# PC World Web in Ireland now suspended



## DublinTexas (2 Jan 2008)

This is what I got when I just tried to open pcworld.ie to check some prices:

pcworld.ie account suspended due to non-payment by client.​ 
How funny is that?


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## Stifster (2 Jan 2008)

Pretty ironic alright. 

Currys still haven't gotten around to getting their website up and running. How poor do they think internet penetration is in ireland?


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## demoivre (2 Jan 2008)

[broken link removed] was mentioned in a recent thread on here if that's any use.


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## dam099 (2 Jan 2008)

Stifster said:


> Pretty ironic alright.
> 
> Currys still haven't gotten around to getting their website up and running. How poor do they think internet penetration is in ireland?


 
Themselves and Dixons have had "New Website coming soon" on their websites now for well over a year (if not two).

I am pretty sure though I read something with their MD when Dixons in the UK went online only saying they do believe internet penetration in Ireland is too poor to justify that (though one would think by now some sort of online presence would be warranted).


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## Luckycharm (2 Jan 2008)

You can get online discounts in Powercity - when I went into the store they gave me the same discount so saved me a trip


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## Stifster (2 Jan 2008)

Luckycharm said:


> You can get online discounts in Powercity - when I went into the store they gave me the same discount so saved me a trip


 
I presume you meant into the _online store_?


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## aircobra19 (2 Jan 2008)

Thats funny. Speaks volumes about their professionalism tbh.


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## wheels (2 Jan 2008)

Luckycharm said:


> You can get online discounts in Powercity - when I went into the store they gave me the same discount so saved me a trip




It's a great service. I ordered a Nespresso Coffee maker which was already far cheaper there then anywhere else and got a further discount online. Within about an hour they rang me to confirm and said they'd have it in my local store within a few days. I normally wouldn't have gone to Power City but I would recommend them after that.

On topic, PC World and Currys site have been like that for years. It's ridiculous, Argos also have a cut down version of their UK site and a lot of the products simply still aren't on the site (though it is improving). Homebase simply sends you to the UK site with no conversion.


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## Technologist (3 Jan 2008)

aircobra19 said:


> Thats funny. Speaks volumes about their professionalism tbh.


You'd think at least they'd put up some addresses, maps and opening hours.


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## lfcfan (3 Jan 2008)

I did a webmaster course back in '99 and used their 'site' as an example of poor information. i.e. Coming Soon with no dates etc. So they're site has been coming soon for nearly 9 years now. Pretty much sums up their attitude to Irish customers


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## z103 (3 Jan 2008)

> Pretty much sums up their attitude to Irish customers


Yes it does, and probably for very good reason.

Irish customers  (in general) just don't seem to be using the internet for purchases, compared to UK customers. Why, then, would a company spend the money developing the website?


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## aircobra19 (3 Jan 2008)

leghorn said:


> Yes it does, and probably for very good reason.
> 
> Irish customers  (in general) just don't seem to be using the internet for purchases, compared to UK customers. Why, then, would a company spend the money developing the website?



Can't agree with that. Lots of the major sites like komplete, expansys, thomann etc all have Irish versions of their sites and do good trade in Ireland. How can you buy stuff on a website that doesn't exist?


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## Technologist (3 Jan 2008)

leghorn said:


> Irish customers  (in general) just don't seem to be using the internet for purchases, compared to UK customers. Why, then, would a company spend the money developing the website?


To maintain their profile & provide information on what they're selling?

Perhaps to provide some self-service technical support?

I'd often look up a website for a shop before deciding if it's worth the hassle of driving there.


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## z103 (3 Jan 2008)

I buy loads of stuff online, book tickets, buy software, books etc. However, the _majority_ of Irish people don't.

It really annoys me when I see these dead sites too, but unless more Irish people start using the internet for commerce, I can't see it changing any time soon.

(Note: I'm generalising here, people reading this obviously do use the internet - to an extent)



> I'd often look up a website for a shop before deciding if it's worth the hassle of driving there.


It's interesting the note that your name is 'Technologist' - yet often the reason you look up the site is to see if it's worth driving to the bricks and mortar shop!


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## Flax (3 Jan 2008)

DublinTexas said:


> This is what I got when I just tried to open pcworld.ie to check some prices:
> 
> pcworld.ie account suspended due to non-payment by client.​
> How funny is that?


 
I reckon this was something like they got the office manager to register the domain, and she has since left the company, so the domain has been forgotten about (or at least, there is no one taking responsibility for it.)

These things can happen...


