Do you really want to know?

Okay, so I've kept you wondering. Just what did I do with respect to a computer?

I found one btw. It wasn't that hard really. What was really astonishing about the whole process was that the fellow who I made the purchase from, actually appeared interested in helping me out in my quest.

I am as guilty as the next person when it comes to making purchases. I tend towards big box stores and warehouse types fooled by the perception that less frills = low cost. Once again, my ideals have been quashed.

Large retailers so I have come to find out do not really guarantee lower prices. A friend of mine who sells beds and mattresses will reinforce this. (though, I will say, even though I have never bought anything from her, I understand from many that have, she goes the extra distance and does indeed pass huge savings along to her clients - she is also extremely successful!) Large retailers often have 'price guarantees' and 'price protection' using statements like these: 'if you find this product (small print, exact product or group of products) for a lower price anywhere, we will match that price and give you a further discount'. What they don't really tell you is that the price comparison needs to be for the exact items.... not a version different, not a similar product, not a very much the same but with this iddy bitty tiny difference. Often they use this trick when they are the only chain to carry that exact version of that exact product, so finding a comparision is impossible.

Once again, I react that way most consumers do, I assume that there are better deals to be had. This past week of computer shopping however, changed that perspective. What I found was that a smaller, independent retailer can match and often can out do the sales points for items stocked by the big retailers.

In my quest for a new system once I was completely ticked off at Staples and 'the man', I ventured down a road I don't take often - I called a smaller outfit who was referred to me. As it turned out, I should have called them a week earlier and saved myself tons of grief and aggravation.

The store I ended up calling and dealing with was Northern Micro - located in Ottawa. Thanks to Kris and his side kick Allen I got the system I needed, at a price I was happy with, without having to fight, kick or scream. I walked in, Kris showed me my options, I made the decision, Allen installed the operating system and software and I was done. The total process took less than a day. I even flipped for the non pressured extended warranty, a 1/3rd of the cost of the large retailer's warranty. The total package, and I mean total + the extended warranty, a wireless keyboard and mouse and a very nice wide screen monitor was $350 less than the comparable system at Staples.

The moral of this story? I'd say that nine times out of ten, you are better off shopping in a smaller local store vs. a large and likely US owned retailer.

Thanks Kris and crew for making my computer buying decision that much easier. Maybe next time I need to make a purchase I'll better consider my options.

Have a wonderful Hot Cherry Day!

Sometimes you should just kick me!

Yeah, you read right. You know when you bitch and complain about something, yet for some reason, you keep right on subjecting yourself to more of the same. We all do it. We all need to stop it - NOW!

Last week I set out to purchase a computer for a business requirement. Not a huge task, or at least I would have thought initially. I do not need to have a top notch, extremely lightening fast, gaming type system. I need some graphics capacity, good memory, able to run a few applications at a time. I want, not need, a flat screen monitor of good proportion, a colour multi function printer, a roller mouse and we are off to the races.

I start my search as so many others do now, online. I take a look at all of the competitors who advertise broadly and try to figure out who has the best value system at the time. After many clicks and several 'huffs' I resort to the fact that I am going to need to hit the pavement as purchasing online is almost impossible. (now, if I didn't have questions and fully understood what I could and could not live with, it would have been a task for 'check out online' - but of course I couldn't keep it that easy).

So, into the mess of stores I go. Here's where the story gets going. Years ago I attempted to purchase a PDA from Staples. I went to the Kanata Ontario store, spoke with a 'peripheral specialist' and was prepared to make the buying decision. With one catch. I wanted to actually see what the screen of this new PDA looked like (it was a featured Staples special, my VP at the time was covering the cost of it for me (sales incentive) and I needed to purchase from Staples (company arrangement)). The 'specialist' however could not allow this. You see, none of the PDA were charged and ready to view. In fact, none that were on special were even on display.

Now, I thought this odd and I also thought my request was within keeping. Oh no. 'We can't have an open box' says the clerk. 'But I'm not buying it without seeing the thing, what if I take it home, charge it up and hate the screen, then what, can I bring it back for a full refund?' 'Oh, no' says the clerk, 'we only give credit notes on opened handheld electronics products'. 'Oh yeah' I says..... I leave the store, call the manager to complain. In return I get a voice mail: ' Sorry you feel the way you do, we don't have a floor unit, this is our policy, when would you like to come in and pick up your PDA?'

I bought a PDA from Staples that time, but not from the Kanata store. My next trip to the pain in the butt store was for office supplies and for a multi function printer, fax etc. It was a no brainer, there was one in stock, I picked up the box (which was open and got an open box discount!) and left. No one so much as attempted to help me and given my experience, I did not care.

Fast forward to last week - now that you have my 'Staples Kanata' background. So..... I was shopping for a computer system. I'd done all the research, but still hadn't settled on a system. The one hinge was the printer - so many questions that I couldn't be answered online. I'm off to do in store shopping and make the purchase.

Against my better judgment, I enter Staples Kanata. I walk over to 'the man' and proceed to ask, 'Sir, what is your best value for a complete computer system right now?' 'the man' gets a flyer, hims and haws and says 'this one'. I says, 'humm, what does it come with?' 'Comes complete'. 'Hummmm' I says, 'printer/fax/multi function'? 'No, no fax, that'll be $75 extra, plus you loose the rebate'.

After further discussion on the necessity of a fax, cost of replacement cartridges etc. I decide I can go without a stand alone fax and ask 'the man', 'what is the total cost, tax included and is there anything else I will need to add to the cost or system to have word-processing, spreadsheets etc?' 'the man' says 'the total cost is $850 plus taxes, complete, walk out, no extra charges... oh, expect for a $30 USB cable.' I then ask ' how many do you have in stock (5:00pm) now and do you anticipate them all being sold tonight?' 'the man' says, 'I have nine complete systems and I will likely have them all tomorrow'.

I leave the store as I still need to shop one other location. Fast forward to the next day.

I decide that Staples has the best bang for the buck, even though 'the man' is not the most informed or friendly person I've ever met, I return to the store to buy the system. It is 11am the next day.

In the door I walk and I ask for 'the man', 'he's over there'. Off I go. I walk up and say, 'hello 'the man'. He looks at me like I'm from mars when I tell him I was in last night at 5pm and spoke to him and that he told me that he had nine systems in stock and that I'd like one of them. Not only does he not have any recall, he says, I didn't tell you that we had nine system, we are sold out. I'm floored.

'The man' does tell me to follow him as he checks to see if he can order more. He can. Now I'm a bit pissed and feeling like I should walk out the door when I ask the fatal question. 'Now, 'the man', do I need to purchase any other items, is it a fully functional system right? with MS office? and an operating system installed? - correct?'

Have a seat now! 'the man' says, (with a ton of disgust), 'It doesn't come with an operating system or Office - that's $500 extra.' WTF!!!!! I'm floored. I can barely speak. 'What do you mean, you said last night that the price you gave me was complete, not that I needed to pay all of this'. 'the man' looks me square in the eye and says, 'I didn't say that, that would be stupid, EVERYONE charges extra for operating systems and Office'. He adds the disgusted look to boot as I tell him.....'the man', 'thanks, but no thanks, you did tell me, now you've changed it, others do include it, $500 is excessive and at that rate, his good deal falls to one of the worst, out the door I go.

I'm still a wee bit pissed. What did I do about that computer system that created all the kuffle? Ah, that's another story!
Have a Hot Cherry Week.