jvb@romeo.cs.duke.edu (Jack V. Briner) (10/12/89)
After fighting with Dr. Mac for over a month now, I thought I would warn readers of the problems I have had with Dr. Mac, a discount mail order house. I decided that I wanted to by a Microtech 80 harddrive (with 5 yr warranty) for my new computer. Wanting fast delivery, I called Microtech, figuring they could deliver the fastest. Well, they had just moved so I called several of the mail order companies to see if they had one in stock. Dr. Mac promised to have one in stock and that it would be shipped out immediately. (Great, my new Mac would lose just 3 of the 90 day Apple warranty waiting for a disk.) While I was at it, I figured I would get some software, cables and memory from one place. So, I waited two days (UPS blue delivery time), and no disk software, cables or memory. I called back and they said that they had to get a drive. (Huh, it was in stock; I had been told). However, I was told, the arrive would be in an order from Microtech today and shipped to me today.. I asked them to cancel the software and memory. (I ordered the memory and software from MacZone.) I told them to Federal Express the order (like MacZone does for the same cost). My memory from MacZone arrived the next day! I called Dr. Mac asking where my order was. I was told that it had just arrived. Now that it was Friday, I asked that it be sent FedEx for Saturday delivery. I waited for the delivery and alas no disk or cable. I called on Monday to find that my order had been held up on the memory I had cancelled! I reminded them I had cancelled that and they said, "oops". Three days later (some ten days after the original order), I start tracking the package. I asked them were it was sent to. They gave me an address in another building! So, I ran over to the other building to find UPS trying to find a non-existent room! I finally got my package. However, it seemed a little large. I opened up to find--my drive (yeah!) and the software and memory I had cancelled. However, it was missing the cable! I called Dr. Mac and was told my Visa had been charged for the extra items but that charge would be removed. UPS was to pickup my package and all would be over. But, NOOOO... This is Dr. Mac. Was my charge reversed? No. Did UPS ever come by? No. I am now waiting my third week for UPS to pickup my package. (Of course, Dr. Mac gets called several times a week). The moral of the story: When mail ordering, use the large company with a reputation. Dr. Mac might have saved me 0.5% on my order but the headaches where not worth the trouble. MacZone was friendly, helpful (the tech. rep. helped me with the memory) and were very efficient.
francis@pawl.rpi.edu (Frank J. Schima) (10/13/89)
In defense of Dr. Mac, I ordered 8 80 ns 1Meg SIMMs from them a few weeks ago. Their price was unbeatable ($100 each), the delivery was prompt (only three days), and the person I talked to was pleasant. That is my only experience with them and, of course, I am not affiliated with them in any way. -- francis@pawl.rpi.edu - Francis Schima
sarrel@sioux.cis.ohio-state.edu (Marc Sarrel) (10/13/89)
In article <1989Oct12.234039.15738@rpi.edu> francis@pawl.rpi.edu (Frank J. Schima) writes:
In defense of Dr. Mac, I ordered 8 80 ns 1Meg SIMMs from
them a few weeks ago. Their price was unbeatable ($100 each),
the delivery was prompt (only three days), and the person I
talked to was pleasant.
Sorry, I just bought some 80ns chips from Chip Merchant for $87 each.
Shipping and insurance are extra, they don't take credit cards, but
they delivered in two days (overnight available) and _will_not_ take
your order if they don't have the chips in stock. Look in the back of
MacWeek for their 800 number.
--marc
-=-
Marc A. Sarrel | "Oh, _lightwieght_ Alpaca..."
sarrel@cis.ohio-state-edu | -Blanche DuBoiswb1j+@andrew.cmu.edu (William M. Bumgarner) (10/13/89)
Service may have been great, but the price and delivery is definitely beatable. Try Chip Merchant: 80ns, low profile, 5 year warranty. $84/SIMM All packages sent 2nd day air-- ship the same day. Don't have the number in front of me at the moment... b.bum wb1j+@andrew.cmu.edu
cramer@athens.iex.com (Bill Cramer) (10/15/89)
In further defense of Dr Mac, I've used them twice in the past few months
to order some oddball stuff (MacSprintII, when it first came out, and Extend,
a simulation/modeller). None of the other mail order houses I called (and
I called them all) carried the products; Dr Mac didn't either, but called
the appropriate vendors, and then called me back to see if I wanted to
special order. The orders came within a week or so, and of course I got the
typical mail order discount. Bottom line is that I was a happy customer.
I will happily grant you that I haven't bought mounds of software and
hardware from them, and hence can only speak from my limited experience
with them. I just hate to see a public lynching take place without some
word in defense of the hung.
Bill Cramer
IEX Corporation
Plano, Texas
{uunet,convex,attctc}!iex!cramer