Discount Electronics

EXPECT TO RETURN TO THE STORE SEVERAL TIMES. I’m on my second laptop, after returning the first one 3 times. They have already had to «fix» the second one and I’m not sure if it’s acceptable yet. It seems they do no testing or quality control until you bring it back with a problem. They admitted the problem with both machines is «known» for this model. I should not have needed to return the first one multiple times before they replaced it. I hope I don’t have to go back again.

I went back to discount electronics again looking for a part even though I had promised myself that I never would. I have to tell people this, their name is a complete oxymoron. First I needed a 1TB laptop hard drive. Their price was $ 89.00 for a «certified» hard dive, which basically means used. Now you can get that same drive at Best Buy new in the box for $ 65.00 including tax. so where is the discount? I was also looking at some used Dell laptops they had sitting out for $ 450.00. When I went home and plugged that model number and hardware configuration in I found the same thing on Ebay for $ 200.00. So again, where is the discount? Discount Electronics is a very successful local chain and e commerce site. It is very strange to me that you can put discount in your name like that, sell things for much more than other retailers do, and get people to buy into it just because your name implies you will get a deal.

Awesome customer service. Took my cpu up there for some upgrades and Josh was able to walk me through the various options in a friendly, professional demeanor. He also made some suggestions based on my computer needs that saved me some $$ compared to what I originally intended to purchase.
It is nice to have a place where you can have a computer made and pick up a drone in one stop.

No phones there but they have great deals on desk tops especially macs. It’s a smart place to buy accessories

Just ran in to get an emergency replacement laptop. I only needed the bare bones as it does one thing … controls a CNC Router. David helped me, understood I need it cheap and fast. He had a used (excellent condition) laptop for about $ 160 in my hands and out the door in 5 minutes! Every time I go to this shop I get great service and great prices. I’m so happy to live and work nearby.

I recently purchased a Dell XT3 laptop, and was guided through the various options by Shane. He offered a number of great explanations about various options, configured the drivers and activated Windows.
I also had an older Macbook and he was able to find the correct memory and batter to get that little fellow back in working order!
All in all a great experience!
A coup of days later I returned with a mouse issue and Matt helped find a display setting that corrected this issue. Kudos to Shane and Matt!

After having problems with the round rock locatin we came here for our third and final try. Everybody was so professional and knowable. They had to re-​do everything the other location had already done twice and it was all still under warranty so they covered all repairs (something the other location refused to do) and after a week or so the computer runs so much better! Thank you so much Matt for being such a wonderful and helpful manager!

Laptop was burgled, cops found laptop in thug’s house, got laptop back but laptop charger never recovered. Enter discount electronics! My cheery new friend Shane got us what we needed, made sure it worked, and cracked us up the whole time! So now I’m typing this up on my old laptop after two months of hearbreak. Thanks Shane! You da best!

Disclaimer: This review focuses on their computer repair services, not the entire store.
Pros about this location’s computer repair service:
They fixed my laptop within a few days and it runs well
Cons
The service techs do not listen to your needs. It is crucial that you ask them to read exactly what they type into the repair order.
Example: I dropped my laptop and took it in to this location and specifically stated that I wanted to know if the data could be retrieved from the damaged hard drive. I said this was more important than fixing the hard drive. The person typing the service order did not look as I talked, but instead just looked at his computer screen as he typed and repeatedly murmured «Uh huh» several times.
A few days goes by and I get a call from a tech from the company. The conversation went like this:
Tech: Hi, the repair guy looked at your laptop and said that it’s an easy fix and can replace the hard drive.
Me: Okay, great. What did he say about the data… can he retrieve any or all? I know there was almost 80G of data on it, so I wanted to make sure I got all or most of it back.
Tech: Oh, well there’s not a note on here about that, but I assume he would say something if he could not retrieve it.
Me: Can you check? I’d hate to approve the repairs otherwise
Tech: Okay…(several minutes go by as he checks) … Well, he’s not here but I am sure he would have written in the notes if he could not get the data.
Me: (hesitantly) Okay, then I guess go ahead and fix it.
A few days later, I get a phone message that went like this, «Hi. I am (name withheld). Your laptop is fixed and it runs great. Unfortunately, we could not retrieve any of the data. Sorry about that.»
Cost of getting a laptop repaired with nothing on it but Windows 7: $ 199.18. Thanks. :(
Lesson learned — never allow someone to make assumptions that will cost you money. I should have forced them to do some critical thinking and refused to approve the repairs until they had answers instead of assumptions.
Another con — I go to pick up my laptop… and they did not even bother to clean it off. I knew it was not clean when I dropped it off, but it was even dustier and dirtier when I picked it up. Also, there are «crunchy» noises when I type on the keyboard, like there is dirt underneath the keys. You would think that since they opened the laptop to replace the hard drive that they would vacuum it out and then clean the exterior just to make the customer happy.
Way to not go the extra mile, discount electronics.

