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WHEN I NEEDED a new laptop, my search for the best machine offered at the best price led me on a long and winding road that started at PC Expo and ended online. To begin my search, I did some research and discovered what was available and what specs I felt I would need. PC Expo was a great place for this because I was able to touch and see all of the latest models and ask questions of knowledgeable representatives. I knew I wanted to wait until August to buy, so price wasn't too important at the time. Computer magazines are great for
looking at pictures and reading reviews, but the August. The clock was ticking, and I needed to order my laptop since I would soon be leaving for Hong Kong to start my new job. At PC Expo I had decided on the Digital HiNote VP 745/266 MMX. But by now these were hard to find, still quite pricey, and hadn't advanced to the new Mobile Pentium II chip. So back to the drawing board. This time I switched my sights to the IBM Thinkpad 380XD Mobile Pentium II/266 Mhz, 64MB RAM, 5.5 GB HD, 24x CD, floppy, etc. I looked at IBM's Web site at www.ibm.com to find out the details and the manufacturer's part number. Always try to get the part number so you can ask specifically for what you want and not be led to a similar but different product. IBM's Web site lists distributors to call for availability and purchase price. It listed the average selling price at $2,754.28 for the same machine with only 32MB RAM. I called all of the distributors and was informed that they were on backorder and would not be in until the end of the month. Since I was leaving in three weeks, this was not good news. So I called IBM to see when they would be shipping more. They never got back to me. I had waited until the last minute to buy my computer because prices drop and technology improves every week. But now my strategy was working against me. In desperation, I went back online. ONLINE SHOPPING has become quite popular. First I went to CompUSA's Web site and looked at their sale items; then I tried www.cdw.com, www.pczone.com, www.warehouse.com, and www.pcconection.com. The last one was a gold mine. PC Connection's Web site is well organized: I was easily able to search for the specs I wanted, get the results listed by price or manufacturer, browse their clearance items, and check out products by manufacturer. It was often possible to click on a product and receive more details. All of the online sellers were also out of the Thinkpad 380XD, but I found a refurbished one at pcconnection.com available through their clearance shop. It was listed at $2,299 for 32 MB RAM. I am a teacher, so when I called PC Connection I asked about discounts. The sales rep referred me to the education department, where I spent about 15-20 minutes on the phone with somebody named Jim, who informed me that IBM does indeed offer discounts to teachers and that the computer could be mine for $2,205. I asked about the extra 32MB RAM I required--for $55 it was well below the going rate and the installation was free. Shipping via Airborne Express came to $6. I will receive all of the manuals and programs that come with the original -- it will just be in a white box. What I will not receive is the full one-year warranty -- I'll get only 90 days. So for a total of $2,266 I'll be getting a computer I had priced out at over $2,800 by the nearest competitor (CDW). What did I learn during this process? Do research. Know what you want (the model number and all of the specs) so you won't be led to a product you don't want by a pushy salesperson or a lousy Website. Ask questions. When I wanted an extra 32 of RAM, for instance, I was quoted between $72 and $125, both with free installation. Shipping ran from $6 to $45. Many manufacturers offer a variety of teacher / student/ charity/ nonprofit organization discounts. I found PC Connection's education representative extremely helpful. Check prices. What is listed in advertisements and on Websites is often more than what the product is selling for by the time you want to buy it. Always call and ask. Be patient. Making phone calls, visiting Websites, and reading magazines takes a lot of time. Not including my prior research at PC Expo, I probably spent a solid 15 hours over three days finding exactly what I wanted for the right price. And remember the longer you wait, the lower the price and the better the technology. So now that I have my new, smooth IBM ThinkPad 380XD (it arrived overnight by Federal Express!), I am ready to set off for Hong Kong and explore the software market! |
| Jacqueline Cohen, the daughter of dacs.doc production editor, Marc Cohen, has taught English in Turkey, Taiwan, and Nepal, and is an expert Inernet researcher. She will soon be teaching in Hong Kong. |
