A computer is one of the most major purchases a person can make, other than a car and real estate.
There are almost as many choices of where to buy a computer as there are brands and models of computer hardware.
Major issues you may want to take into consideration include follow-up: what sort of warranties and
repair services does the store offer? Does the store do repairs and servicing in-house, or will your
computer be shipped to their head location in Toronto? Most
electronics stores offer a warranty that allows for an exchange within a very finite amount of time -- usually two weeks to a month --
and servicing for up to a year, but offers the option of purchasing an extended warranty which would cover
several years of servicing and repairs. When I bought my laptop at CompusSmart,
I opted for the extended warranty -- it cost an extra two hundred dollars or so, but I view it more like an insurance policy:
since I have it, I probably (hopefully) won't need it.
The staff at CompuSmart is extremely knowledgable -- and extremely busy. Both the west end and downtown locations
are buzzing with activity. Price-wise CompuSmart can be on the high end, but the selection and service
tends to be excellent.
Future Shop is another major purveyor of
computers and other electronic goods. Like CompuSmart, the staff tends to be
very knowledgable about what they sell, although sales people are often extremely busy and hard to track down.
Future Shop has sales quite often, sending out flyers with the Edmonton Journal
and Edmonton Sun, so their prices are
competitive.
Radio Shack is a classic haunt for those of us who got on the
computer bandwagon back in the days of the Tandy Color Computers. Before Macs, before PC's, the CoCo was the
computer of choice. Anyways, the Shack still carries a variety of high and low end computers
and accessories. Usually units needing to be serviced are shipped out, so this can cause some downtime.
Although stationary, desks and binders are what may come to mind when thinking of Office Depot,
this chain does carry a limited but competitively-priced selection of computers and related goods.
In the west end, CompuSmart, FutureShop, and Office Depot are all located within blocks of each other,
making comparitive shopping a breeze.
Shopping for a computer is not easy, unless you know exactly what you are looking for. Talk to your friends,
visit numerous stores, and of course, head online to find the best deal. All of the stores
mentioned here offer extensive e-commerce sites that allow you to order online, but you may want to visit them in person
just to get a feel for what you are buying. After all, you wouldn't buy a car without first taking it for a test drive -- or would you?
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