Suggestions for component vendors

[uncle_bent]

I often buy components for upgrading machines. I do a lot of this for myself and family, and for friends and acquaintances for a nominal fee (I could best be described as "Cheap but not Free"). Anyway, I am interested in recommendations for component vendors. I've been looking them over at the "reseller ratings" site, but I would be interested in having opinions specifically from people in this forum about good places to buy components. I'm a fan of BUY.COM, because they're really fast and efficient when it comes to shipping an order and of course, they have good prices. I've only had one return, and it wasn't too much of a problem. I regard them as an Internet Wal-Mart however, in that they do not really offer technical support.

I was using a company called Micro Pro for quite a while, but had such a bad time with a returned motherboard that I don't want to buy there again. I vented my spleen about them on the reseller ratings site and so won't bother going into it here. If you are interested in reading the comment it's here: http://www.resellerratings.com/comview.cgi?MicroPro (look for a comment by "gazer" on June 5th):

My very first computer was a 12 mhz 286 screaming machine (and it really was at the time!) from a company called Northgate. About 13 months after I had purchased the machine the monitor began to click off and then back on when it got hot. I called them up and described the problem, and they said, "yes, we've seen this before on that model of monitor". I then told them it was a month outside of the warranty period. They said, "We'll that's close enough, we'll send you a new monitor of a different brand with a paid return shipping label. When you get it in just pack the old one in the same box and send it back to us.". They didn't charge me a dime, never blinked an eye, and I had my new monitor in 3 days. I still have that monitor upstairs on my "test" machine, It's about 13 years old now. That's the kind of service I long for.

So I would be very interested to hear about a few of your favorite vendors. I would like your opinions because I suspect you view things more like I do than does the general public. John Q. Public tends to buy one or two components a year and thinks a place is just terrific if the piece is delivered on schedule for a good price and works. Anyone who buys components on a regular basis for fixing machines knows that taking an order and sending it out is the easy part. What really matters is how the company handles problem merchandise. I just hate telling someone anxious to get their machine back that some yoyo over at dontaskuswejustsellthedamnthing.com doesn't believe it's their fault the component doesn't work and couldn't get the shipping address right so it'll be another two weeks minimum.

Thank's ahead of time for any suggestions you might have.

[Ghost_Hacker]

I get alot of my stuff from Onsale.com (now called egghead.com) They have very good customer service. Over the years I have had to ship a few things back. They have always been willing to have an item returned for any problem. They also do a good job of keeping you up to date on any problem you might have.

------------------
Comment heard from a Klingon programmer.

"Our users will know fear and cower before our software! Ship it! Ship it and let them flee like the dogs they are!"

[hiredgoonz]

I would stay away from accessmicro.com...

I ordered an Athlon CPU from them and they sent the wrong one...after that I figured I'd give them another shot...

I ordered what they advertised as an Antec case w/ a 250W power supply and got a complete p.o.s., generic case w/a 235W power supply (it was the cheapest, crappiest case I've ever seen and resulted in a huge thumb injury)

My experiences with their "customer service" people to resolve these problems weren't exactly great either...so I've finally learned my lesson and will NEVER buy from them again...

I like buy.com and onsale/egghead...they actually send what you order and onsale even refunded me $50 when a cpu I bought went down in price a few days after I bought it it...



------------------
When all else fails, read the instructions.

[AwARe]

goonz you still "whiiiiiiiiiining" about your thumb?
wasnt that like a year ago? heh

Lemme tell you a story........On March 18 while loading a sofa onto a UHaul truck,.........I fell off the back of the truck and landed on the bumper across my back like a twig you break over your knee http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/eek.gif (I thought My Back was Broken (luckily it was not), and I had Visions of Being Paralized For the Rest Of My Life) As soon as I fell I could no longer walk or stand at all, and had to be picked up off of the ground by the ambulance crew, and carried on a stretcher. For 3 days I laid in a bed wondering and not knowing for sure if "Id ever" be able to get up. Even after I could get out of the bed, it took me about 2 weeks before I could leave the house, and even then it took me about 25 minutes to get down the stairs........It is still extremely painful to this day.........There's alot more I could add to this story (some of it would make you cringe heh)

Now quit whiiiiiiiiiiiiining about that thumb you sissy boy! http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

[yawningdog]

Me personally, I only buy stuff for myself online and I use a wholesaler for the things I sell. I can't imagine why you don't do this. Returns have never been a problem and the technical assistance I get (and believe me, I need it) is top notch. It is a little more expensive, but I have far fewer dissatisfied customers than Best Buy and COMP USA, and I get my parts an hour after I find out I need them.

