Had my PC Built by a Local Store, Not Essential Parts Missing on Return

Shpox on 26/01/2022 - 20:40

So basically I purchased some parts through Shopping Express at the start of the year. Once they all arrived I wasn't confident enough doing the build completely by myself as it had been a few years, so I reached out to a well-reviewed local store to do the build for me.

I asked the builder to keep all the boxes incase I need to do an RMA on anything.

I get everything back and find he's not done an amazing job.
The motherboard mounting screws were all random types, so not the mounting screws included with the PC Case. I had to fit these and take apart elements of the build like the GPU to do it correctly. I found the PSU mounting bracket was installed backwards too.

I then found that the non-LGA1700 mounting kits, thermal paste and screwdriver that came with the Noctua box weren't there.

I had to RMA the PSU on the build as it was making a strange noise (not sure if related to his work) but on repacking the PSU box I noticed the included bag for cables was also missing.

I'm just wanting to sanity check myself but basically non-essential parts were returned to me as part of the build. I reached out to him to give me these parts back but he claimed he thought he'd given them back, couldn't find them and that they weren't required for my socket.

So all in all, he did an average job and pinched a few things that I didn't exactly need, but weren't his to take. Unfortunately I'd paid him before I had a chance to review everything. Is this common practice in the tech industry? There's not a lot I can do other than request he give them back, move on and leave him a bad review.

Computing Computer Desktop Computer

Comments

    • raptormesh on 27/01/2022 - 00:20
      +3

      The excess parts were not the builder's. I have done up a few rigs for friends and it's not really hard to bag and tag them properly to make sure everything is there. That builder just did a subpar job.

    • payton on 27/01/2022 - 11:56

      the source of your mismatched screws.

      How hard is it to use the screws already provided with the case instead of scrounging through their "spares bin".

      PC builder who likely has excess of them.

      So why is the store hoarding OP's pc parts?

  • AndyC1 on 26/01/2022 - 20:51
    +2

    Most computer places do not assemble a PC to the same quality you expect. Learn from this and next time do it yourself.

    Move on and leave a bad review.

  • garetz on 26/01/2022 - 21:06
    +5

    Most places have the absolute idiots build the computers who are mostly clueless. Unless you are paying thousands and thousands for the absolute beast prebuilt computers that they provide then you are going to get the dregs build your pc.

    You are 99.9% better off building the computer yourself than providing parts and having someone else build it for you. At least you will take care to do it the correct way.

    Back in the day building it yourself you could short many many things, today its close to idiot proof but their idiots will find a way to screw it up somehow.

  • mskeggs on 26/01/2022 - 22:29
    -3

    It all seems pretty minor.

  • Rukiata on 27/01/2022 - 08:02

    give bad review.
    build it yourself i was in the same boat and i swapped my pc case, and now i feel like I could of just built it myself, it seems easy sorta lol

  • skid on 27/01/2022 - 08:11
    +1

    Seems to be common practice because it happened to me too. I was there at the time and asked for the parts back. The tech replied "Why do you want it back?" I said "because, it's mine".

  • payton on 27/01/2022 - 11:54

    Name and shame

    • The motherboard mounting screws were all random types, so not the mounting screws included with the PC Case
    • non-LGA1700 mounting kits, thermal paste and screwdriver that came with the Noctua box weren't there.
    • bag for cables was also missing
    • pinched a few things that I didn't exactly need, but weren't his to take

    Leave a bad review, not acceptable to pay someone to build who then took stuff that weren't theirs - and not like they need them either given its a PC store who likely have an excess of it.

  • whitepuma on 27/01/2022 - 12:20
    +2

    unfortunately not all PC builders are the same. when 1 builder is offering to build a PC for $100, and another for $500…..expect a difference in quality. I build my own, i build for friends and family, and i charge overprice for the general public. But i do a couple of extra things, such as proper cable management (suprizingly this goes missed by alot of cheaper builders), i do numerous benchmark tests with a little 1 pager on it's score and how that compares to other PC's (sort of like proof that it matches up performance wise to the parts within it). I also provide all boxes and extra bits and bobs back to the customer, not so much as a best practice thing but more because i hate throwing it away and hate keeping boxes in my possession that are doing nothing….if the customer then chooses to throw it away that's on them

    When searching for a PC builder, here are my recommendations:
    - If you want the boxes and other little bits and bobs that come with the build, ask them that question before you get them to build it (good builders should supply it regardless, but it doesn't hurt to ask).
    - Go for someone with good reviews, if they are recommended by a friend that's even better
    - Go for someone that provides warranty, specifically separate warranty to the manufacturers part warranty
    - and in most instances, try and get the company that you buy the parts from to be the company building it….even if it costs a bit more. This is important because if there is a problem, they can't go play the blame game. Numerous times i have seen builders blame the parts for the problem, then the manufacturer blames the builder….end result is that you the customer are stuck with a broken PC and no more warranty. Getting the seller of the parfts to handle the whole thing prevents this.

    As for your specific situation, IF they are a proper builder with ABN and warranty, complain/request it to be fixed, and escalate with ACCC if need be.
    If they were just some guy you found on FB marketplace, and accordingly don't have an ABN or anything….you can ask them to fix it, but if they choose not to there is nothing you can do except for learn for next time.

    Sorry, hope your situation improves.

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