Where To Buy A Laptop in Chiang Mai & How To Get Free Stuff Thrown In

19:38 Amy 5 Comments

My old netbook finally died. Computer Plaza saved me.

It had been a drawn out, painful death. When it was taking over ten minutes to load Word, and could only charge itself when switched off, I got mad at it for the very last time and bought a shiny new laptop replacement for 15,490 baht - a Lenovo G480. You can read my review of this laptop here.

I bought it from Computer Plaza on the north moat road of Chiang Mai old city. We chose the JIB Computer Group shop because they offered the best price in the whole plaza and included a two year guarantee. This guarantee is good for anywhere in Thailand - not just at the Chiang Mai shop we purchased the laptop from - great for when we're travelling. We can take it in and get any repairs for free.

How to get free stuff thrown in when you buy a laptop

If you don't ask, you probably won't get anything free. Be friendly and smiley the whole time. Would you give a load of freebies to a rude customer if you didn't have to? Didn't think so!

First, try and haggle the price down. We just round down: "This laptop is 18,400. I will pay 18,000 and buy it right now." It didn't work for us this time, but you should still try it. Insist (very politely and with a big smile) that they ask the manager.

Next, ask about any freebies, for example a laptop bag. We were given a laptop bag and a load of decent free peripherals such as a bright pink mouse, trendy earphones, USB speakers and more.

They asked us if we'd like them to install things on it for us, like Windows 8 Operating system and Microsoft Office etc. We asked if it was free. They said no. We said no thank you, then. But then, when we went to pay, they said - OK, we can install all that for free. So for free, I have Windows 8, Microsoft Office, Photoshop etc and all the free programs I would have installed myself like CCleaner and Avast Anti Virus.

If you buy from this shop, you should pretend that you don't want them to install it all, and wait to see if they offer to do it for free when you go to pay. The worst that will happen is that they don't offer it, and you can then say "actually, I would like Windows 8 and the programs please." and have to pay. I think they said 200 baht initially.

Buying the laptop was easy.

I paid all in cash. There is a Krungthai ATM just outside Computer Plaza. First, I had to pay 5,000 baht deposit. Then I left the computer with them for about an hour and a half while they installed my operating system and programs. Then they called me up and I went back to pick it up. They showed me that the laptop was working. They put it away in my freebie computer bag and gave me the other free peripherals. I paid the rest of the price and signed a receipt.  I show the receipt if I need to use the guarantee. They keep a copy, too.

Essential Information about the JIB Computer Group shop