Review: How I (mis)assembled a computer with Alsa, or The Never Ending Story of Assembly
The following summary of my experience with a seemingly simple order from an alien may at first seem unnecessarily long. But believe me, this is just the natural result of a series of missteps, internal system errors and confusing communication from individual employees. I felt like the protagonist of The Neverending Story - only without the (un)happy ending. On March 7, I assembled my dream computer setup on Alza, added a monitor, paid CZK 1,000 for assembly and testing, and as the icing on the cake, I added a pre-order of a new AMD graphics card to my cart, for which I was waiting impatiently. The payment was made straight away. Nowhere was it stated that this would be a problem - the build will simply wait for the GPU to be stacked. Two days passed, the internet started to fill with reviews of the graphics, but I didn't have a single piece of information from Alza. I found out in the discussions that the next batch will come maybe in a week. Okay, I'm waiting. After a week, still nothing. I call the customer service center - after a classic round of call-back, I learn that there were fewer graphics than orders, no stock in sight. They recommended I choose another one. OK, it's gonna happen. I find a different version of the 9070 XT on the site (Gigabyte instead of Sapphire Nitro+), available from the supplier. I'm calling again. The gentleman on the line: "No problem, we'll forward to the assembly, we'll cancel the old graphics order. " Super. But after two days, no movement. I'm calling again. This time another operator says that the graphic cannot be used for installation because it is with the supplier. Something they had specifically promised me before that would go. I have no choice but to say - okay, send me the assembly without graphics and the card separately - I will somehow build it at home, even though I paid for the assembly. And boom - the next day I get an email saying that this card is no longer available either. Order cancelled. I'm losing my graphics for the second time. Apparently there was again a glitch in the system or a delay in response due to haggling over fitting. So I'm trying a third time. On the website I find an unpacked piece of my originally desired Sapphire Nitro+. It is in stock directly with Alza. I'm ordering immediately. I call (they're probably already there to greet me by name) to see if the card can be forwarded for assembly - or at least counted towards an order already paid for. Answer: No. Orders cannot be merged. It is not possible to send it for assembly. Install the graphics yourself. And yes, pay it again. So I paid for the graphics a second time (because why not, right) and I still didn't use the mounting (which I already paid for). Good. In the end, what remains is a refund for the originally cancelled graphic. I was told in the email that payment would arrive in 3-5 business days. After 5 days, nothing. I'm calling again. The support lady promises to find out what's going on. The answer? The payment didn't enter automatically, but now it did. The money came after 8 days. Or how to give a short-term interest-free loan to Alza - but I understand, cashflow is needed, salaries to employees will not pay themselves. Don't worry, dear reader, we're getting close to the finish line. But just as Lewis Hamilton didn't expect a twist in Abu Dhabi 2021, I didn't expect another one. A couple of days after my second graphics card bill was charged again, I received an email from the assembly department. It would seem that nothing can surprise anymore. And yet: they started building the kit almost 20 days after ordering it - and one of the components (the cooler) simply disappeared from the warehouse in the meantime. You'd expect that when Alza says that components are "reserved" when you place an order, it really means something. In reality, however, it was just a nicely wrapped illusion, like a placebo-sprinkled bun with ketchup. I finally picked up my computer on March 31. An interesting surprise was that the graphics card I eventually received (which was listed as "unboxed" on the website) was not actually unboxed at all - the box was still sealed with the original stickers. The only coincidence in this story that really made me happy. I would recommend Alza for regular shopping without complications.
But once you order something extra - a pre-order, an assembly, a combination of multiple items - prepare for confusion, frustration, inconsistent information and endless phone calls. Extra services? Never again. Not even if they offer the assembly for free next time. Acknowledgement:
After all this, one wonders if it wouldn't be easier to build a computer at home on your knee out of cardboard boxes. Instead of the joy of a new build, I had a three-week marathon of disappointment, cancelled orders, conflicting information, and the feeling that I was dealing with a flawed system that didn't take into account that the customer had any expectations - or patience. This all gave the impression that only normal purchases work well in Alza, but once the system hits a more complex scenario, everything starts to fall apart like a house of cards. Every operator says something different, the assembly department obviously operates on a completely different planet, and the customer is the one who has to solve everything over and over again, explain and hope that something will happen. And that the "unwrapped" card came brand new at the end? Almost an ironic miracle. But in this story, it wasn't a happy ending anymore - more of a footnote in the vein of "everything could have been fine - if only." So yeah. I never want to repeat that experience. And to anyone who's thinking of mounting: measure twice before you pay. And you'd better assemble it yourself.