------------------
Make everything as simple as possible, but no simpler.

[hiredgoonz]

Sissy boy? You ever have two disks removed from your spine? I have...no fun, especially when one of 'em has fragmented and worn a hole through the myelinated sheath around your spine resulting in a cerebro-spinal fluid leak...

They finally carried me out of the barracks on a stretcher when I could no longer feel or move my left leg...the only thing I could feel was pain...even the intravenous morphine and valium didn't make it go away...but a 3 hour operation later and relearning how to walk and I'm better (unless you count the fact that I still can't feel most of my left leg, permanent nerve damage)

Just one more thing I can thank the USMC for http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif Well, that and the fact that I can drop a guy at 500 yards w/an M-16 http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif

And I didn't realize we were in a pissing contest, I was just trying to illustrate my point about buying quality parts from a reputable dealer...

[This message has been edited by hiredgoonz (edited 06-15-2001).]

[Paleo Pete]

I've had pretty good results from CSO (http://www.computersurplusoutlet.com) the only times I've had problems were handled quite satisfactorily, they even replaced a motherboard I told them I thought I might have fried by my own mistake...turned out it was bad to begin with...the only other discrepancies I've had were with FedEx over shippping, rather than CSO themselves, the FedEx delivery driver lives 2 or 3 miles down the road from me and can't find this house after being given directions 4 times...

Back problems...been living with it since I was about 10 or so, guy decided it would be cool to show all his buddies how tough he was by pushing the kid half his size (me) off the slide at school. I landed trying to twist over and get my hands under me to try and break the fall...been fighting it ever since, spent untold hours and days unable to walk, had to crawl to the john many times...been carried on a board down the street to my sister's house, where I stayed on my back on the floor for a week till I could hobble a bit...bent over to pick up a paper cup and couldn't walk for 2 weeks...so I know all too well how much that hurts. Hope you never have to go through any major problems with it again. It's no fun at all...

And hopefully Aware was just ribbing you about the thumb....I would have! http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif If I'd remembered it... http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/eek.gif

------------------
So many idiots, and only six bullets...
Note: Please post your questions on the forums, not in my email.

Computer Information Links (http://www.geocities.com/paleopete/)

[tjaymadison]

Well anyway, " back " to the topic -- vendors. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif
www.tcwo.com (http://www.tcwo.com) www.egghead.com (http://www.egghead.com) www.newegg.com (http://www.newegg.com) www.mwave.com (http://www.mwave.com) www.myaopen.com (http://www.myaopen.com) www.cpusolutions.com (http://www.cpusolutions.com) www.directron.com (http://www.directron.com) www.compuplus.com (http://www.compuplus.com)

I could best be described as "Cheap but not Free").

I, on the other hand, may be described as 'easy', but I'm definitely not cheap. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/wink.gif

------------------
"I am not able to rightly apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question."
-- Charles Babbage, mathematician, computer pioneer, analytical engine designer (1791-1871)
-- (Question: 'Pray, Mr. Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?')

"Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand."
-- Homer Simpson

[This message has been edited by tjaymadison (edited 06-16-2001).]

[AwARe]

OK goonz,

I think since Im pretty sure "cerebro-spinal fluid leak..." can result in your death....

You Win! hahahahaha

......and yes as pete said, I hope you knew I was just messin wit ya' http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/wink.gif No need to drop me wit dat M16 er nuttin' but just in case you're serious, I have to warn ya'.......Im pretty good with this sling shot http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/eek.gif hahaha

[This message has been edited by AwARe (edited 06-16-2001).]

[hiredgoonz]

It was funny, they itemized my surgery bill, that's how I found out about the csf leak, but anyway...you ever try Amazon? On occasion they have pretty good rebates and coupons, mostly for external peripherals though...

------------------
When all else fails, read the instructions.

[uncle_bent]

Thanks very much for the input! I'm checking out all the places that were suggested. As to why this particular thread has degenerated into a competition as to who has the worst battle scars, I haven't a clue. I might suggest a "Busted Arse Board" to further explore this topic.

[hiredgoonz]

Maybe I'll suggest that http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif

And did you get the $30 off and free shipping coupon from buy.com?

Just received that today...

------------------
When all else fails, read the instructions.