Subject: Re: Fry's Nightmares

From: Todd Nathan <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed Jul 2 19:37:40 2003

I have been shopping at fry's for almost 10 years
when I used to live in the Bay Area only 2 miles
from the Camino Real store, and also when visiting
towns that have one near where I'm traveling.  The
purchasing experience at Fry's is really about a
8-9, if you don't need help.  If however you do
in a purchase or return, then the experience goes
down to about a 2-3.  It really is that simple.  I
go there, well educated on what I want, I don't
have expectations of service (shameful that the world
retail experience is pretty much like this, even
Nordstroms is rather saddening these days) and I
don't waste my time buying anything that has a
reputation of bad quality.  In other words, do your
own research and extensive reading online before you
go buy from Fry's.  Oh, and if you get that far, you
may as well check out www.pricewatch.com and other
online street pricing systems, and buy online to save
yourself the 30 minutes or more round trip drive and
waiting in lines.

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From: Mail List <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed Jul 2 19:38:03 2003

Hello Todd,

That pricewatch.com is bullshit. Anytime you get a listing service like that
it is so full of ploys to get listed in the top of the list, that it isn't 
worth messing
with. You'll find the cheapest floppy drives have a high shipping cost, so that
one that isn't the cheapest may actually be the better deal. When I was looking
for a digital camera, I checked it. I called and talked to someone that had 
one of
the lower prices listed on the camera, but then I had to buy all the 
required and
necessary accessories separate. I just said "fork it" and went over to BJ's ( a
wherehouse club store like Sam's or Price Club ) and found a camera in the
box with everything required coming with it, and all I'm talking about here 
is just
the memory card and the fabric strap handle, for less than the lowest 
pricewatch.com
price after all the required extras. That pricewatch.com is something to 
check, but
make sure you read between the lines.

Best Regards

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From: "TeoZ" <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed Jul 2 19:38:07 2003

Pricewatch lists the price of the unit along with shipping , so unless the
place charges some unknown handling charger per order it is a good tool. I
generally find agood reliable source and stick with it untill something
better comes along. Check out feedback at www.bizrate.com for an idea about
customer complaints.

For new PC equipment I generally shop at www.newegg.com
for older/obsolete stuff its ebay or www.compgeeks.com along with lowendmac
swaplists and newsgroups.

Some items you might actually find cheaper in the store (like hard drives
and cdr media at places like bestbuy if you can stand the rebates)