Review for CeX Arndale Manchester - A Wasted 24 Hours and a Damaged Device…read more I regret to say that my recent experience with CeX Arndale Manchester was not only deeply disappointing but also a telling symbol of why this company may not exist in the next 20 years. I handed in a pristine device, expecting a straightforward evaluation, only to have 24 hours of my time wasted, only to be told that my phone was "not sellable." More disturbingly, the device was returned to me with two fresh marks/scratches that were not there before. The damage was done, quite visibly, and the person who returned it to me a female staff member seemed unaware or indifferent to the fact that the device had clearly been mishandled during their assessment process. This kind of carelessness is not just unacceptableit i s corrosive to any customer-facing business. The irony here is tragic: the very company that prides itself on being a marketplace for used electronics seems to be accelerating its own obsolescence by treating both customers and their devices with such disregard. If this is how CeX treats the people it relies on to sustain its inventory, it's no wonder many consumers are moving toward decentralized tech trade-ins and platforms that operate with transparency, speed, and respect. In an age of intelligent automation, blockchain-based transactions, and next-gen peer-to-peer resale models, CeX's archaic and inconsistent service model epitomized by the careless behaviour I witnessed today is writing its own demise. It's no longer just about product margins; it's about trust, precision, and a future-ready approach. On all of these, CeX failed. This experience has left me unhappy and disillusioned, and unless there's a radical shift in professionalism and process, this may well be my last dealing with CeX.

I'm not the biggest fan of CeX, however, this store is okay, it is quite a large store, located…read moreinside the Manchester Arndale, close to TKMaxx and the new Halle Place Dining Quarter. CeX is a second-hand goods chain, of course, that means the products you are buying are used, I do find most of their prices to be a little expensive, especially on newer releases, CeX defends this by saying "They are trying to combine getting the best possible trade-in price and the best possible sales price", but I just think the trade-in price is often too low, and the sale price is often too high, on some newer releases in games/phones, the price can often be the same OR more expensive to buy the game from here, compared to a new version from a different retailer within the shopping entre or Amazon. Although the queuing system could be dealt with better and seems to be a little messy at times, the staff seem friendly enough. They do have some cheap hidden gems here of older games and DVD's which is pretty handy, which is probably the only reason I use this store for now. 3*

I've been a Richer Sounds customer for over twenty-five years, usually at the Kingston upon Thames…read morebranch. This time I was in Manchester and thought I'd drop in and see what the latest equipment is. Things have changed, the freezer with ice-lollies has gone but a tea pot was clearly on display if anyone fancied a brew. Julian Richer the company founder gave away the company to the staff several years ago and the staff proudly wear long service badges. Unlike some large internet retailers Richer Sounds pay UK taxes as well.

I'm having a total shopping on the internet, especially for big purchases. Richer Sounds love this…read more The staff are really what make this place- they are all obviously so passionate about the products themselves that they would never dream of trying to rip off the customer. They are excited to get more people using high quality electronics and it shows. Specialising in hi-fi, home cinema and flat screen TVs, Richer Sounds should be your go-to store. Find out the latest technological developments, which competitors the team deem to have the edge - even get something custom made to your requirements.

I like this Currys PC World location, located on the upper level of the Manchester Arndale, while…read moreit may not be as large as the typical Currys PC World warehouse-style stores, which you typically see in retail parks and standalone stores, it still is a rather good location. They have done well to pack a lot into a store of its' size without making it feel too cramped, they have a nice selection of electronics including TV's, computers and miscellaneous tech. Since the closure of all Carphone Warehouse stores, they have added a small Carphone Warehouse kiosk, from the same parent company into the store. The staff seem friendly enough and able to answer most questions I had for them. I do really like how the store is in the city centre, but with it being a mall location, there are limitations, for example, the product range isn't as large as other stores (It would have made more sense to move into the nearby Clas Ohlson unit which is larger), and parking can be an issue, you don't want to have to carry around a big heavy electronic item around a shopping centre into their overpriced parking, or other car parks nearby. Pretty good Currys PC World store, I do think it would be nice if they had a better selection of more premium and higher-end laptops and similar. 4*

I have ordered a Nest Mini (twice on separate occasions). Due to some problems, both orders were…read morecancelled. However, I still have not received a refund (this was a month ago). I am not from the UK, but have managed to call a few times and I always receive the same answer "tomorrow or the day after". There is no email where one can contact them and the webchat does not cover this situation (I have tried this too). The bank won't return the money unless Currys PC World gives me some proof of the cancelled order, but they cannot be contacted in any way (or I receive the previously mentioned answer).

