Does anybody buy computer parts locally?

Page 2 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.

teddyv

Senior member
May 7, 2005
974
0
76
Online for the most part - I find the folks at most computer/electronics stores completely clueless and the info on most online retail websites far more informative.
 

The Pentium Guy

Diamond Member
Jan 15, 2005
4,327
1
0
Originally posted by: Valkerie
Originally posted by: BOLt
Fry's and Best Buy are the only two brick-and-mortar stores from which I would buy. I like online better, though. Pricegrabber, Pricewatch, Froogle, and Techbargains always find great prices. Then I just pick the most reliable online merchant while still getting a very competitive price. Easy.

Best Buy in general, is a rip off.
Worst Buy you mean?

 

tkistre

Senior member
Apr 24, 2001
212
0
0
Originally posted by: Richb1492
With 2nd day shipping my A8nsli was 180.00 the local cost is 240.00 plus sales tax. Then they actually tried to convince me it was a good price that was what made me mad.
If you think about it with 2nd day shipping newegg is local

You must be talking about ECP. They are high on everything. I don't know how they stay in business. I mostly buy online or from a wholesaler in Houston. I occasionally buy from Pony in Beaumont. They are wholesale only and are not as cheap as Newegg, BUT, their warranty is basically unconditional for 1 year. They do not give you refurb, only new product if you have to exchange something.
 

BigWookie

Member
Jun 4, 2005
25
0
0
Fyr's are a cheap local store. I like to buy my motherboard from local stores too so that I can take it back personally if there are problems. My last system I bought everything but the Motherboard on line. I live in California and they ding you for sales tax either via the internet or buying local so that is not much of an advantage.
I don't mid spending a few bucks more if I can pick it and help out local businesses too.
 

halfadder

Golden Member
Dec 5, 2004
1,190
0
0
Directron in Houston isn't too far away from me, I love their prices most of the time.

There are also a bunch of mom-and-pop computer stores closer to me, their prices are higher but they generally only sell components that they themselves use for building customer PCs, so their pre-sales support is as good as it gets. I love learning about the problems *before* I buy.
 

vtohthree

Senior member
Apr 18, 2005
701
0
0
I skimmed through and I don't think I saw anyone post MICROCENTER yet. They have a few locations around the nation. I buy from them once and a while. They have some crazy deals every now and then.
 

Zebo

Elite Member
Jul 29, 2001
39,398
19
81
No. I don't like stores for a varity of reasons.. idiot sales staff..traffic..lines..tax etc.

That's why I read sites like anandtech so i can make an informed decisions and purchase for almost wholesale prices and delivered to my doorstep off the net.
 

Powermoloch

Lifer
Jul 5, 2005
10,084
4
76
I buy most of my pc parts @ newegg.com / ati.com (when they had some good deals)

But sometimes, I rather go buy some other parts like lcd, mouse, keyboard , etc, I got to places like fry's, pc club, and best buy. Since I don't have to wait another week to get it, since the prices between those products is lil different.

and yes, best buy is a rip
 

daniel49

Diamond Member
Jan 8, 2005
4,814
0
71
Originally posted by: The Pentium Guy
Originally posted by: Valkerie
Originally posted by: BOLt
Fry's and Best Buy are the only two brick-and-mortar stores from which I would buy. I like online better, though. Pricegrabber, Pricewatch, Froogle, and Techbargains always find great prices. Then I just pick the most reliable online merchant while still getting a very competitive price. Easy.

Best Buy in general, is a rip off.
Worst Buy you mean?

ditto
 

lordsaytor

Member
Jul 29, 2005
130
0
0
Originally posted by: xeodragon
Actually, the local stores in canada are pretty fair priced. When you convert newegg prices to the ones in canada, they're about 5 dollars difference, so no big deal. The only exception would be RAM (like 20 dDollars more expensive here). Certain motherboards like the EPoX EP-9NPA+Ultra is more expensive, but that's because it's kind of a special order. So far i'm local, but when newegg.ca comes around, it should be all online for me :D

We ought to send newegg a petition to open a canadian site. And yes some retailers in the toronto area do have competitive pricing.
 

numark

Golden Member
Sep 17, 2002
1,005
0
0
I've been shopping at a local store lately, mainly because the guy that owns it generally knows his stuff and is more than willing to talk something over with you for 20 minutes to let you know about all of its features and even its drawbacks. Sometimes, if you find a really good person to deal with, it can be quite helpful when you need something quickly, since they're more likely to give you a good deal on something if you're a regular. I just got a quite good deal on my latest motherboard from this place. However, certain things they're going to have problems competing on. Newegg, for instance, still gets my business on memory and video cards. Still, there's something to be said for getting friendly with your local computer store guy, though sadly good people are very hard to come by nowadays.
 

Jeff7

Lifer
Jan 4, 2001
41,596
19
81
The only "local" shop is a place about 15 miles away, and it's a little place that mainly does servicing. They've still got a Creative TNT2 in the front window. Their parts sell for the prices of the times when they were originally acquired - that TNT2 would probably still have a price on it of close to $100.

Best Buy/Circuit City are more like 18 miles.
And lately they haven't been selling what I need at prices I like.