I was looking to buy a gen 2 pencil for my I pad pro and went into the Mac centre Norwood to see if…read morethey had any in stock. There were two staff working one of which had a laptop running through an update with the client, and was mostly messing about with a screen saver on an iPhone. I had waited 15 minutes and tried to ask if they had any pencils, and was shut down and told that he was busy and should wait my turn. Really disappointed if he had just said yes we have some in stock but I needed to wait that would have been fine, but to be shut me down before I could ask was disappointing and rude. I eventually left and ended up buying from Officeworks. Will never go back to that shop again.

Generally there are two kinds of people: PC people, and Mac people. Both are as stubborn as the…read moreother, and both thinks their kind is superior. I've long been a PC person, and my experiences with operating a Mac frustrated the shit out of me. But for a long time I'd been hearing of Mac's stellar customer support, and I needed to see it to believe it. The customer service provided by the people at the Mac Centre alone has swayed me in the direction of Apple products. I'm sure anyone with a PC that has been prompted to send an error report to Microsoft has long given up on any prospect of getting decent solutions. Mac, on the other hand, really cares about their customers (despite screwing them over with yearly releases of updated products and OSs); and this becomes even more evident when you're receiving help face-to-face. My girlfriend was having issues updating her iPod and failed to find any solution online. We decided to head into the Mac Centre, and shortly after explaining the problem to the people behind the desk, they told her to leave the iPod with them and return in 15 minutes. When we returned to the store, the problem had been solved and the iPod was as good as new. They didn't request any sort of payment, and were extremely polite and helpful. This is the kind of customer support that other electronics companies should be taking lessons from!

Wondering what to get your Dad, Father In-Law or Brother as a gift? I suggest heading to Jaycar at…read moreGepps Cross and losing yourself in the plethora of stupid options on offer! Basically they are an electronics store with some really cool stuff, but I personally like their range of weird/gadgety 'toys'. Everything from usb Sponge Missile Launchers to minature R/C helicopters, not to mention the remote controlled Horse Racing set (gave that to my Girlfriends Dad for his last Birthday). I often spend a good 30 minutes in there with each vist, and usually end up leaving thinking that I need some form of optic fibre camera or a night scope (for my spy work).

Went in today after encountering problems installing a new cpu. The young man I spoke to was…read moreincredibly helpful and generous with his time and knowledge, he ended up giving me a couple of parts for my motherboard which were missing, which completely solved my problem. Outstanding service, and very highly recommended by a very grateful customer.

I ordered a new PC case, which arrived as expected, but turned out to have a manufacturing defect…read moreand thus was DOA. I emailed their support pictures of it, and followed up twice more in the coming days but never heard back. Eventually I had to call them, and they said that they could not just replace the part that was damaged - which was considered a spare part - but that I would have to return the whole thing, and it would take two to four weeks to be assessed and replaced. I told them this was not not be suitable, so instead would like a refund, but was then told that they could not guarantee a refund. Having looked into it, I found I was within my rights to receive a refund, so called them back and arranged the return. At first even though it was an online order, they wanted me to drive (3 hours) to the nearest store to return it, but I made it clear I was not going to do that, and they seemingly begrudgingly agreed to generate a return label. Whilst I was thanking them for their help, they were monotone and unenthused the entire time. They also said that they can put a request in for the refund, but it may still take a number of weeks. This also does not align with Australian Consumer Law. I won't be buying from MSY / Umart again, and would encourage others to note how poor their online reviews are now. I didn't check, as I know previously they were a good company, but I did not notice Umart had acquired them.

I like to go into Harvey Norman occasionally to remind myself why I shop online…read more They have a decent range and the occasional helpful staff member, but getting a decent price requires the annoying dance where you ask how much something is and then ask again how much they can do for cash. After that point they will try and sell you over priced accessories (like a $49 HDMI cable or $100 power-board) and an extended warranty that you don't want.

I think I have been a little spoilt by other Harvey Norman experiences…read more The service is average and very hard to come by, understandably because they don't have enough staff on the floor on the weekend. But when you do get someone to help you, they are knowledgeable, not too pushy and have a wealth of information (even if sometimes they just read off the box and tell you what it means). The range is limited but it certainly is a lot better than many of the other appliance and tech stores in the CBD and compared to the competition. But if I'm not in a rush I would probably head down to one of their superstores for a better range. So yes overall I am a bit meh'd here but it certainly wouldn't stop me going here first if I had to shop for appliances or tech things in the city. I also love Harvey Norman's return policy. If you don't want it, bring it in and they'll return it quickly and easily for you.

