UPDATED: @Marauderz has a video of the PC Fair Experience
I remember the first time i went to the PC Fair. Wasn’t in KL Convention Center, it was at the famed PWTC. I remember buying some RAM for my PC that day. Eventually it had some problems and i had to travel all the way to Puchong to get it replaced. At that time, the price was a steal, but eventually i realized, its not always about price, but TCO (total cost of ownership).
PC Fair was touted as “best bargains” of the techno-world for consumers in Malaysia. I believe that was true, until for the past 5 years. Commercialism reigned supreme, with “bargains” splurged everywhere.
This past few years have been ridiculous to even think of going for PC Fair. Firstly, the amount of people that would be making a bee line (sorry, stampede is more like it). Coupled with expensive parking charges of KLCC (one would say take public transport, taxi is still equally expensive and busses aren’t realistic if you plan to buy something that doesn’t fit into your pockets, imagine alighting the bus with a laser printer).
Thats fine, but look at how PC Fair is managed. You are REQUIRED to enter from a certain floor, so that you are FORCED to visit the vendors booth (which most often than not, something that you may not be interested). You’d be going through at least 3-4 floors before you reach ground-zero where the real bargain hunting begins. If you try to get directly to ground-zero, friendly KLCC guards will ensure that your mission is a failure!
I ask you, dear sir/madam, are you really getting a bargain?
Based on a recent survey from friends who visited PC Fair, prices aren’t cheap, you’d get probably RM20 less than the real selling price. (E.g. Papago GPS retails at RM669 was sold at RM649). Imagine the hassle and amount of money that you’d spend JUST to get RM20 savings. Not to mention the obscure locate of the shop that you’d need to be aware in order for you to make warranty claims IF your spoils becomes spoiled! Include how much you paid for parking, petrol wasted in the traffic jam, eating expensive food in KLCC, and much more! But then again, recent times have made Malaysians to adopt kiasuism!
Laptops are a funny beast. I recall visiting a friendly vendor (who shall not be named) who sold me a laptop based on the PC Fair prices 2 weeks after the fair. Its like buying flight tickets from Travel Fair, without having to go for the fair itself (yeap, i do that to avoid the crowd!).
My take on this, PC Fair has become ridiculous. For the trouble i have to go through to buy something at a discounted rate, i can get it in Low Yat or even Digital Mall at a very comfortable, convenient way. Plus, i know which shop i bought my spoils, and if it does get spoiled, i know exactly where to go for warranty claims! As the great @SNIIFFIT said over Ais Kosong (D36) in Pappa Rich today – Everyday’s a PC Fair at Low Yatt!