Yes I know working in retail we all hope and pray that NO ONE will come in during the last ten minutes. I usually don’t and I try my hardest not to. With that being said I walk in at 8:50pm. One of the guys greets us while the other is hiding behind a screen. My husband and I knew exactly what we needed and we didn’t plan on browsing. He went to drop off his laptop for service and I needed a new battery for mine. So while the guy who greeted us helped my husband, I went to ask the other guy for help. He wasn’t pleasant and I could tell he was upset we had even walked in. He found a replacement for my battery and rang it up. I declined him recycling my old battery (only because he didn’t seem confident he had the right battery asking if my computer was dyslexic) so I kept it. I signed my receipt and thanked him. He didn’t respond so I responded «your welcome» for him.
I understand I was the jerk who walked in right before closing but we walked out at 8:57pm. He was locking the door before we even got in our car. I don’t know of any place that closes at 9pm and walks out at 9pm.
This was my first and last visit. I’ll pay extra for great customer service next time.

I have bought parts from Discount Electronics for many years. This is a Buyer Beware kind of store. More like a fancy flea market.
This past Saturday they advertised a refurbished Dell Laptop for $ 159. I got their email the night before. The ad implied that the machine came with Windows 7. I got up and drove the 45 miles to their store to be in line at 9:00 AM when they opened. There were 5 – 6 other folks there for the same buy. When the clerks started pulling out the systems they were loaded with Windows Vista. Every single one of us was upset at the way the ad implied but did not implicitly state the system had Windows 7 on it. Every one of us walked out.
I had the presence of mind to drive a few miles further to Altex Electronics. They had a similar laptop on sale that was also refurbished. It was a much newer system. It came with a one year warranty. I spent a few more dollars on the system at Altex but got a much better machine.
I will continue to shop at Discount for cables, used disk drives, etc. But will probably not be sucked into driving to Austin to Discount for a computer advertised that is likely to be a bait and switch.

Courteous… Knowledgeable or Knows Who On Duty There Is… and Very Customer-​Focused…
This is my «lifetime» experience doing business with this company — and especially the staff at the W. Anderson location.
I’ve been appreciative of the W. Anderson’s knowledgable staff and competitive prices many times, plus always enjoy browsing there for what’s unique and new they have in short-​term stock.
My family has also used them multiples of times for tech trouble-​shooting at a fair price. In one very unusual case, to help my son (who is blind) deal with a mean computer virus. In that case, they were having to also work with his system while it was running his «talking» screen reading and access software (JAWS) which only a terrifically patient «newbie» to such could even tolerate much less succeed in repairing hardware it is running in the background of… while disturbing other system factors not at all.
At that particular time was just about NO commercial repair entity available he could access in Austin he knew of… and he was working on an essential deadline completing something via computer he needed no interruption like this delaying. Discount Electronics saved the day by figuring out what the virus was, how to eliminate it, all the while with his system chattering away at his own usual rapid-​speed setting — without it distracting them from their task.
The company’s «return system» is a little unusual — so be aware of that. They do not really «credit» your account directly and they do alert you to that prior to purchase. But the few times we’ve needed to use their type of «return policy» I’ve kept up with the cash-​credit gift cards collected from past small returns. This week I cashed my small stash of those in on a universal recharge battery device. That same son now carries with him all the time in his computer case to recharge his iPhone on the run when ab electrical plug is nowhere to be found. (Example: on long CapMetro rides)
We’ve recently moved into the Manchaca S. Austin Discount Electronics territory and look forward to getting to know their staff the next time we have an «emergency» or a need.
Also, I’m seeing them carrying more Apple larger monitor/​screen options now as well, which is probably the next Discount Electronics purchase we’ll be market-​ready for soon.