Jaycar electronics is the store I go to whenever I'm looking for things that you might not normally…read morefind in mainstream stores like JB Hi-fi or Dicksmiths. Looking for a fold-able piano keyboard that plugs into your computer via USB? Jaycar electronics just might have it. That said though, they don't just sell cool electronics and tech that you wouldn't normally find anywhere else, they are also a a very well equipped electronics store that sells everything from cabling to circuits. For the hardcore DIY electronics person, Jaycar electronics is another option you should consider if you want to buy circuit boards, batteries and LED's (did I mention as well that they sell USB fold-able piano's?). The staff there know their stuff and are very helpful if there is something specific that you need. Don't expect to find iPads, Xbox 360's or the latest Twilight DVD in this store though. They are more focused on supplying electrical components and parts and their own take on consumer electronics. Still, I'll always walk into the store whenever I happen to be passing by just to see what new stuff they might be stocking on their shelves. That is one of the main appeals of this store to me, so if you're ever in chinatown and are looking for a USB fold-able piano (ok, I know this is third time I'm mentioning it, and they probably don't stock it any more), feel free to stop by their store and have a look around. Go crazy.

Are you in the need for some stereo wire, LED lights, batteries or a power convertor? You will find…read morethis and many other electrical components/gadgets at this store. Jaycar has been my one stop shop for many years for all of my PA leads, TV cables, batteries and cords. They have a massive range and the staff are always so lovely and knowledgeable. If you have a dilemma with cabling or parts for your appliances, be sure to speak to them. They have helped me devise different ways to connect different appliances to my TV and stereo. Champions! Jaycar is not all about cables though, they also stock remote helicopters, PA's, stereos, lighting, party equipment (smoke machines). As I said, a one stop shop for electrical and good prices. So, a great place to shop if you are after a gadget style gift. In fact, I did buy one of the most useful household items that I think everyone should own from Jaycar. It is a 6-in-1 battery/power station. Now, this baby has saved my lil' toosh at many events I have run. It has different inputs for electrical devices (USB & AC/DC) and is great when you have no access to power for smaller electrical needs (12V). It has a LED display that indicates how much power you have remaining and is easy to charge. It is designed for campers, so it is a great thing to have in the car if you are planning a big trip to the outback as it also comes with jumper leads for your car!

PAID EXTRA for delivery and installation and delivery men refused to bring the fridge inside as it…read morewas 1cm wider than the one they took away. told them they had to bring it inside and they have left mud on my carpet and then refused to put it in the spot because our doorway did not have enough allowance to push it through so left it for us to figure out - daughter came over and she and my husband took 3 minutes to push it through the doorway and position it where we wanted it. The delivery people were too lazy to do it and I paid for them to just leave it where they wanted - not happy!

The slogan should really be, "pay cash and we *kinda slash the prices (or at least to the same…read morevalue as what you find at Appliances Online)." Retail will never be dead, especially when there are people like my partner and I who look at all the reviews online, found the product and the price we wanted to pay and then still have to go in store for the final touch and feel. Good Guys guarantee best price and price match up to 30 days after purchase. They don't do free delivery and they only offer 12 months interest free but the product range for white goods is top of the range. Don't be in a rush when shopping here on the weekends. If an attendant comes up to you and you're not ready to buy I would still recommend latching onto them and making small talk like, "that washing machine sure is white" and "it weighs 20kg you say?" until you make a decision because you won't find another one for a good 15 to 20 minutes. Despite the painfully long waits, and the fact you have to stand in your department to wait, or someone else will jump in line, the staff are very knowledgeable, helpful and straight up about quality and value for money. Don't try asking the fridge guy about televisions though, he'll tell you he doesn't know about that "new-age" stuff. It'd be great if they had a ticket system like at the butcher shop so you could continue to browse and end up buying more stuff while you wait. But I guess they have their reasons for encouraging you to mill around like a lost sheep until someone serves you... Every appliance or white good we have bought from here in the past comes in a box/is pre-packaged and it certainly hasn't fallen off the back of a truck. So get down there and haggle! No, hang on, just pay cash and they'll give you about $20-50 off.