[net.consumers] cheap VCRs, etc. by mail order

btb@ahuta.UUCP (Bruce Burger) (12/23/84)

I agree with Will Martin's comments about discount mail-order
electronics houses such as NY's 47th Street Photo.  A little more detail:

The best prices I know of for all sorts of electronics components,
tapes, etc. are in the following places in the Sunday NY Times:
   - back of the Arts and Leisure section
   - middle of the *second* main news section
It's worth the $2.60 you have to pay for the Sunday Times if you
aren't near NYC.

I echo Will's general theme, that most of these places are OK, but
you give up service for their discount prices.

--Bruce Burger     AT&T Information Systems     Freehold, NJ
  {...ihnp4!}ahuta!btb

abeles@mhuxm.UUCP (abeles) (12/24/84)

Regarding discount mail-order houses:  Caveat emptor; before committing
yourself to a purchase you must verify everything (all is negotiable).
In my personal experience, I was told in person when I bought an answering
machine that once I paid for it it was mine and any repairs were the
responsibility of the manufacturer (Sony).  The only thing I could check
was that there was indeed an answering machine (or something resembling
one) in the box.  The seller washes his hands completely of the product
and does not stand behind it at all.

I find that the discounters are worth dealing with if you are prepared
to take some risk and suffer some inconvenience in exchange for some
money (less than 10% under what careful shopping could otherwise uncover).
For someone living far from New York or whereever the discounter is, I
would think the inconvenience and risk are higher.  I did not deal with
47th Street Photo in the above, however, and my comments are not specific
to any particular dealer.

Another article in this newsgroup correctly describes the New York Times
and which sections of its Sunday edition are valuable for finding these
dealers.  Again, shipping and extra charges for standard accessories
are likely to be hidden in the advertising, so you have to know exactly
what you want.  Shop around, look at what acquaintances and friends have
purchased for themselves, and if you have the patience to wait for what
you're buying you can earn some cash.  But with these dealer, it cannot
be overemphasized, you are on your own--you're a big boy (or girl) now.

--J. Abeles