Matt G. helped me out as soon as I walked to the laptop section. He was super knowledgeable and helped me find the least expensive laptop that would fulfill my needs. John checked me out at the register and was wonderful. I had a question about the data that I wanted to transfer to the laptop I bought and he called someone over who was able to answer my question on the spot. He even shook my hand after the purchase and reminded me to call or come back if I had any questions. I can’t say enough about how pleasant the experience was– I will definitely be back!

Awesome, on point service (and né’er a more competent candidate for No-​Shavember…). See The Omniscient Beard [Shane]. He gets to the crux of things quickly and explains them SIMPLY as he goes.

One of my issues was not resolved in a positive manner this evening. I bought an external hard drive two evenings ago that was aesthetically pleasing (white, nice, cute case). Two weeks ago, I also bought the same external drive [and liked it, so I wanted another]. The salesperson refunded my money and then sold me another hard drive for the same price. Guess what? I could have bought the one he sold me online for $ 8.49. See link for Airlink 101 AEN-​U25Sav2:
. There are multiple listings of this hard drive sold online near this same price point.
Multiple statements about the fact that I was «paying for the storage» were reiterated to me. No, for $ 45.00 and tax, I was paying for the cute case as well. Thank you for the clarification about «storage» though [NOT]. I feel ripped off and was certainly marginalized as I expressed my desire of an exchange of the white external hard drive. How dare I want an aesthetically pleasing case and want to purchase the same device again? As I needed my files backed up this evening, I finally bought the external drive that was clearly labeled $ 12.00 on the package. The salesperson initially offered to give me $ 12.00 off, and I said «refund my money» because I was irritated by the situation. He gave me my money back, and out of desperation for fear of not having another back-​up this evening for the data, I bought the hard drive just as the store was closing (and did not get the $ 12.00 off). At that point, I left. I was tired of being treated like an imbecile and for $ 48.00, I have some peace of mind. The files are safe :)
Discount Electronic has greatly disappointed me this time. A $ 48.00 plus purchase for a device that could have been sold to me for less. I have bought several computers here and was a loyal customer, and I will debate additional purchases in the future. My computer repair was free this evening as it was in the shop for three days, so this was a positive, but it does not negate this experience. In the past, I have appreciated the customer service skills of this salesperson and the additional salesperson who was also present. My previous reviews are 5 stars for Discount Electronics. Not this time.
Oh yeah. One more thing [and the larger issue], and this is a source of frustration. My Dell e6400 computer [that I bought there] has been in the repair shop two times in a two month period for overheating and shutting down [after it gets hot, it shuts down]. In fact, the computer shut down on the granite service counter at Discount Electronic this week. The technicians cannot find an issue with the computer and ran various stress tests on it this week as the issue cannot be «replicated». Now at home with the computer — it is extremely hot to the touch on the bottom, yet nothing is identified as being wrong with it. Perhaps no news is good news? Call me a discouraged customer.
Part II of this review that I am updating to two stars. I received a friendly customer service reply from another store after writing twice to Discount Electronics customer service about the overheating issue. I also investigated this overheating issue with Dell a little more [which I should have done in the first place]. Apparently, some of the e6400 models have a history of overheating/​thermal issues. It was suggested that I update a few things, including the BIOS, via the Dell website, which seems to initially alleviated the computer’s overheating issue. It was not all in my head :) Overall, bad customer service at the Crestview location this time around.

