Fair by name, fair by nature

By Christina Okoli

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THERE is�something very strange going on in church halls and school gyms across the country. Thousands of people are giving-up a relaxing weekend in, to push, shove and haggle their way through the brutal terrain of a computer fair.

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As this unlikely phenomenon takes Britain by storm, everyone from technology anoraks to industry suits are flocking to one of the many computer fairs around the country, and taking advantage of the cut-price computer equipment on sale.

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Computer fairs are one-off flea markets dedicated to the sale of first or second-hand computer equipment, ranging from software to hardware, from memory chips to modems; games, printers and all the rest.

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Everything remotely related to computers, even entire units, are going for up to a third of the recommended retail price that one would expect to pay in high street stores. Yet, computer fairs are fair by name and by nature, as they benefit both the trader and the buyer, as well as the event's organiser.�

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If you live in the UK, there is almost certainly a computer fair taking place near you. They tend to happen on weekend afternoons, and admission could cost up to �10, however the benefits and bargains associated with computer fairs will surely outweigh the cost of entry.

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The sheer range of goods on offer, along with the opportunity to weave between stalls and compare the offers, then haggling a salesperson down to the price you're willing to pay are just some of the unique features of computer fairs that have made them so popular.

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So, for buyers these fairs are an ideal place to pick up a bargain, but for traders fairs also offer many benefits, including cheap overhead charges, as well as the opportunity to win contacts and attract more custom in a single day than they would expect in a month at their high street premises.

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However, with all its virtues, the computer fair is not for the faint-hearted. Apart from the expected hustle and bustle, and pushing and shoving, there are obvious risks associated with buying computer equipment from vendors you may never see again.

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Organisers of computer fairs, encourage buyers to be cautious, and to bare in mind that items that are ridiculously low-priced or labelled 'untested' are likely to be counterfeit or damaged. If in doubt, buyers are advised to ask traders to give them a demonstration of the item on sale. This will help the buyer to, not only, understand how the technology works, but also to see that is does actually work.

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Once a buyer is happy with an item and decides to purchase, there are further steps that should be taken before any payment is handed over, no matter how small that payment may be. Here is a checklist of things that the buyer should do before they pay:

• �Ask the trader for a telephone number and address of their business. If they don't give one, don't pay.
• �Always get a warranty for the item you buy. Ideally, this should be a manufacturers onsite warranty for about a year, which gives you cover should the trader go out of business.
• Check to see if the trader accepts credit cards, if so it is more likely to be a well established business. You should always pay with credit card, unless it is a very small amount, as this gives greater recourse of action should anything go wrong at a later date.
• Always get an invoice for your purchase, as well as a VAT number,� this proves that the trader is VAT registered.

For details of a computer fair near you, visit www.computerfairs.co.uk