So you're thinking of buying a new
computer...
Where do you start? There are so
many brands and models of computers available, and it can all be a little
overwhelming when you start to look around.
How do you decide what type of
computer you need? And perhaps more importantly, how do you decide what the
best value is?
I have sold computers
professionally for almost 20 years, and there are certain "tricks of the
trade" that most computer stores and salespeople use. Knowing these
secrets can make your decision easier and will help you buy the right computer
for your needs.
1. Buy What You Need, Maybe a
Little More
One of the most important things
you can do when buying a new computer is make a list of the things that you
will be using it for. There are so many different models - with different
capabilities - that you can easily buy more, or less, than you really need if
you don't.
If this is your first computer,
this can be a little tougher. Until you've used a computer, it's hard to know
exactly what you might want to do with it beyond the obvious, like connecting
to the internet.
Regardless, you should think about
some of the things you might want to do. Some possibilities include:
- Connect to the internet
- Play games
- Digital photography
- Digital video
- Type documents
- Accounting
- Design websites
- Programming
- Digital scrapbooking
- Geneology
Some of these things need more
power than others. For example, connecting to the internet really doesn't need
a lot of power. Even the most basic computer available will probably work just
fine.
Digital video and many games need a
lot more power. If you don't get a fast enough computer with enough memory,
you'll be disappointed with the performance.
Knowing what you're going to be
using your computer for will help your salesperson, whether they're on the
phone, the internet or standing in front of you, recommend the best system for
your needs.
As a general rule you're always
better off buying more power than you need rather than less, but buying too
much can be a waste of money.
2. Warranty Considerations
Computer warranties are one of the
most confusing and obscure parts of your purchase. Most manufacturers have cut
back on their customer service to the point where poor service has become a
given.
The three most common options are
onsite, carry-in or manufacturer's depot service.
Onsite service can be helpful, but
think about whether you want to have to be available for a technician to come
and diagnose your computer, and possibly have to come back with parts at
another time.
Carry in service is a good option,
but find out whether the service center is factory authorized for warranty
repairs, as well as whether the technicians are all certified.
Shipping your computer to a factory
service center can take a long time - sometimes a number of weeks. It also
creates risk that your computer will be damaged or even lost in shipping. In
some cases, the manufacturer will even replace your computer with another unit
and ship it back to you, rather than repairing it. This can result in your losing
any information that was on your system and having to reload all your software.
Another aspect of the warranty to
find out about is technical support. Find out if the computer manufacturer
offers a toll-free phone number and what the quality of service is like.
The better computer salespeople
will be honest about this and tell you if a company's service leaves something
to be desired. You can also do some research on the internet - most of the
computer magazines like PC Magazine and PC World have annual customer service
comparisons that rate the larger computer companies.
Always find out how the warranty is
handled before making your decision. Even if it doesn't influence your choice,
knowing what to expect if something does go wrong will save some nasty
surprises down the road.
3. Can You Negotiate the Price
Down?
A computer is a relatively large
investment - anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. Many
computer buyers expect that there is a significant amount of "wiggle
room" on the price.
The reality is that most computer
hardware - the physical pieces like the computer, monitor and printer - is sold
at very low profit margins. Often, computer systems are even sold at or below
the dealer cost. When you're buying a computer, it never hurts to ask for a
better deal, but don't be surprised if you only get a few dollars off, if
anything.
Over the close to 20 years I've
sold computers, I watched the profit margins go from over 40% to less than 5%.
It's almost embarassing to offer a $20 discount on a $2500 computer system, but
that could mean the difference between making and losing money on the sale.
What you can do to get the best
price is to do some comparison shopping. Most computer stores offer
price-matching guarantees, so if you find your computer for less at another
store, most dealers will match or beat that price, even if it means they lose
money.
4. How Do Computer Stores Make Any
Money?
You might be wondering how these
computer stores make any money if they're selling computer for so little
profit.
Their money is made on add-on
items. The highest profit areas in most computer stores are cables and
"consumable" products such as printer ink and paper.
Printer ink is a huge money-maker
for most computer stores (even more so for the printer manufacturers). Why is
this? Once you've bought a printer, you're going to have to replace your ink at
some point, and continue to replace it as it runs out.
Most chain computer stores and
office supply stores that carry a large selection of ink cartridges make more
from ink than they do from the computers themselves.
Cables also have huge markups. A
cable that costs the store $2-3 will often sell for $20-30. That's ten times
their cost!
If you're buying a new computer,
you will likely need to buy some cables. Some items - printers, for example -
don't often include the cables needed to hook them up.
Many printers also come with
"starter" ink cartridges that are only half-full. You might also want
to pick up some extra ink cartridges.
This is where you should be able to
negotiate a better price. Don't expect the salesperson to throw them in for
nothing, but they should be willing to offer you a better price. After all, if
you're happy with their service, you'll probably continue to buy your ink,
paper and other products from that store in the future.
5. What Software is Included?
The last secret of buying a new
computer has to do with the software that is included. Most new computer
systems include quite a few programs and sometimes the value of the software
can be quite high.
Something to watch out for when
looking at the included software is "trial versions" or "limited
editions".
Many programs that are preloaded
are either crippled versions that don't have all the features of the full
program, or trial versions that will only run for a certain amount of time
before they expire.
Computer are often sold with trial
versions of the following types of software:
- antivirus
- firewall
- MS Office or other office suites
- Accounting - both business and
personal
The computer manufacturers
generally don't make it easy to tell whether the software on their systems are
trial versions or limited versions. This is a question that you should
specifically ask if you can't find the answer in their promotional information.
If you're buying a new computer
with trial versions of the software, keep in mind that you will need to pay to
continue using it after the trial period is over. This is an added cost that
you need to consider as part of your overall budget.
These five "secrets" of
buying a new computer are fairly common sense, but they are not always made
clear up front. Knowing what to ask will help you in two ways. First, you can
be sure you are getting the right computer for your needs.
Second, if the salesperson or
company that you're dealing with explains these things to you without being
asked, you'll know you're dealing with someone who is honest and upfront.
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