Limited Warrantee… Buyer Beware. I bought several lightening cords for my iphone 5. Some worked, some didn’t. Check them out before you leave the store. The ones that did work only worked for 8 months and then ceased to work. My loss. Discount Electronics only warrantees for 90 days. Now I have to buy again to get a cord that WILL work for more than 90 days. :(

First the pros: Great 3D paintings of Texas legends. It’s worth a trip just to see the art. The staff is attentive, friendly and TRIES to be helpful. They have some good values, but caveat emptor — there’s a lot of junk filler intermingled like the breadcrumbs in meatloaf.
Now the cons: They need to change their return policy! When a staff member assures a customer that the product is compatible, they need to stand behind their advice. I have had multiple experiences getting home with connectors, adapters, etc. which were not what I needed. For example, I purchased a DVI to HDMI adapter which they assured me was what I needed for my Mac Mini Although it was ¹⁄₆ the price of the Apple version, it physically didn’t fit. They sold me a USB cable for my digital camera. The sales person looked it up on the store computer and assured me it was the right one. FAIL!
I don’t want to exchange a new, unused product for an unneeded gadget, I want my freaking money back. As far as getting a working, compatible item at Discount Electronics, it’s less of a gamble buying something on ebay from a seller with zero feedback.
I believe any retailer should be required by law to take back a non functioning product such as a computer or monitor which initially fails. If they don’t have an exact replacement, a refund should be mandatory. Who wants an $ 800 store credit when they sold a dead laptop?
My recommendation: Take your computer, camera, cable, etc. in with you to match it, or rename the store «Discount Electronics Casino,» because it’s a crap shoot.

Great customer service

I went into this store and bough a charger for my macbook pro that had slowly died. I bought a replacement charger from them and now 4 moths later it too has died out! I understand that it only came with a 3 month warranty. They weren’t willing to work with me in any way, not even a partial credit or exchange. This just proved to me that they don’t stand behind their work or craftsmanship. I will not be recommending this to friends or returning for business, be warned. New charger from Apple lasted 2.5 yrs. refurbished one from them 4 months. Which would you do if you could do it all over again?
** Manager wont talk to people over the phone due to past issues with upset costumes on warranty issues… sounds like a lot of their products seam to just barley make it past their 3 month issue before them burn out. Again be warned.

You’d think after working at Dell for five years, I could breeze into an electronics store, zero in on the best item at the best price and be on my merry way. Especially if it involves something as easy as a mouse purchase. Since I’ve been using a mouse for, oh, 15 years.
Yet here I was, stalking the mice rounder like a feral cat stalking prey in back alley Brooklyn, wondering which of these little mouse-​y beauties I should pick off. The sleek silver one that boasts a tiny USB insert or the larger one that won’t get lost in my black laptop bag of death? The cheap ones in the bin or was the $ 30 special edition more my flavor? So instead of making my own choice, and being well versed in the expertise of the folks at the store, I took my hunt to the counter and pinned down one of the employees to ask them many and varied questions about Mice.
I made an executive decision against the $ 12 and went for the $ 19, which is identical to the one I have at home that’s failed — but 4 years is a good run. Then this handsome man behind the counter looks at me, light bulb almost tangibly going off and says «you have blue tooth, right?» As I nod my assent, he’s back quicker than a flash with this sweet blue tooth mouse that is only $ 9. Boom! Saved me money, showed me how to browse bluetooth devices and even threw in a couple of batteries.
And this brings me belatedly to my point. I’ve been to Those Other Electronic Stores enough times. We all have. But what sets this experience apart is how competent and comfortable the staff is. They’re secure in their knowledge, they find a solution, work like a team, seem like genuine friends and are sincerely interested in helping you find the best answer to your problem, large or small. Hence, le mouse. The guy that figured out the bluetooth scenario is clearly secretly superman under that snappy employee T shirt. Now if I could only remember his name…
(Just kidding Michael! Looks like I’m not the first one to stumble upon your superpowers)