OCUK Clearance Lines

Lunawolfy · 3 Jul 2011 at 10:23

I wasn't entirely sure where to post this, as it is about General Hardware.

OCUK list "B Grade" items in their clearance lines, but don't really expand on what that means, is B Grade ex demo? any cosmetic damage? Without packaging?

If someone could clear this up it'd be great as I've eyed a possible bargain

RJC · 3 Jul 2011 at 10:24

Usually they are customer returns, warranty repairs.

Some come with full bits some items just come in a brown box with no accessories.

KiiYzOo · 3 Jul 2011 at 10:26

B grade is either ex-display or a customer return which ocuk has tested and found nothing wrong with, usually they are like oem products with just the card if it's a graphics card

Surveyor · 3 Jul 2011 at 10:28

Lunawolfy said:
OCUK list "B Grade" items in their clearance lines, but don't really expand on what that means, is B Grade ex demo? any cosmetic damage? Without packaging?

All of the above and more.

It's anything they can't sell as new for whatever reason.

A lot of it is probably items which have been returned under the Distance Selling Regulations.

You take your chances buying B Grade.

Quite often items don't come with all the accessories.

You might just get a bare motherboard for example. No SATA cables, no manuals, no I/O shield etc.

Sgt Tackleberry · 3 Jul 2011 at 10:34

I've brought a few hard drives from that an never had any problems with it.

Lunawolfy · 3 Jul 2011 at 11:38

Ah cool, it's just I spied myself a 22" Samgung 120Hz 3D Monitor for like £150 :O

Re-read the small print, only 1600 res

Surveyor · 3 Jul 2011 at 11:42

Lunawolfy said:
Ah cool, it's just I spied myself a 22" Samgung 120Hz 3D Monitor for like £150 :O

Re-read the small print, only 1600 res

And if some has returned it under the DSR it may be because it has dead pixels.

panyan · 3 Jul 2011 at 14:01

Surveyor said:
You take your chances buying B Grade.

you still get the normal consumer rights though dont you? DSR, warranty, etc right?

Surveyor · 3 Jul 2011 at 14:07

panyan said:
you still get the normal consumer rights though dont you? DSR, warranty, etc right?

Yes.

But it's more risky buying something that's probably already been returned once under the DSR.

If someone returned a monitor due to dead pixels you'd have to pay the retun postage if you wanted to return it for the same reason.

You've got a better chance of getting a fault free monitor by buying a "new" one.

The same principal applies, more or less, to other B Grade products.

For me the relatively small reductions in price on most products isn't worth the risk.

tibbsey · 3 Jul 2011 at 14:07

90day warranty I believe (with OcUK). Not sure about manufacturer.

Rroff · 3 Jul 2011 at 14:08

Only £14 more for the retail version, while it could be as simple as the packaging is damaged so they can't sell it as new quite likely its as above someones DSR'd it because of dead pixels or bad backlight bleed (slightly unlikely on the 2233rz tho as they don't really have backlight issues normally).

Surveyor · 3 Jul 2011 at 14:11

tibbsey said:
90day warranty I believe (with OcUK). Not sure about manufacturer.

I'm sure it used to state it was with the remainder of the manufacturer's warranty but I can't see that now.

Edit

There we go:

The warranty on B-Grade products is 90 days with Overclockers UK and any left over warranty is with the manufacturer.

Most products state this in the description.

panyan · 3 Jul 2011 at 14:12

personally i wouldnt buy B-grade from OC'ers becuase they dont discount it enough compared to the risk of getting problematic components - but they do offer a good selection

Admetos · 3 Jul 2011 at 14:38

KiiYzOo said:
B grade is either ex-display or a customer return which ocuk has tested and found nothing wrong with, usually they are like oem products with just the card if it's a graphics card

Couple of years ago I purchased a GTX 260 from clearance (new and unopened), however it was just that only, and OCUK were clearing old stock. I asked at counter and it still had all the normal warranty.

What I'm saying is sometimes its products the same as new, but there just clearing stock.

Surveyor · 3 Jul 2011 at 14:46

JasonM said:
Couple of years ago I purchased a GTX 260 from clearance (new and unopened), however it was just that only, and OCUK were clearing old stock. I asked at counter and it still had all the normal warranty.

What I'm saying is sometimes its products the same as new, but there just clearing stock.

I think that's part of the problem.

The products don't give any information as to why they're in the clearance section.

You don't know if it's the last odd one of a perfect retail product being cleared to clear the shelves or a returned DSR/imperfect item which might have no packaging, no accessories etc.

tibbsey · 3 Jul 2011 at 14:51

panyan said:
the risk of getting problematic components

I'm not sure I understand your views here.

The items are all fully functional. The items have the same chance of being DOA as a new item (possible less as they may have been installed, returned, tested and then put up as B-Grade, or other similar scenario). The items have the same chance of dying within 3months of purchase as a new item. Even if it dies 91days after purchase, you can still go to the manufacturer.

Each to his own though, bought a B-Grade motherboard a couple of years back. It didn't come with all the bits but I expected that, worked perfectly.
If I were to buy anything from B-Grade again, I would automatically assume that it would not come with all the gubbins, anything extra would be a pleasant surprise.

The warranty on B-Grade products is 90 days with Overclockers UK and any left over warranty is with the manufacturer.

That's from one of the product pages.
Can't find it noted on any of the general pages, but it's on each (all the ones I've just checked anyway) product page.

PhillyDee · 3 Jul 2011 at 14:54

Bought a couple of motherboards, latest was the other week, a nice little ITX jobbie. Both came with nothing. Not a problem tbh, since I have all accessories here. Backplates were missing too, but again, was not bothered!

Would never buy a monitor b grade unless it was a cheapy for whatever reason, since the chance of dead pixels is higher (IMO!)

Surveyor · 3 Jul 2011 at 14:55

tibbsey said:
That's from one of the product pages.
Can't find it noted on any of the general pages, but it's on each (all the ones I've just checked anyway) product page.

I know.

That's where I said it was

CyberCrow · 3 Jul 2011 at 15:26

KiiYzOo said:
B grade is either ex-display or a customer return which ocuk has tested and found nothing wrong with, usually they are like oem products with just the card if it's a graphics card

"ex-display" i take it you've never been to the old shop and the new shop then? lol

Surveyor · 3 Jul 2011 at 15:33

IT'S UNCLE BOB said:
"ex-display" i take it you've never been to the old shop and the new shop then? lol

I've been to the old shop and was at the new shop yesterday.

The old shop had more things like cases and monitors on display.

The new shop doesn't have that but they have display cabinets with RAM, cables, motherboards, CPU coolers etc.