couple of computer geeks never to buy a computer used.

As for the $400 compaq. A good friend and computer geek just told me Compaq was one of the best in the past and then went down hill for a while and Dell took over. According to him the opposite is now true that Compaq is now better than dell. He is looking at it from the perspective of how many come in for repair, how easy and innexpensive they are to fix, as well as their reputation at this time. On his advise we just bought a new compaq notebook a couple of weeks back when American had it for $479 after rebates with a free all in one printer, wireless router, and notebook case.
We love our compaq so far.

Some people might feel differently but at least you are getting one person's view and I have made the ebay mistake personally and would never do it again.

Good luck in whatever you decide,
Ang

 

[cats mom]

We have actually bought two laptops off e-bay.
Both have been fine, but I do realize that our experience could very well be the exception rather than the rule.
Of course we've also purchased a car off e-bay, so we're definitely risk takers.


the first one was a brand new Dell and was the exact specs that were offered just a few weeks prior on one of Dell's internet specials. Unfortunately I just missed the promo, no doubt the seller got in on it.

The other one actually was a used computer, but boy had the guy ever upgraded it! We got way more bells and whistles than we could have gotten for anywhere near the same price directly from Dell.
The seller and I e-mailed back and forth several times and I'm pretty confident he was a computer geek who had to have the latest and greatest (thus all the upgrades) and he was just just getting rid of his old laptop (less than a year old) to get the newest release.

I do agree that it is risky.

 

[princesspwrhr]

I was told tonight at Best Buy that their Black Friday ads would be available online.

Does anyone have any experiance to verify that?

 

[bettyann29]

Personally I wouldnt buy a laptop off Ebay..

 

[torinsmom]

I did and I got screwed. The computer worked fine for the 30 days the guy warrantied it, and then the thing started turning off on its own randomly! Had to buy a new battery, but that didn't solve the problem. A computer store tried to fix it, and I paid another $95 for what they did, but it still has some issues. I think I paid $200 on ebay plsu $40 shipping. I wish I had saved a little more and just gotten a new one!

Have you checked Walmart.com? They have a few under $500.

Here is one for $498 and it has a 1 year warranty--free shipping to a Walmart.
Walmart computer

 

[got2travel]

Another unlucky story here. Mostly it was my fault though. I had a few that I was watching and bidding on but the final bids were going for higher than I wanted. Very late into the night, I put in a bid and went to bed. Well, I didn't fully read the ebay posting and after I won I saw in very small text that the laptop didn't power on. Like I said, my fault. But I emailed the seller who claimed to be a computer technician to ask for advice on how to get it fixed. Her response was that she had no idea. But she states she was a computer tech! Anyway, I didn't want to get a bad rating, or get accused of bidding and not paying so I made payment (<$300) and got a dead laptop. It worked out in the end because I peiced out the parts and at least made my money back. Then went ahead and ordered from Dell.

 

[Diabolicdesire]

I did and I got screwed. The computer worked fine for the 30 days the guy warrantied it, and then the thing started turning off on its own randomly! Had to buy a new battery, but that didn't solve the problem. A computer store tried to fix it, and I paid another $95 for what they did, but it still has some issues. I think I paid $200 on ebay plsu $40 shipping. I wish I had saved a little more and just gotten a new one!

I had the same experience with the one I bought from EBAY. Finally broke down and bought a new one. Luckily I got a deal at Circuit city for a new Acer with a centrino M processor. It was 549.00 with a 150.00 mail in rebate. I checked CC and they do not have any deals right now even close.

 

[cnids00]

There are good and bad stories about Ebay, this one is a good story. My DH sold his laptop (Dell) on Ebay with accessories and laptop bag in leather. It was hardly used at all and it was bought a little over a year before he wanted to sell it, actually it hurt a tad as it was my Christmas gift to him, but he hardly ever used it (we have enough PC's in the house, he's a geek). It was a good deal for whoever bought it, not brand new but hardly ever used

 

[cnids00]

I forgot, if wanting to buy one, check feedback on sellers, that for one will tell you if it's a serious seller, also how many transactions he/she has had in the past, that was a tip from DH when I was looking for something one time.

 

[pbharris4]

My DH used to work for a computer maint. (from small desktop, laptop to government and big corp. "jukebox-type" computers) and the company used to buy off ebay all the time for laptops for their field techs. I thought it was risky, but he said you have to know what to ask and only buy if it's repairable or warranted. They would buy refurbished parts all the time as well as long as the warranty for good. (Kind of like the refurb. Ipods everyone's buying).

 

[sbpuckett]

My DH bought me one last year for Christmas from ebay. He paid about $350 and it's OK I suppose. Just know what you want and follow the advice above. Also, I would look for a seller who offers a return option. We have a lot of problems from this one with pop ups and crap and I think it's something on the hard drive. Whatever you choose to do, good luck!

 

[Misty89]

Well- Dh & I made the decsion to try ebay. We bought one. A dell latitude ( used) DH is pretty informed on laptops ( he just bought a new dell 2mths ago after a few months of research.) final bid was $180.00 -

thanks for the replys.

 

[LoriNSC]

I bought my DH a Dell laptop off Ebay about 5 yrs. ago. I paid about $450 for a super nice Dell from the Dell Store. They used to sell refurbished ones on Ebay w/ a warranty. The keys kept sticking after about 6 months & they sent a Tech. to our house & replaced the mother board. It was the best laptop we ever owned. We've since upgraded to a Sony Vaio & sold his Dell to a friend. We still miss the Dell.
But, now days-I would be leary of buying one on Ebay. Unless some company like Dell still sells on there.

 

[hsmamato2]

I did...the seller had a good rep. and feedback, the model I got was very basic, I needed it for one program for studying.... turns out it's ok, but it has a sticky space bar,so my typing is slowed a bit....but I paid about $220 for it(it's a compaq) but to ship it back,and then reship,...it wasn't worth the hassle and trouble,and extra $$$ so I just kept it,and it works fine for what i need.... I actually haven't left feedback b/c it has the sticky key,and it's not 'excellent' with that issue...but on the other hand, it saved me a good deal of money, I'm trying to buy for what I need, vs what I want right now...if I didn't already have my lil' old mac that I love so much for everything else, I would've gotten a newer, better laptop.
Try to go new unless you have very basic needs,like I did. I'm not thrilled, but satisfied...($$$ok what i really want is a new apple I-book with dual processer.. $$$)

 

[ronmama5]

dell sells previously leased, refurbished laptops on its website. go to the outlet and at the bottom of the laptop page there is a link to previously leased merchandise, just bought one for dd15