microcenter, class A products?

[zero koopa]

I am just wondering if Micro Center is selling top tier products such as

http://microcenter.com/product/388575/Core_i7_3770K_35GHz_LGA_1155_Processor#ng

of if they are somehow refurbed or Class B stock.

It just raises suspision when they are selling for nearly 100 bucks off.

 

[kleinkinstein]

Everything Intel at MC is actually all grey market! :sneaky:

 

[Insomniator]

Nope they are the real deal, sealed and everything. Microcenter just always has awesome deals with Intel CPU's and motherboard combos. I'm not sure why actually, I'm sure someone here knows.

I bought my 2500k + Asus P67 board for $320 2 years ago, still rockin it

 

[ElFenix]

Nope they are the real deal, sealed and everything. Microcenter just always has awesome deals with Intel CPU's and motherboard combos. I'm not sure why actually, I'm sure someone here knows.

I bought my 2500k + Asus P67 board for $320 2 years ago, still rockin it

probably a vice president sleeping with someone.

i'm not going to complain.

 

[frozentundra123456]

Nope they are the real deal, sealed and everything. Microcenter just always has awesome deals with Intel CPU's and motherboard combos. I'm not sure why actually, I'm sure someone here knows.

I bought my 2500k + Asus P67 board for $320 2 years ago, still rockin it

I dont necessarily mean it in a bad way, but it is just a loss leader to get you into the store in the hopes you will buy a lot of other stuff and become a repeat customer. That said, I do really like Microcenter. We have one near to where I live, and I have gotten some good deals there, although I never have bought a cpu.

 

[zero koopa]

The deal for 226 is worth it for me to drive 25 miles. I am just hoping they get more soon at the Orange County store. I am itching to build.

 

[imagoon]

I dont necessarily mean it in a bad way, but it is just a loss leader to get you into the store in the hopes you will buy a lot of other stuff and become a repeat customer. That said, I do really like Microcenter. We have one near to where I live, and I have gotten some good deals there, although I never have bought a cpu.

If it is a loss leader they sure are doing it wrong. I built and entire system with cheap Intel CPU and it still was, part for part, $180 cheaper than Amazon and $200 newegg and I didn't have to ship it.

 

[dmoney1980]

I've purchased numerous items from Micro Center over the last 10+ years, never had an issue with returning or exchanging DOA / defective products....and no, they don't sell bootleg CPU's LOL

 

[frozentundra123456]

If it is a loss leader they sure are doing it wrong. I built and entire system with cheap Intel CPU and it still was, part for part, $180 cheaper than Amazon and $200 newegg and I didn't have to ship it.

I didnt mean a loss leader in the sense that they are actually losing money on the sale. I have no way to know that. I meant that they just sell it lower than almost anywhere else. And in general their regular prices are competitive as well. With the closing of Comp USA and Circuit City, it is really nice to have a store like this around. Except for Staples, Office Depot type stores there is really nothing else in my area. Edit: there is always Best Buy, but I try to avoid any purchases there except once in a while you can get a good deal on a close out graphics card, in contrast to their regular attempts to sell very low end cards for 80.00.

 

[ElFenix]

Edit: there is always Best Buy, but I try to avoid any purchases there except once in a while you can get a good deal on a close out graphics card, in contrast to their regular attempts to sell very low end cards for 80.00.

oddly enough, the only category where microcenter doesn't seem pretty competitive with the online guys is video cards.

 

[SKORPI0]

Bought my Asus X79 Sabertooth and i7 3820 from MC late Sept for 509.99+tax. saved about $110 compared to Newegg despite the free shipping, no tax. Never had a problem with any item I bought.
I've been shopping since 1996 when MC opened a Chicago store (Elston).

Tried doing a PM with local TigerDirect B&M but they wouldn't match the price of the CPU ($90 difference), only the motherboard ($50 difference).

 

[frozentundra123456]

oddly enough, the only category where microcenter doesn't seem pretty competitive with the online guys is video cards.

I have noticed the same thing, they are not generally very competitive in graphics cards.
However, I did recently get a HD7770 for 89.99 after rebate.

 

[mfenn]

I am just wondering if Micro Center is selling top tier products such as

http://microcenter.com/product/388575/Core_i7_3770K_35GHz_LGA_1155_Processor#ng

of if they are somehow refurbed or Class B stock.

It just raises suspision when they are selling for nearly 100 bucks off.

Nope, they are the same as what you would get from Newegg. MicroCenter is just willing to forgo a profit (or even take a small loss) to get you into the store.

 

[Charlie98]

Now Fry's, on the other hand....

 

[frozentundra123456]

Now Fry's, on the other hand....

Are they good? Dont have any in my area that I am aware of. I would like to see one sometime though.

 

[T_Yamamoto]

Are they good? Dont have any in my area that I am aware of. I would like to see one sometime though.

They are a hit or miss.

 

[JackMDS]

If you notice it is in-Store only.

I.e., they want to lure people into the Store with the hope that they will buy more and keep buying.

Microcenter's store prices are Not very competitive with on-line prices of NewEgg and the like. They do this type of special from time to time.

