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This section and the next (Ankit Hustle) may help, if you are buying components from S.P Road in Bangalore. You can skip these two sections otherwise.
By the end of December I started checking availability and prices of components both online and locally. I sent emails to dealers in Bangalore most of them are located at S.P road. At one point I was also considering buying some stuff online from TE, but this is risky because any one component not working properly would mean a delay in the build. The platform being new and lot of people reporting problems would mean that I should be more careful. More over if I buy locally I can go to the shop and inspect each component at least visually before making the purchase.
I got quotes from four dealers
1. Ankit.
2. Anandit Infotech.
3. Karnataka computers.
4. Bangalore computers.
5. Golchha Computers.
Out of them Karnataka computers and Anandit Infotech gave reasonable quotes, tough they are high. Ankit is a ripoff, he quoted up to 10% high, on some components it was even higher. some of our fellow TE members also pointed this out in the "price quotes from S.P road" thread.
Bangalore computers gave good pricing for processor and motherboard, but for the rest it is on par with the others or higher. G.Skill RAM was not available with any dealer.
Golchha quoted some components at reasonable prices but some prices were very high. I recently bought (Oct' 09) a 9600GT and CM Real Power Pro 460W from this guy as he gave an OK quote at that time. Even when I bought these
components Ankit gave a 10% rip off quote on all the high end stuff. I ultimately bought them from Golchha. There is one thing with Golchha, you cannot bargain with him, his motto is buy for the qouted price or you can buy from any other shop, and he is arrogant, again inline with the S.P road price thread.
In the first week of January I talked with all the dealers over phone. I negotiated the prices as they are higher than normal. Karnatka and anandit said they can work out better prices when I go to make the purchase. Ankit said he can arrange for the G.Skill RipJaws RAM and reduced his prices to some extent. The guy from Karnataka computers said that he can arrange for the G.Skill RAM and all the components I wanted. But there is one problem, the motherboard I have finalized on GA-P55M-UD2, is not available with anybody. Every one promised availability on 8/10/2010 (The day before I wanted to build the rig). So I was hopeful that the board will be available on 9th. Meanwhile the guy from Ankit called me and said that he was ordering the RAM and I can come in a couple of days and collect it. He was sarcastic in all his conversations. Because he had the RAM ready, I thought I will negotiate on the rest of the components with him and buy every thing from him. I wanted to buy everything from the same dealer so that in case of some problem with the components it is easier to sort out the issue.
I also had a plan of buying the components from 2 or 3 dealers (based on best price and availability) as I am going to assemble the Rig anyway. But later, when I went to S.P Road, I learned that you cannot do that and I learned it
the hard way. Read on to know what happened in S.P road.
2(a) Ankit Hustle
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I built a new i5 based gaming rig and bought all the components from S.P road last saturday. I got quotes from following dealers in the first week of jan by mail before going there.
1. Karnataka Computers
2. Golchha
3. Ankit
4. Anandit
Ankit's qoute was a complete rip-off. He qouted upto 10% and sometimes even higher on all the stuff.
Golchha's Quote was ok for some components but on some it is again very high.
Karnataka computers and Anandit gave better overall quotes, tough prices are still high.
I talked with all of them on the phone and Karnataka computers and Anandit infotech guys said they can give better prices when i walk in.
My experience with Golcha is bad. I bought a 9600GT and CM Real power pro 460w from him before, at that time he was all sweet. I think if he feels that you are going to buy from him he is ok, otherwise he doesnot care. He was rude on the phone also. Some of his prices are good.
Ankit (talked with Dinesh) was not rude directly, but he was sarcastic. I negotiated a little bit on the phone, I had to clearly get the point across that I am completely aware of the current prices and after refering to qoutes by other dealers. He immediatly started to give better prices. But still they are not the best prices and there is still room for bargaining.
