A first-timer’s guide to SP Road

SP Road, in the old market area between Chickpet and Avenue Road, has sold electronics for decades. Today it is a narrow, crowded street of computer shops, component wholesalers, repair benches and cable stalls, all squeezed into old buildings. It is the cheapest place in Bengaluru for many parts, and also the most confusing for a first visit.

Go on a weekday morning. Shops open around 10 am, and by noon the street is packed with two-wheelers and delivery carts. Parking is very hard, so take the metro to Chickpet station, which is a five-minute walk away, or an auto to the Town Hall end. Sundays are mostly closed, including us.

Know what you want before you go. Write down exact model numbers, or better, a full parts list, and ask three shops for a price. Prices for the same part can differ by a few hundred rupees from one counter to the next. Always ask for a GST invoice; it is the only way to claim a manufacturer’s warranty later.

Check parts at the counter. Ask for laptops and monitors to be switched on, look at the screen on a white page, and check that boxes are sealed. For parts you will fit yourself, keep the box and invoice together. If you are not sure what to buy, come up to our first floor at 41 SP Road. Advice is free, and we will tell you if the part you want is cheaper down the road.