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Tips on Buying or Upgrading a Personal Computer Using the Internet |
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"Knowledge is Power!" But those on Internet can also say "Knowledge Saves Money!" The Internet is full of places where you can gain keen insight into which PC products provide best value, where to find highly competitive prices, and how to apply sound mail ordering practices to avoid problems. The advice we give is based on over 15 years of personal computer experience using products primarily purchased through mail order houses. We have had favorable experiences with each discussed below, but we accept no responsibility regarding any choices you may make. It is still a "Buy Beware" market out there! Our opinions are offered in the Internet spirit of providing useful information free to the public. We gain no financial benefit from any of the organizations listed.
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Check out the links we use in tracking down PC bargains:Buying Advice and Product Reviews |
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Computer Shopper, published by Ziff-Davis Publishing Company, is a monthly magazine of PC articles and mail order advertisements that is as thick as most yellow pages. It is loaded with tremendous bargains if you have the patience to wade through over 800 pages of advertisements and know how to assess prices and value of like sounding products. At their website, Computer Shopper provides two months of product reviews, buying advice, shopping tools, and a complete listing of all products advertised in each issue arranged by product category and manufacturer. If you are new to ordering computer products by mail order, be sure to read their buying advice columns. It is a good place to go to become a more astute, informed buyer. You may want to download the Computer Shopper Order Maker file and print it out using Adobe Acrobat Reader software, which you can also download from this site. The printout makes an excellent form to record product configurations and price quotes. |
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ZDNET Search gives you heavy duty searches of product reviews and technology articles from 15 computer magazines which Ziff-Davis publishes. Trust them to give you honest assessments to help you cut through ad hype. |
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PC Today is an alternative magazine to Computer Shopper, but with a very different advertisement process to be discussed below under another bullet. Its web site has product reviews, user case studies, and feature articles to get you smart. For those new to PC mail ordering, we recommend that you print out their Smart Shoppers checklist. Its a good tool to use when calling mail order houses for information. PC Today recommends placing small orders first with companies that are new to you, in order to gauge their competence. Also consider using credit cards to gain leverage via consumer protection laws in any disputes that may arise. |
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CNET, the Computer Network, is a media company that is integrating television programming with a network of sites on the Web. Perhaps you have caught their television broadcasts on the Sci-Fi Channel and USA Network. Its editorials, technology reports, and product comparisons are all first class. Check out their index of reviews to see what they have to say. |
| Registering as a member of CNET gives you access to members only areas: posting, polling, find, and options. It also entitles you to receive Digital Dispatch,their weekly newsletter free by email. | |
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Comparative Pricing |
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PC Today really shines when it comes to comparative pricing. Its PC Catalog Buyers' Directory, part of its PC Cyber Shop, is an on-line database of more than 4,000 products from over 300 manufacturers, distributors, and vendors listed in price order for identical products. You can quickly compare prices by using the web's search engine or by browsing through product categories. PC Today has fewer advertisers than Computer Shopper, but its sorted price listings are a killer. You might consider applying the following strategy: find the best price for the product you want in PC Today and challenge your favorite mail order house to meet or beat the price! Many mail order houses advertise that they will make every attempt to meet or beat legitimate advertised prices. |
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CNET has a small hot deals section. Though limited, this section links you to some good bargains; such as a 28.8 baud modem for $109 in their July 7, 1996 screen. |
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Another way to do comparative pricing is to keep an eye on the banners displayed at many websites. Many give price information and product comparisons when you jump to their full page screen. |
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Mail Order Suppliers |
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Microexperts offers outstanding prices on factory fresh computer systems, peripherals and components. They carry a large inventory and ship most orders immediately. We especially like their 30-day money back guarantee. Each system sold is backed by a three-year warranty on parts and a five-year warranty on labor! They will build PC systems to your specifications and do a 72 hour burn in. We've been very pleased with our orders with them. |