Surely, one day, the combined power of ebay and massive chain stores offering cheaper prices will…read moreput shops like Central Radio will go out of business. Until that day, I'm quite happy that places that exist. You can go in and browse massive flat screen televisions and stereo systems without feeling the pressure from pushy sales assistants and bargain deals staring you in the face. In fact, the chap in Central Radio didn't even offer to help me in my search for some headphones. Was he being rude or just letting me have a look myself and consider my options? I'm going to quite happily go for the latter, if I needed help I would have asked. There isn't the most stock ever in Central Radio. They only really had one pair of headphones at around £10, everything seemed like a much more serious investment at around £30. Central Radio is definitely the shop to visit if you want to spend some time really investigating and discussing your technology options.

Is there anything better than listening to Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong croon 'A Foggy Day' or…read more'They Can't Take That Away From Me?' The only thing I can think of is listening to Ella and Louis on a Bang & Olufsen stereo. I don't have the bling to buy one myself but I have a couple of friends that own B&O stereos and the sound is A*M*A*Z*I*N*G. If I had a spare five to nine hundred pounds in my pocket, I'd be in the shop right now, trying to decide which system to buy. As it is, I'm enjoying the crackles of my dad's old Technics deck spinning a worn out copy of Ella & Louis on vinyl. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ma91kie8G3A

There's nothing better than tuning yourself to the crisp, bassful, and surrounded sound that comes…read morefrom the Bang & Olufsen headphones plugged to your ipod! Luckily I was gifted this one on my birthday by my dearest parents. B&O can just blow your mind off! This store is more than Awesome and starry eyes can describe! If you're a techno-freak and love just being around steroes and some thumping sounds, this place has it all to captivate you thoroughly! I personally couldn't go ahead and just buy one of the gems in here, but if you're looking at sprucing up your place with some noise, and have the bling to ka-ching! B&O, is your stop!

My father makes me laugh. Whenever he talks about Maplin, he says, 'You don't want to talk to the…read moreguys on the floor. You want to talk to the ones they keep in the back, they're the experts.' I have to say, whenever I've gone into Maplin when one of the men in my life has been in there, I've always stood by for a good twenty minutes while they engage the assistants in a very technical conversation. Last time I experienced this I was sceptical as I listened, thinking, those questions are way too specific for a sales assistant. How wrong I was. Out came incomprehensible jargon about wattage and cables and warmth and flange. Some of that may have been made up. Oh mercy me. This guy was only a blooming expert. So it's safe to say that Maplin employ people who know what they're talking about. Similarly, ages ago my father was buying some kind of cable that would... do something with the computer and the TV. Again, the guy spoke another language, one my dear dad perfectly understood. The one beef I do have with Maplin is that things seem a tad unnecessarily expensive in there, when it comes to things like adapters for European plug sockets and the like. But as well as a range of intricate electrical goods, fusers, gender changers (gender changers?), they do sell fun stuff, such as electronic gifts for kids and computer table accessories. It's a great little standby that exists in our very own delightful Regent Retail Park, and is a great place to pop in if that essential cable, scart lead or something else electronic isn't available in your average supermarket. The staff are particularly helpful, as I've demonstrated, and the shop is laid out simply and cleanly, making it easy to navigate. As for those experts in the back, well, I do wonder why they keep them there. Perhaps there's a fine line between flash sales assistant and fully-fledged nerd in the world of Maplin (see also, Apple Stores)...

I'm a sucker for a certain kind of computer game. I'm happy to watch a friend engage in the ones…read morewhere zombies attack you and eat you (zombies are my biggest supernatural phobia) or where there's a constant threat of death or violence, but for me? It's all about simulation and strategy and platforming cuteness. Thus I'm happy to see that Game caters for all these tastes. While there are Game concessions in various larger stores like Selfridges and HMV, my favourite has to be this Arndale Centre location. The staff are a little pushy but they will leave you alone once you state that you're browsing, simply offering help if you ask for it. The sales I find are particularly good, I was a massive fan of the Sims expansion packs being reduced to just £9.99 at one point (*cough cough* geek, don't judge me), and its size means there's plenty of variety, from the often overlooked PC games (my favourite kind) to those for all the big consoles, Wii accessories and equipment as well as plenty for the handhelds (PSP and DS). Come on, ladies, we don't see enough of us in shops like this. Gaming isn't just a man's world - get thee to Game!

Whether used as a noun, a verb, an adjective or an adverb the meaning remains the same- fun stuff…read moreis afoot! And it is no different when it comes to the store because Game's business is concerned with fun and fun alone. Stocking all of the latest computer games for all of the latest consoles this is a place gauranteed to to bring out the inner child in all men. One of the biggest highs I've had in recent years came from getting my hands on the last Wii Fit board in the store. Looks of envy, hate, admiration, aspiration and awe were directed my way and I lapped it up like Vanessa Feltz at a breakfast buffet. See you later techno tits! Enjoy standing on the floor, I'm on rubber and motion sensors from here on out!

Sells defective AV receivers(£505.00)which malfunction after their firmware update then after…read morerepair sends them back in worse condition after claiming repair nothing rectified(dented near the WIFI antenna. with further software faults,WIFI inoperable) then tries to blame the customer for the damage due to the customers packaging! AVOID!