KustomPCs www.kustompcs.co.uk

It's easy to shop with the big outlets such as Scan or Dabs. Their prices are usually competitive and you normally get your gear in a timely manner so why shop elsewhere?

I've found in the past that sometimes when it all goes wrong then dealing with big faceless organisations can be frustrating, you have no single person to deal with and sometimes you get the feeling that they just don't care. I also like dealing with small outlets, often the ones where the owner is one of the guys (or THE guy) working there answering emails.

My local computer specialist is Novatech and I have nothing but praise for them however sometimes they just don't have what I'm after and I have to look elsewhere. In this case, you look round (do a Google search!) and find a couple of retailers that you've maybe never heard of before. I'm often suspicious... I've had my fingers burned before!

A few times now I've seen Kustompcs.co.uk crop up as a possible supplier and I've dismissed them initially as 'too small' but this time they had the product I wanted at a competitive price. What the hell, I'll give them a shot.

I ordered the case in silver, they had it in stock and could offer next day delivery. Product ordered.

Overnight I decided that I wanted a different colour and I was concerned that maybe I'd find that they'd sent it already. I quickly pinged off an email early in the morning asking to change the order and very quickly I got a reply from 'Graeme' using his direct email address confirming the change in order.

This however meant that they didn't have the black one in stock and I'd have to wait. Now here is where I normally come a cropper, I get frustrated by the wait and more so the lack of news about when it's going to arrive, these large organisations don't often have such information to hand. Luckily Graeme was able to provide details of when it'd arrive and was able to immediately turn around the order and get the item straight out for delivery before 9 the next day.

So... 'David vs Goliath'? Maybe I should have titled this Review 'Graeme vs Goliath'

David wins!

Kustompcs.co.uk are a pleasure to deal with. It's not how you deal with the orders that go according to plan, it's how you deal with the orders that don't and Kustompcs.co.uk personal nature means they're now a 'preferred supplier'

The only place in the UK to stock this product at the time of purchase. Google Shopping suggested the price was towards the most expensive compared to competitors, but with the speedy service and excellent website, I'm not complaining!

Kustompcs.co.uk are everything certain other online retailers I have also reviewed should be. They're a lesson in how it should be done. Their method of contact is stated as e-mail only, but they always respond personally to every little question you have, even before you've placed an order. I've even had a reply out of them on a Sunday before now - despite their site mentioning their replies being "within office hours". Their prices for the standard more mainstream items are not the most competitive, but they have a good number of computer items that are very hard to find anywhere else, and for this, plus their obvious knowledge of their products, they are well worthy of your attention. They even asked to see my finished computer once I'd installed a particular mod in, and replied enthusiastically when I sent them a video of it. The number of dealings with them I've had does tend to suggest to me that the level of personal service they provide would hold them in good stead should something go wrong in the future.

I haven't received two items out of 6 of my online order. These were nothing expensive but essential to assemble the computer. I had to call them extra to point out that there was something missing. Also, the power adapter had an EU plug... you'd expect a UK plug from a UK company shipping to the UK, wouldn't you?

I will continue using Kustompcs and avoid the large multinationals for the above reasons. Parking is easy too.

Nothing but praise for KustomPCs. I have always built my own (plus family and friends) PCs and know my way round a BIOS, jumper settings and overclocking. I recently decided to build a PC with slightly more mind to size and performance than my usual - price (not that money was no object). So that means working out the best performance per pound -then going up a little to get the gear I wanted. With the help of KustomPCs I now own a very nice, fast, PC with excellent performance/price.

Answered query promptly. Order placed OK, parcel track and delivery on the dot. Well pleased.