Prices at Scan

[Joske]

As i am currently pricing up components for new build PC I have been watching the prices of various items at Scan Computers but expecting the prices to be slowly going down they are creeping up.

Therefore when is the best time to buy computer components. Or do prices no longer fluctuate depending on the time of year.

Thanks in advance.

[ChinesePate]

The best time to buy anything is usually a week or two after you bought it.

[Saracen]

Prices vary according to all sorts of factors, not least, exchange rates. And, generally, are VERY difficult to predict. Sometimes there's trends, and often the best time to buy product X is after the newer, supposedly better, model has been announced/released, but before stocks of the superseded one goes out of stock.

All in all, general price trends make a pretty small difference to system prices, and trying to cherry-pick can be an exercise in frustration.

My advice? Decide what you want, spec it up, check prices and if you can afford it, buy it. If not, refine your spec to suit your budget.

Otherwise, whatever you buy, and whenever you buy it, you could have got it cheaper for a bit less, or could have got better for the same budget, a few months later. And a few months later, that'll still be the case.

[pastymuncher]

Prices are going up at most places at the moment. The retail 4690k is a ridiculous £190 at most retailers. The biggest problem I have with Scan is the extortionate delivery charge of £12.99 which is the main reason I don't use them anymore. Before anybody mentions free delivery, I lost that when all three retailers who offered it to forum members switched to DPD. Can't even get next day delivery anymore!!

[KeyboardDemon]

Prices are going up at most places at the moment. The retail 4690k is a ridiculous £190 at most retailers. The biggest problem I have with Scan is the extortionate delivery charge of £12.99 which is the main reason I don't use them anymore. Before anybody mentions free delivery, I lost that when all three retailers who offered it to forum members switched to DPD. Can't even get next day delivery anymore!!

As I understand it, the issue that you are having with delivery is down to logistics with DPD so it's not really directly to do with one particular e-store/e-tailer or another, is it not possible to get your items delivered to a drop off point that you could go to and collect from, such as those offered by Amazon at certain supermarket stores or delivery points in Argos stores etc...?

The best time to buy anything is usually a week or two after you bought it.

So funny and all so true. lol

[WellofSouls]

As others have said, there's really no point in waiting it out. You won't see prices dramatically drop, even when newer versions of components are released. Same also goes for what you're buying, stick to a plan and don't just think "XXX is only so much more" or your budget will quickly spiral

[Joske]

Thanks for all your replies. The reason I ask is because I have seen prices of certain hardware increase by £10-£15 over the last 2 months, expecting that the price would drop as opposed to creep up. Well I plan to purchase all my hardware at the end of March just after the release of GTA V. Besides the usual suspects Scan, Ebuyer, Overclockers are there any other retailers you would recommend?

[shaithis]

A lot of retailers prices are linked to various other currencies as a lot of stock is made in Asia, travels in bulk to USA and then to us. Fluctuations in exchange rates can mean today's shipment can cost less than next months identical shipment.

Got to say though, some prices on Scan have gone up more than I would have expected, the one I have noticed the most is the Corsair RAM. It used to be the case that the Corsair RAM from scan was within a few quid of the cheapest RAM you could find elsewhere.....now you can buy faster branded RAM elsewhere for noticeably less.
Whether that's the case across-the-board I don't know, I have been ordering less and less from them over the last couple of years due to a major drop in their CS.....stupid of them as well when you look back through orders and see just how many thousands I have spent there and they still treated me like crap. So be warned, they aren't the "go the extra mile" shop they used to be.

[OneIT]

Yeah we have the same issue.

Due to the exchange rate changing parts are going up in price a little. Its not a huge margin though and it's not a trend towards massive increases.

[Joske]

A lot of retailers prices are linked to various other currencies as a lot of stock is made in Asia, travels in bulk to USA and then to us. Fluctuations in exchange rates can mean today's shipment can cost less than next months identical shipment.

Got to say though, some prices on Scan have gone up more than I would have expected, the one I have noticed the most is the Corsair RAM. It used to be the case that the Corsair RAM from scan was within a few quid of the cheapest RAM you could find elsewhere.....now you can buy faster branded RAM elsewhere for noticeably less.
Whether that's the case across-the-board I don't know, I have been ordering less and less from them over the last couple of years due to a major drop in their CS.....stupid of them as well when you look back through orders and see just how many thousands I have spent there and they still treated me like crap. So be warned, they aren't the "go the extra mile" shop they used to be.

Yeah that makes perfect sense. I didn't even think about that. I know what you mean with the crap CS. Been there once before.

[JoeOfJoedonia]

I find https://uk.pcpartpicker.com very useful for price comparisons of components across different retailers.
It also easily allows you to share your proposed build with others.