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## Technologist (3 Jan 2008)

leghorn said:


> It's interesting the note that your name is 'Technologist' - yet often the reason you look up the site is to see if it's worth driving to the bricks and mortar shop!


What's your point? That waiting for a mail order delivery is somehow more high-tech than finding out online who's got what I need and going to the shop, paying for it and bringing it home?

OK.


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## wheels (3 Jan 2008)

According to euromonitor.com in 2007 we spent an estimated 400million with online shopping. The UK were estimated to have spent 18billion. Big difference but given population differences and the state of our broadband over the last few years it's still impressive. 

There is a market there, and I don't think your correct Leghorn in saying that only a few of us do shop online. I know a lot of people I wouldn't rate as technical or net savvy who still shop online a lot. More and more people have office jobs connected to the net all their working day, not a day goes by that the girls in my office aren't on Next's website or Asos or eBay.


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## z103 (3 Jan 2008)

> What's your point? That waiting for a mail order delivery is somehow more high-tech than finding out online who's got what I need and going to the shop, paying for it and bringing it home?



Ordering online is more high-tech. It also cuts out the need for a physical shop and associated overheads. 
In addition, what if the shop is not local? Advantages of online commerce is wider choice and not having to travel.


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## z103 (3 Jan 2008)

> we spent an estimated 400million with online shopping. The UK were estimated to have spent 18billion. Big difference but given population differences and the state of our broadband over the last few years it's still impressive.


Thanks for the figures wheels.

€400,000,000 Vs €18,000,000,000
That's 45 times more.

The population difference is about 14 or 15 times more, so you can see there's a huge discrepancy. I'm sad to say that this unfortunate figures illustrate my point beautifully.

[NOTE: I've just received an 'AAM Warning' for posts on this thread!, so this'll be my last post on the matter.]


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## wheels (3 Jan 2008)

leghorn said:


> Ordering online is more high-tech. It also cuts out the need for a physical shop and associated overheads.
> In addition, what if the shop is not local? Advantages of online commerce is wider choice and not having to travel.



I doubt he'd be driving a hundred miles when he could order it, but when the shop is around the corner or close by it makes sense to travel to it. It also makes sense to look said shop up before you go, which is something I almost always do.


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## Technologist (3 Jan 2008)

leghorn said:


> Ordering online is more high-tech. It also cuts out the need for a physical shop and associated overheads.


Such as giving employment to friendly local staff who can give good advice and a premises where you can inspect the goods and a place where you can return faulty product for replacement. Not everyone wants to deal with foreign call-centers staffed by script-bots with incomprehensible accents.



> Advantages of online commerce is wider choice and not having to travel.


This is true and like many people, I do order online, then sometimes, I don't.

Online commerce has advantages, so too does physical commerce.

Surely the choice of channel should be based on what best suits a person's needs at the time rather than deciding to always shop online because it's more 'high-tech'?

PC World's Irish site failed because tech-savvy Irish people didn't want to buy their out-of-date, over-priced technological tat.


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## aircobra19 (3 Jan 2008)

leghorn said:


> Thanks for the figures wheels.
> 
> €400,000,000 Vs €18,000,000,000
> That's 45 times more.
> ...



You choose to ignore the point that was also made, that the roll out of broadband has been ineptly handled in Ireland. Its an embarrassment, that one company have been able to hold back the whole country like they have. 

Friend of mine in the UK gets phone and broadband 8mb for less than you pay for line rental here. I can't get broadband though my phone line as Eircom won't fix my line. 

Sometimes its easier to go to store than shop on line. Perhaps you want to see, feel an item before you buy. Etc. Buying online isn't always better.


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## CCOVICH (3 Jan 2008)

Technologist said:


> PC World's Irish site failed because tech-savvy Irish people didn't want to buy their out-of-date, over-priced technological tat.




Did they ever have an on-line store?  Or a functioning website?


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## aircobra19 (3 Jan 2008)

CCOVICH said:


> Did they ever have an on-line store?  Or a functioning website?



Wasn't great even when it was working.


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## BobbyFowler (4 Jan 2008)

I'd be interested to see what legal grounds the hosting company have to put up the line "pcworld.ie account suspended due to non-payment by client" - reckon if they get wind of it they'd have grounds to sue for defamation. I sell advertising myself & when I asked a solicitor if I should use a similar tactic to scare non payers, was told to stay well away from it.


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## Stifster (4 Jan 2008)

If it's the truth....


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## BobbyFowler (4 Jan 2008)

That's what I would have thought too.......
Don't think it's as clear cut - it's to do with defamation of character from what I remember.


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