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MidWest Micro is a perennial Computer Shopper Best Buy Award winner. It offers more than 2,000 products from over 90 computer manufacturers. It has a superior 30-day money back guarantee on everything its sells and provides toll-free tech support. In recent years MidWest Micro has started its own line of PC desktops and notebooks. |
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Tredex is our favorite source for deep discounts on discontinued PC computers, printers, fax machines, and peripherals. Some of these products are brand new and others are factory refurbished. In their own words, "Most products are sold at far below Wholesale and Dealer cost; many at 50%-70% off Retail list price. We try to have the lowest prices in the know universe. We frequently carry brand names such as IBM, Compaq, AST, Packard Bell, Texas Instruments, Zenith, Sharp, ATT and Digital." They frequently update their product and price lists so check them out weekly for some serious bargains and send them an email to get on their Net mailing list for new arrival announcements. |
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Computability has been a computer peripheral and software mail order company since the early 1980's. It claims to update its web pages hourly, giving you immediate benefit of manufacturer price reductions. Due to volume business, it has excellent prices. We use its software prices as our baseline whenever we do price comparisons. |
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Egghead has over 160 stores throughout the country with an in-store selection of more than 2,000 PC and Mac products. It further claims to give you access to over 40,000 products that can be ordered by phone, FAX, mail, or Internet. Sign up as a CUE member to get 5% lower prices than non-CUE members. This is easy to do from its website. |
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Hi-Tech gives deep discounts on discontinued PC components. It offers an unusual assortment of hard drives, monitors, and adapter cards. The prices are great if it has what you are looking for. Hi-Tech is also good about taking back defective products. |
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ComputerGate is a strong supplier of computer accessories, multimedia products, network products, and CD ROM titles. If you are looking for low-cost cables, a mouse, trackball or similar products, you'll find its prices hard to beat. |
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Surplus Direct is a clearinghouse for overstocked or over-produced hardware and software from publishers, distributors and retailers. It purchases in volume and passes the savings directly to its customers. Many of its software products are the previous version, but its prices are very, very inexpensive compared to current version pricing. The same holds true for hardware. In August, 1996, it is selling 8 MB 72-pin 70ns non-parity SIMM memory modules for $59.99--a great price so long as you don't need 60ns memory. Beware of its return policy, though: "Surplus Direct wants you to be satisfied with your purchase. Return instructions are found on the back of the invoice packed with your order. All returned merchandise must be unopened and in original factory condition." 'Nough said. |
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Many of the thousand some ads in Computer Shopper include an Internet address where the merchant maintains current product and price information, including unadvertised specials. Build a set of bookmarks to your favorite dealers and check them out. |
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Classifieds |
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MagicNet is an example of an Internet access provider in the Orlando area that maintains a free classified section for folks to place classified ads on products and services. Just like the classified section of your local newspaper you may find just the bargain you are looking for. Check out the classifieds offered on websites in your area. You may just hit paydirt and discover a like minded friend in the process! |
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Software Downloads |
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CNET runs SHAREWARE.COM, the virtual software library "offering access to more shareware and freeware than any other Internet site." They had 190,000 software files available the last time we checked! Its the best place to download "try before you buy" software. Remember, though, to register any shareware you continue using after its trial period;.else, talented computer programmers will have to go into more lucrative professions, like selling hot dogs at street corners. |
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TUCOWS, The Ultimate Collection of Winsock Software, provides Windows 3.x and Windows 95 programs to facilitate PC access to the Internet.The folks who operate TUCOWS grade each shareware/freeware application from 1 Cow (Needs improvements) to 5 Cows (Must have!). This is a good site to download Internet browsers, HTML editors, and the like. |
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Win95 Live Software Archive offers the latest Windows 95 shareware. |
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Keep an eye on the banners displayed at many websites. Many offer free downloads of demo and beta versions of their programs or full-featured versions with time limits on them. |
| We wish you well in your journey into PC bargain hunting. In most cases the bargains you want are out there. It's all a matter of knowing where to look! |
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Boundaries
Unlimited Email us at support@buinc.com |
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Last Updated: August 07, 2002 Copyright © 1996-2001, Boundaries Unlimited. All Rights Reserved. |
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