I got last year (or may be more) my i5-2500K Sandy Bridge with similar discount and it is still Going Fast. :thumbsup:

 

[ElFenix]

Microcenter's store prices are Not very competitive with on-line prices of NewEgg and the like. They do this type of special from time to time.

time to time? they've been doing the processor + motherboard dirt cheap for a year now. even without the processor their motherboard prices are usually exactly the same as newegg.

as for other parts, frankly i don't think you've shopped microcenter much. video cards is the only thing they're generally not competitive on.

 

[imagoon]

If you notice it is in-Store only.

I.e., they want to lure people into the Store with the hope that they will buy more and keep buying.

Microcenter's store prices are Not very competitive with on-line prices of NewEgg and the like. They do this type of special from time to time.

I got last year (or may be more) my i5-2500K Sandy Bridge with similar discount and it is still Going Fast. :thumbsup:

Every time I go in there they price match Newegg's prices for me. Normally tax is less than Newegg shipping. They knocked $45 off a 32GB memory kit because newegg had it on sale. Intel CPU was cheaper, the system board price on the shelf was the same. PSU was also the same price. The case was $10 cheaper etc. Generally they have beaten Newegg even with local tax.

 

[SKORPI0]

If you notice it is in-Store only.
I.e., they want to lure people into the Store with the hope that they will buy more and keep buying.
Microcenter's store prices are Not very competitive with on-line prices of NewEgg and the like. They do this type of special from time to time.

Of course, that's why they have these cpu/mobo combos that they can sell for less. My Asus x79 Sabertooth and i7 3820 cost me $549.50 (510+tax) vs. what Newegg wanted at $659.98 (free shipping, no tax). I had to drive 50 miles (round trip) to get the items vs. waiting a week for them and paying $110 more. I bought a lot from them since 1996 and I can't see any difference in quality from what I would get on-line/in-store (Newegg, Fry's, TigerDirect, etc.). Like you mentioned, I ended up buying additional stuff not in my need to buy list that I could have bought on-line at about the same price and not paying any tax. But I said to myself "what the heck, I'm in the store anyway and would like to build/assemble the system tonight". In the end the total cost of those 2 parts swayed me in going B&M vs. on-line.

Some people wouldn't have this buying option anyway since they wouldn't have a B&M in their location.

 

[dmoney1980]

Regarding Micro Center's GPU pricing: ask the manager to price match! 9 times out of 10 they will do it! You can also find great deals if you stop by on the right day. I picked up a Galaxy GTX 480 last fall there for $250

 

[JackMDS]

Every time I go in there they price match Newegg's prices for me. Normally tax is less than Newegg shipping. They knocked $45 off a 32GB memory kit because newegg had it on sale. Intel CPU was cheaper, the system board price on the shelf was the same. PSU was also the same price. The case was $10 cheaper etc. Generally they have beaten Newegg even with local tax.

Sorry this Not my experience.

That said, there is No Fry's or any other computer specialty store in my general geographical area. There is only one Microcenter store in Westbury Long Island, my report is based on shopping there.

Tax is 8.5% which most of the time more than NewEgg regular shipping rate.

So why I shop there.

1. Sometimes there are good sale (like the CPU discussed in this thread).

2. When I need something pronto it is better to go store rather than paying the overpriced fast deliveries that are offered by online stores.

In the New York the "Stupid" delivery that gets higher and higher in its frequent usage.

Last week I order two items from NewEgg. One Item was sent from California and the other for NJ across the river. It is only 10 to 30 miles away from my address. If they "walked" the Item to me they can get it to me in few hours.

The item from Cal. was delivered via UPS and came before the Item from across the Hudson river.

The story involves some sort of combo delivery.

NewEgg give the item to UPS, UPS delivers it to USPS, and USPS delivers the package to its destination.

This process adds at best one day to the delivery time, in average 2 to 3 days more.

 

[SKORPI0]

Sorry this Not my experience.

The item from Cal. was delivered via UPS and came before the Item from across the Hudson river.

The story involves some sort of combo delivery.

I've had items (blank blu-rays IIRC) ordered shipped from a nearby Newegg sub-contractor/facility which at that time I didn't know even existed. I always assumed at that they always shipped from their warehouse at City of Industry, California. I think they do that to cut cost of shipping which in this case was free for me. Or pass the sale to a partner company that has it available nearest to you. Makes me wonder how they make money from this.

 

[Zap]

I always assumed at that they always shipped from their warehouse at City of Industry, California.

Newegg operates warehouses in New Jersey as well as Tennessee. Not 3rd party, but actual Newegg warehouses. This way they can usually offer 3 day shipping without charging extra.

The "catch" is as JackMDS experienced. On lighter weight items they will use a discounted service that starts with normal shipping companies, but then they hand off to your local post office for final delivery. I've had these be pretty quick (next day after hand-off) and I've had them pretty slow (over 2 weeks!) since the post office doesn't guarantee delivery dates.

 

[mfenn]

Regarding Micro Center's GPU pricing: ask the manager to price match! 9 times out of 10 they will do it! You can also find great deals if you stop by on the right day. I picked up a Galaxy GTX 480 last fall there for $250

:thumbsup: to this. Always remember that MC salespeople (the guys/gals on the floor) are real salespeople on commission as opposed to the typical BB drone. They want you to come back and look for them specifically and will do whatever they can to make the sale.