I was particular about getting the RAM in my signature. Ankit and Karnataka computers said that they can get it for me. In the middle of the week Dinesh called me and said that he has ordered the RAM and I can get it on saturday. So I thought I could negotiate with Ankit like some one suggested in this thread and get everything from him at proper prices. I also wanted to buy all the stuff from the same guy so that I can get good prices and support in case of problems. If I could not get best prices on every thing from the same Dealer I was also considering to buy stuff from different dealers at their best prices as I am going to self-assemble the rig anyway. Since Anandit guy was unaware of the RAM I wanted, my other option was Karnataka computers.
Finally I went to S.P road last saturday. Its is an i5 based rig. To my surprise IT Gain and Anandit said the Processor is out of stock. But Anandit guy said he can get the processor if i want it. So I thought I will give Ankit and Golcha a shot.
Went to Ankit and he was ready to sell the processor, and his latest quote was also higher then the other dealers qoutes. After heavy bargaining he came to OK prices.
Then I went to Golcha, as usual this guy showed his attitute. He was arrogant. His pricing was Ok, except for vx550 for which he quoted 6600 + tax. He also did not have the RAM I wanted and said that he cannot get it.
Then I went to karanataka computers, there again the processor was not available. I could not get GA-P55M-UD2 also at any shop.
Both Ankit and Glochha are very rude. Even the IT Gain guy was rude when I asked for individual components.
Finally I went back to Ankit almost decided to buy everything from him and told him I will buy everything from him if he gives a reduction on the overall price. By now Dinesh started behaving a lot different from before. He started saying don't get excited ... don't get excited. Probably he got my pulse and thought that he could take me for a ride. Then he asked another guy next to him to give the components to me. I gave the final qoute that Dinesh gave to him, he started entering the components in a different piece of paper. I was asking for reduction on components which I felt are still highly priced. He was saying that I will not get a better price. Finally while entering the GFX card price he started shouting at dinesh saying where can you get the card at this price and had some discussion with him. He quoted higher price on the HDD also, he stiked it off.
Then he qouted high for some other components to which I said I only need the processor, MoBo, Ram and some other stuff from him. Then he blatently said " Jaa, kush nahi dunga" --- " Go I will not sell you anyting". I felt very offended
and talked to Dinesh asking him how some one can talk to a customer like that. He said "arey kya karte ho" to the other guy and said he was getting the graphic card i wanted and asked me to wait. There is no apology or any such sign from either of them. They were busy with the other customers. I have decided that I will not buy from a guy who has no manners and minimun courtesy towards the customers. I walked out after saying the same to Dinesh and said that I will post about the incident on TE.If he cannot reduce the price he can deny to do so politely. He can say that this is the best they can give. I wouldn't mind paying nominal price for good customer service.
Then i went to Golcha thinking I can get half the stuff from him and the rest from Karnataka or Anandit infotech. But to my surprise he did not have the processor and said that in a rude manner. I tried in couple of other shops and got the same reply. Then I tried in Bangalore computers also and got the same reply. When asked he said that stock is not available and wont get fresh stock untill some time in February. I got a feeling that Ankit had some part to play in this and that all these dealers have a network. Another reason may be that they wanted to sell the i7-860 that every one is willing to send. When I told this guy that the same processor is available with Ankit then he called up some people and asked them if it is possible to arrange one for him.
Meanwhile I got a call from Anandit asking me what happened. I explained him the scenario and he said he would get it for me. He asked me to come to his shop. I went to his shop. He asked me if i want the rest of the components. When i said that if he can get me the RAM and graphic I am ready to buy everything from him. I also explained what happened in Ankit and told him all the components I wanted were avaiable with him. He said he would get all the stuff for me.
I lost all hope of getting core i5 on that day and was planning to buy from chennai or order online from TE dealers. But, he finally got everything for me. When asked how he got the processor and RAM. He said he got it from Ankit as there is no other option. May be ankit blocked the one processor that is available with them.
From all this I came to understand that these guys have the same distributors from whom they get the stuff and sell. Finally i got all the stuff I wanted from Anandit after spending some time selecting the graphic card.
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