[TriLUG] Computer stores

[David Burton]

On Thu, Jul 21, 2011 at 8:10 AM, Scott Chilcote <scottchilcote at att.net>wrote:

> On 07/20/2011 08:53 PM, Magnus wrote:
>
>> Fair warning, this is one of those stores that treats its customers with
>> great suspicion on the way out. If you are disinclined to consent to a bag
>> search on the way out, you may well be in for a serious incident.
>>
>
I don't mind them checking my purchases against my receipt. I assume it
reduces "shrinkage" (theft), which should enable them to have better prices.
 So what's the problem with that?



>  Another feature of shopping at TigerDirect is that their prices in ads -
> and even in the store - can be misleading.   They are crazy for rebates,
> primarily the mail-in kind that many people ignore or forget about.
>
> I purchased an ATX power supply there about a year and a half ago.  They
> charged me $25 more at the register, said there was a mail-in rebate for $25
> and handed me the 3-foot long receipt/form.  When I asked why the sign on
> the shelf didn't mention that it included a rebate, the cashier pretended
> not to understand and gave a meaningless answer.
>

At Tiger/CompUSA, the asterisk next to the price always means "after mail-in
rebate."  (I hate those.)

Unfortunately, there's nothing like a
Fry's<http://www.frys.com/ac/storelocator/index.jsp>in the Triangle.

For small stuff, like a cable, or an external drive enclosure, or an adapter
card, or a router, or a stick of RAM, Tiger/CompUSA and Intrex are usually
the best local places to shop.  If you're a reseller,
Dramen<http://www.dramen.com/> in
Raleigh is also good.  In Cary, there's also PC
Warehouse<http://www.pcwarehouse-cary.com/> (just
up NW Maynard a mile or so from Intrex), but he carries fewer parts than
Intrex and Dramen.

You can get some of that stuff at Best Buy, too, but their prices and
selection are both poor.  The external drive enclosure that you get for $9
at Intrex is probably $30 at Best Buy.

One problem with Tiger/CompuUSA (and also most of the Big Box stores) is
that you might not be able to get the web price in the store.  Often, the
store has an identical (or nearly identical) item to the good deal you
spotted on their web site, but it'll have a different SKU/Item number, and
the price is much higher.  With Tiger/CompUSA, be sure to write down the
SKU/Item number and check stock before you drive there (their web site is
improved, and now makes it pretty easy to check stock).  With Staples,
you'll have to call them to check stock & price.  The nice thing about
Intrex is that they don't pull that sort of junk: their price is their
price.

Tiger/CompuUSA often has excellent prices, but a non-obvious problem with
Tiger/CompUSA is that, when it comes to support & returns, the stores and
web site operate as if they were entirely separate companies.  You might
think that it's better to buy from TigerDirect's web site than from NewEgg,
because there's a local store for support and returns, but you'd be
mistaken.  If you order something from their web site, and it's DOA, the
store won't take it back or repair it, you have to ship it back.

To buy a whole computer (esp. a laptop), you'll generally get the best deal
at a "big box" store, like Staples, Best Buy, HH Gregg, OfficeMax,
OfficeDepot, etc..  Intrex can't compete with their prices.  Just be
prepared to *say "no" to everything* when they try to up-sell you at the
register, otherwise your nifty $350 laptop
deal<http://www.bestbuy.com/site/HP+-+Pavilion+Laptop+/+Intel%26%23174%3B+Pentium%26%23174%3B+Processor+/+14%22+Display+/+4GB+Memory+/+320GB+Memory+-+Pewter/2753496.p?id=1218348481450&skuId=2753496&AID=10474050&PID=3005996&URL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bestbuy.com%2Fsite%2FHP%2B-%2BPavilion%2BLaptop%2B%2F%2BIntel%2526%2523174%253B%2BPentium%2526%2523174%253B%2BProcessor%2B%2F%2B14%2522%2BDisplay%2B%2F%2B4GB%2BMemory%2B%2F%2B320GB%2BMemory%2B-%2BPewter%2F2753496.p%3Fid%3D1218348481450%26skuId%3D2753496&ref=39&CJPID=3005996&loc=01>
will
turn into a crummy $550 laptop deal.  The extended warranty, the Geek Squad
support, the $50 option to run pcdecrapifier.com<http://www.pcdecrapifier.com/>
 and ninite.com for you, the antivirus they want to sell you, etc., it's all
bad.

Dave
www.GeeksAlive.com