sutherla@qtp.ufl.edu (scott sutherland) (06/27/89)
This is something that should be of general interest to the Net. A couple of weeks ago, John Sparks posted a lengthy article on computer mail order, along with a summary of his experiences with 3 mail order houses and some Amiga products. I am in the market for a hard drive and SCSI controller, so I read this article. It is very informative. So I went down to one of the local bookstores and, while perusing the computer book section, I came across the following book: COMPUTER DISCOUNT SHOPPING GUIDE Your complete directory to computer mail order. Signet Special; $6.95; ISBN 0-451-82195-5 1988 A summary of the contents is as follows: Pages 4-14 cover the ins and outs of mail order. There are sections on benefits of mail-order, disadvantages of mail-order, how to choose the right mail-order company, policies,tips for successful mail-order shopping, additional precautions, grey market, knowing your rights, and how to handle a problem, including the address of the National Advertising Division (NAD) of the Better Business Bureau and other helpful addresses and phone numbers. Pages 15-20 cover how to use the guide. Pages 21-124 are one page synopses of 103 mail order companies. The information provided on each company includes the address and phone number, showroom locations, a 4-5 line paragraph summarizing the company, a section describing what types of products are sold, what portion of sales are computers, peripherals, or software, what types and brands of computers are sold, what types of peripherals and software are sold and for which types of computers, and, MOST IMPORTANT, a table summarizing prices and policies. The prices and policies table includes the following information: Minimum order. Payment methods. Any surcharges for VISA, Am. Express, etc.. Any discounts or cash, prepayment, or quantity. Are credit cards charged before or after shipping. If shipping has a surcharge, is same/next day, or can be overnight express. Returns policies (check list format): Accept returns on nondefective goods: Cash refunds? Restocking fee? (and amount or %) Store credit? Time limit? (# days or weeks given) Accept returns on defective goods: Cash refunds? Refund shipping costs? Exchange for same item? Time limit? Accept no returns; return to manufacturer. Pages 125-160 include 9 indexes to help locate a specific product or service. They include: Brands of Computers (who carries them). Portable Computers (who carries them). Peripherals (By computer type, subdivided by peripheral type). Software (Again by computer type, subdivided by software type (e.g., database, eductional...) Used Equipment retailers. Renting and Leasing retailers. Supplies. On-Site Repair. Summary of Showroom Locations (By state, subdivided by city). Just to give you an idea, the book lists 14 retailers in Amiga computer hardware, 1 page of retailers in Amiga peripherals (storage devices, expansion cards, modems, monitors, and printers), and 2 pages of Amiga software retailers (educational, entertainment, graphics, utility, etc.). I just purchased this book today, but from what I can tell, this is a MUST HAVE for anyone who plans to use mail-order. I look at it this way. If I am going to spend several hundred dollars on a peripheral (hard disk) I can afford to spend $7 to be an informed mail order consumer. Hope this is of use to the Net. Scott Sutherland