WWYD about this laptop?

[Sparklfairy]

I ordered a new laptop as mine is on it's last legs. I know my specs and waited for the right black friday deal, and got a bargain.

It arrived and I was shocked at how it has been packed. The box was far too big and you could hear it moving around inside. We all know what couriers can be like, and the conveyor belts dropping parcels from heights, so I wasn't happy.

I wrote to them and said the above, and that it was still sealed and I was worried it would be damaged so wanted to send it back. They came back to me and said they could do that, or I could open it, use it for a month, and if it became faulty in that time (or I changed my mind) they would refund it.

I have now opened it. Essentially it was a box within a box, with a thin layer of bubble wrap placed on top and underneath (but not wrapping it iyswim, just laid on top!), and a four inch gap all the way around. Nothing else. The box with the laptop in itself was a little more secure, and the laptop had polystyrene fitted over just the corners, but it's still travelled a huge distance being bounced around. It 'works', but there is absolutely nothing to say that some component hasn't had a knock and it's a ticking time bomb before it dies. I won't be using it a lot until the old one really dies, I just wanted to get in on a good BF deal, so the month will be up once a problem shows itself.

So my options are:

1. Send it back, and try and get one elsewhere which looking around will be about £200-£300 more for what I want.

2. Keep it, and risk that there's some hidden damage that shows itself after a month. Outside looks fine but that means nothing.

3. Some other suggesting from a helpful MNer that I haven't thought of.

It came direct from the manufacturer, so not some dodgy ebay seller or anything.

WWYD?

What would I do? Personally I wouldn't have thought there's anything wrong with the packaging and would just use it without fear of it being a 'ticking time bomb". There is also consideration to shipping due to the battery.

But even if you bought it in a shop you would have the same “issue”.

I wouldn’t have given this the headspace, to be honest. There is nothing to say it’s damaged at all.

even if you got it from the shop you don't know how much its been bounced around before making it to the shelf..
I wouldn't even think to worry about this to be honest.

I get your point. It's just I've ordered a number of laptops online and this is the first one that had significant movement in the box and when you're paying £700+ for something, you don't really want it to die in 6 months.

I also used to work for a company that sent delicate products (not electronics, think glass) all over the world and the first rule of packing was actually wrap it if using bubble wrap and don't have any space in the box for the contents to rattle around inside!

Why do you say “works”? It either works or it doesn’t.

@MissBaskinIfYoureNasty

even if you got it from the shop you don't know how much its been bounced around before making it to the shelf.. I wouldn't even think to worry about this to be honest.

What I'm saying is, the box the laptop came in was well packed. That's what they would have received to the shipping depot. Then they put it inside another box which was far too big, meaning it was sliding and banging around in transit to me. If they'd just stuck a label on the first box then I wouldn't have minded at all.

I think you are worrying over much. If it works out the box, there is nothing locked loose to be a “ticking time bomb”.

Okok I'm worrying too much

"sliding and banging around in transit to me"

Do you think Lewis Hamilton was the delivery driver, or something

If it has come direct from manufacturer, does it have a warranty or any cover? It would imagine if it went wrong after the six months you might have some sort of comeback.

Your choices are, as you have mentioned in your OP, 1 or 2.

If it seems to be working and there are no visual signings of damage, then I really think you’re being a bit paranoid about it being a “ticking time bomb”. Laptops are pretty sturdy.

However, the official Black Friday isn’t until the 27th November, so I’m sure there will be plenty of new deals then, if you want to send it back and repurchase.

@PaperTowels

"sliding and banging around in transit to me"

Do you think Lewis Hamilton was the delivery driver, or something

Why does no one get it I only had to pick up the box and it was sliding around haha. Let alone those conveyor belts that drop parcels from one level to the next in the courier depots and then being loaded from pallet into van. I was just surprised is all, as I said I'd have just stuck a label on the original box rather than put it in a big one!

Why don't you just use it and keep the old one as a spare. Then you will have used it properly for q month and that solves that issue.

Keeping the one that on its last legs will expose you to potential security issues and they just get really slow. Use the new one.

use it heavily for 3 months. If it doesn't fail in first 3 months then it's bumpy journey to reach you obviously didn't cause harm.

if it does fail, send it back for replacement under warranty.

Perhaps no one 'gets it' because they don't agree it's a substantive risk. Look at the language you've used 'ticking time bomb'. Use it and if it doesn't stop working, stop worrying and try to learn from this in the future.

Good luck.

As an aside why do people say "think x" when they could just say "x" . If you used to pack glass just say so. I once received lampshades that were completely destroyed from rattling around in the box so I can understand your concerns though.

You sound paranoid.

If you know your tech, run diagnostics etc and test the components.

If it was securely packed in the manufacturer box, it will be fine. There’s no guarantee that the next retailer would pack it better, or that it would be handled more carefully by the conveyer belts or dodgy couriers (). It’s a risk with online shopping, but the risk is minute.

Thanks, there's been some good solutions. I'm a bit paranoid yeah, laptops have gone up in price as there have been some supply chain issues due to CV and of course more people are WFH and need to upgrade their kit. It's an expense I could do without right now, and my brother got the exact same spec (but different brand the 2019 processor) and paid around £550. His one with the new gen processor but all other spec the same is £1000 now. So yeah, heart in mouth moment a bit when I worried about it not lasting long! But advice taken I'm being paranoid

Brother got it last year I mean

Correct me if I'm wrong - the box the actual laptop was in was packed fine, I'm assuming polystyrene, etc? The transit box was not packed as well as you expected it to have been? IMO, as long as the laptop was secure in the original branded packaging, then it should be fine.

The manufacturer would know how to pack their own products surely? They haven’t had a significant amount of returns of damaged items with this packing method, or else they would have changed it.

The big box is probably just to hide/disguise what you bought from thieves. The padding inside the exterior box is largely irrelevant as the laptop was secure it it’s retail packaging.

I highly recommend either asking for an exchange, or just using it as your main device now.

If it works then I don't see the issue

I thought all electrical items came with a 12 month warranty as standard??

It’s only within the first 30 days that you can request a refund. After that you can get a repair/replacement. After 6 months the onus is on you to prove the product was defective at purchase, but this isn’t an issue if the item is covered by a warranty.