Attention PC shoppers - includes related article on shopping on the Internet and vendor certification programs - Buyers Guide

Home Office Computing, Nov, 1997 by Bonny Georgia

Shopping till you drop may be fun when you're buying clothes or Christmas gifts, but when purchasing a PC for your business, the less hassle the better. Where you buy PCs and other office equipment can be just as important as what you buy. With all the different shopping options--direct from the manufacturer, catalogs, retail stores, value-added resellers (VARs), and even Web-based stores--how do you pick the best method for you?

To illustrate just how big a role personal preference plays in determining the best place for you to buy, we profile four satisfied customers, each of whom purchased computers from a different source. (Based on your needs, your level of computer expertise, and your shopping style, the following shopping chart will help you select the perfect option for your business.)

Going Straight to the Source

My preferred shopping method for my Easthampton, Massachusetts, writing business has always been buying direct from the manufacturer. Most of my retail shopping experience has involved arrogant salespeople trying to dazzle me into a sale of an underpowered or overpriced consumer PC. By buying direct, I can build my system from the ground up--something I feel comfortable doing--and leave myself room to buy other things down the road to stave off obsolescence.

Last September, when I needed to buy a system capable of handling daily hardware and software testing, I used the configuration engines at Dell's, Micron's, and Gateway's Web sites to compare prices as I custom designed my system. After some consideration, I decided Dell offered the best deal on a 200MHz Pentium Pro with Microsoft Office 95. I placed my order from the Dell Web site and waited approximately one week for shipping. The hardware quality has been excellent and so has the technical support, earning Dell--and direct shopping--a repeat customer.

Browsing for the Best Deal

As a computer consultant for small businesses, Jody Hensley, owner of JF Hensley Consulting in McGaheysville, Virginia, is often called upon to recommend and purchase PCs for his clients. Hensley prefers shopping via catalogs for both the service and savings they offer. In the past year he's purchased four AST Ascentia Pentium 75MHz laptops from cataloger Insight Direct: two for his own use, and two for customers.

Hensley believes the personalized service he receives from catalogs is unparalleled. His account representative at Insight not only writes up orders but also notifies him of special sales and offers advice on what to buy for clients. Hensley also appreciates catalogs' low prices. "You can typically save 20 percent or more over retail by buying via mail order," he says. Quick shipping turnaround is another plus. "The laptops were sent via FedEx two-day service." Ordering by mail requires a high comfort level with computer technology, but that's what keeps Hensley in business. "I can save my clients money by mail-ordering PCs for them when they're not comfortable doing it themselves," he explains.

A Hands-on Experience

The need for tech support services in her area is the main reason Beth Ostrowski-Parks chooses the retail route for buying computers and other electronics. When the owner of It's Pawsible Dog Training in Westhampton, Massachusetts, had to replace an aging Quantex system for her business, her experiences with poor tech support kept her from ordering another system direct. "I had several problems with my old system and each time I called tech support, the line was busy or I would sit on hold endlessly," recalls Ostrowski-Parks. "Buying retail was one way to ensure local service."

Ostrowski-Parks compared prices and configurations of about a dozen PCs at seven different stores before settling on a 166MHZ Pentium Sony VAIO at Lechmere. "I liked being able to take it home that day, and the six-month no-interest payment plan was a bonus," she says. Compared to buying direct, however, Ostrowski-Parks found retail shopping time consuming and the salespeople helpful but pushy. "If you're not sure what you need, take along a knowledgeable friend or hire a consultant to help you decide what to buy," she suggests.

Personal Shoppers for Personal Computers

Chris Small of Sinauer Associates, a textbook publisher in Sunderland, Massachusetts, knows he might save money shopping direct or even retail. But the working relationship he has with his value-added reseller, YES Computers, is worth every penny to him. "We've invested faith in this VAR, which works harder for us because it would like to keep us as a customer," says Small.

He turned to YES Computers when he needed to purchase five high-end Macintosh workstations for the textbook production department of Sinauer Associates. YES advised Small on his purchase of Mac clones, designed an internal backup system, addressed the company's networking needs, and set up the new systems when they arrived roughly a week after placing the order. "I could save a few dollars shopping mail order," says Small, "but when you're buying high-end graphics workstations, the old adage `penny-wise and pound-foolish' really applies."