In case you don’t know them yet, PCComponentes is a computer store that I openly admit to being a follower of. I have recommended some products from this store to more than one of you when you ask me a question either by email or on Twitter.
PCComponentes managed to become one of my favorite stores mainly because of its magnificent website, perfectly adapted for mobile, wide range of products, competitive prices, and good customer service.
However, recently, there has been a growing range of products from Chinese brands in its catalog. Thus, we can find mobile phones with spectacular and eye-catching specifications at seemingly unbeatable prices.
Logically, one would expect this type of product, despite being of a Chinese brand, to have better quality than what we can buy, for example on eBay, given that they have the backing and solvency of a trusted company. But… is it really like that? Are they really advisable bargains or not?
In this article, I am going to give my personal opinion, for which I will tell some experiences that I have had myself, known, or recommended, in recent months. With this, it’s best that you decide for yourselves.
Product quality
As we were saying, what quality can we expect from these products? A few months ago, a friend who is an entrepreneur told me that he needed a USB extension cable to connect a hard drive. He asked me if he could buy one at the (Chinese) store near his house.
Knowing that hard drives require good quality cables, I discouraged him from buying that cable and recommended buying one at PCComponentes, assuming good quality. When the cable arrived, I was surprised to find that the cable was of similar or even inferior quality to the one I had advised him not to buy.
Imagine my embarrassment for making him buy a cable, of the same or lower quality as one from a Chinese store, paying shipping costs, for a cable that of course didn’t work. Curiously, the cable from the Chinese store across the street from his house did work, as it was infinitely better shielded and had much better quality materials.
Home delivery
Something that PCComponentes has always excelled at and has been one of the causes of its success is a great home delivery service. But logically, no delivery can be faster than buying something at the Chinese store near your house or at a local store (for example, specializing in the sale of cheap mobile phone brands).
As an example, not long ago, I had to go on a business trip (lately I don’t stop!). The law of Murphy or fortune, which is really capricious, decided that my laptop broke. Since I was going to be away from home for two weeks, I quickly bought another one, choosing (and paying for) the 24-hour delivery.
But… is the delivery really 24 hours? In reality, hiring the 24h delivery only guarantees the delivery, but doesn’t include a period of 24 to 48 hours for the warehouse to dispatch. Result? Three days of delivery, despite having contracted 24-hour delivery, and me two weeks in France giving presentations without PowerPoint (I used my imagination and we got through).
On another occasion, a few weeks ago, the transport company simply didn’t show up. They called me, and we agreed on a delivery two days later. Four days for a 48-hour delivery, and two days leaving work at noon to be able to pick up the package (and make up the hours in the afternoon, of course). Without any apology, without any consequences. Without responsibility.
This does not mean that the delivery service is bad. It remains one of the best available in online stores. But as we said, no delivery can ever guarantee the speed of a local physical store near your house.
Warranty
At least, you might think, the warranty purchased at a Spanish store will have a good warranty, better than what a Chinese manufacturer, eBay, or the store across the street from your house can offer… Well, it’s a tale of the latest experience. In July, I gave my girlfriend a phone. A gift for no reason, not a birthday or anniversary or anything. Because those are the most beautiful gifts. (I’m so romantic).
I decide to buy a phone and, after looking at all the available phones, I find a Thl 5s, unbeatable in quality and price. I said to myself, “let’s see how these Chinese brands are”. Upon arrival, the quality was disappointing, worse than I expected even though it was a cheap phone. But the materials were like toys.
Three months later, both the front and rear cameras stopped working (what quality, right? wasting money) When entering the camera app, the phone slows down and after a while, the message “Force close” appears. Out of every 20 times you enter, one will show an image, but it still ends up crashing.
The symptoms pointed to a software failure, so I reset to factory settings, with no effect. Just about to flash the phone, my girlfriend reminds me that it’s under warranty, and before proceeding (I’m 99% sure that it will be fixed without problems), she convinces me to send it. And so, my odyssey begins.
A few weeks later (I was traveling again and couldn’t send it earlier) after convincing me very reluctantly, my girlfriend gives me her phone to send it. Murphy wanted that as she gave it to me, it fell on the table. I assure you, a 10 cm drop… and it got a crack in the corner. Imagine the quality of the materials… very good indeed! My Galaxy S4 has endured falls from a meter and it’s still there, without a scratch.
My girlfriend gets super sad… “Now they won’t fix it,” she said. And I, who am sometimes naively close to being silly, said to her, “don’t worry, it’s PCComponentes, they are trustworthy… the phone may be Chinese, but the store is good.” I process the claim and clearly explain everything in the form, that I think it’s a software issue (and I won’t even charge them for the diagnosis, I’m generous like that), that I’ve restarted it, and that it has a crack in the corner several weeks after the problem appeared.
They send a courier to pick up the phone for free. It’s Murphy again (so much Murphy lately at PCComponentes) but the courier also doesn’t come on the day he’s supposed to come. So, again four days for something that was supposed to be 24 hours, and another two days leaving work early (and making up the hours later, of course).
A week later (it’s been two weeks), they inform me that they are sending it to the manufacturer. In other words, disappointment, Chinese brand quality, Chinese warranty. A month later, they inform me (pay attention) that the manufacturer says that they can’t fix the camera without fixing the crack in the corner… (what does a pig have to do with speed, I say!). The cost is 70 euros, almost more than the cost of the phone!
In summary, if you think that by buying a Chinese brand at a Spanish store you will receive quality service, it may not be that way… The warranty will be from the manufacturer, the repair period will be several months, and they will try to charge you for the cost of the phone. In short, say goodbye to the warranty in practical terms.
Conclusion
PCComponentes continues to be a solvent and totally respectable store. Don’t let a few bad experiences make you lose trust in a store. However, in my opinion, a decrease in the quality of service is becoming noticeable.
This is especially noticeable with the proliferation of products from Chinese brands. My personal advice is to stay away from Chinese brands like a cat from water. Believe me, it’s not worth buying cheap. Also, if you choose this type of product, there are other options, such as eBay or the Chinese store in front of your house.
Personally, I think PCComponentes is starting to have little to do with me. Too much “Murphy” in all the recent orders, and too many times they have embarrassed me with a recommendation (or worse, a customer).
In fact, I’m not the only one. Some opinions and entries from people who are starting to be disappointed with this change are beginning to appear.
If any of you know a reliable online store to replace it and would like to share it with us, you can leave us a comment. And if you want to tell us about your experiences with this or other stores, or with products from Chinese brands, we will also be happy to hear from you.