Tips on Buying a New Computer

5 Sure-Fire Tips for Buying a New Computer











By John Lenaghan


So you're thinking of buying a new computer...

Where do you start? There are so many brands and models of
computers available, and it can all be a little overwhelming when you
start to look around.
How do you decide what type of computer you need? And perhaps more importantly, how do you decide what the best value is?
I have sold computers professionally for almost 20 years, and there
are certain "tricks of the trade" that most computer stores and
salespeople use. Knowing these secrets can make your decision easier
and will help you buy the right computer for your needs.
1. Buy What You Need, Maybe a Little More
One of the most important things you can do when buying a new
computer is make a list of the things that you will be using it for.
There are so many different models - with different capabilities - that
you can easily buy more, or less, than you really need if you don't.
If this is your first computer, this can be a little tougher. Until
you've used a computer, it's hard to know exactly what you might want
to do with it beyond the obvious, like connecting to the internet.
Regardless, you should think about some of the things you might want to do. Some possibilities include:
Connect to the internet

Play games

Digital photography

Digital video

Type documents

Accounting

Design websites

Programming

Digital scrapbooking

Geneology


Some of these things need more power than others. For example,
connecting to the internet really doesn't need a lot of power. Even the
most basic computer available will probably work just fine.
Digital video and many games need a lot more power. If you don't get
a fast enough computer with enough memory, you'll be disappointed with
the performance.
Knowing what you're going to be using your computer for will help
your salesperson, whether they're on the phone, the internet or
standing in front of you, recommend the best system for your needs.
As a general rule you're always better off buying more power than
you need rather than less, but buying too much can be a waste of money.
2. Warranty Considerations
Computer warranties are one of the most confusing and obscure parts
of your purchase. Most manufacturers have cut back on their customer
service to the point where poor service has become a given.
The three most common options are onsite, carry-in or manufacturer's depot service.
Onsite service can be helpful, but think about whether you want to
have to be available for a technician to come and diagnose your
computer, and possibly have to come back with parts at another time.
Carry in service is a good option, but find out whether the service
center is factory authorized for warranty repairs, as well as whether
the technicians are all certified.
Shipping your computer to a factory service center can take a long
time - sometimes a number of weeks. It also creates risk that your
computer will be damaged or even lost in shipping. In some cases, the
manufacturer will even replace your computer with another unit and ship
it back to you, rather than repairing it. This can result in your
losing any information that was on your system and having to reload all
your software.
Another aspect of the warranty to find out about is technical
support. Find out if the computer manufacturer offers a toll-free phone
number and what the quality of service is like.
The better computer salespeople will be honest about this and tell
you if a company's service leaves something to be desired. You can also
do some research on the internet - most of the computer magazines like
PC Magazine and PC World have annual customer service comparisons that
rate the larger computer companies.
Always find out how the warranty is handled before making your
decision. Even if it doesn't influence your choice, knowing what to
expect if something does go wrong will save some nasty surprises down
the road.
3. Can You Negotiate the Price Down?
A computer is a relatively large investment - anywhere from a few
hundred to a few thousand dollars. Many computer buyers expect that
there is a significant amount of "wiggle room" on the price.
The reality is that most computer hardware - the physical pieces
like the computer, monitor and printer - is sold at very low profit
margins. Often, computer systems are even sold at or below the dealer
cost. When you're buying a computer, it never hurts to ask for a better
deal, but don't be surprised if you only get a few dollars off, if
anything.
Over the close to 20 years I sold computers, I watched the profit
margins go from over 40% to less than 5%. It's almost embarassing to
offer a $20 discount on a $2500 computer system, but that could mean
the difference between making and losing money on the sale.
What you can do to get the best price is to do some comparison
shopping. Most computer stores offer price-matching guarantees, so if
you find your computer for less at another store, most dealers will
match or beat that price, even if it means they lose money.
4. How Do Computer Stores Make Any Money?
You might be wondering how these computer stores make any money if they're selling computer for so little profit.
Their money is made on add-on items. The highest profit areas in
most computer stores are cables and "consumable" products such as
printer ink and paper.
Printer ink is a huge money-maker for most computer stores (even
more so for the printer manufacturers). Why is this? Once you've bought
a printer, you're going to have to replace your ink at some point, and
continue to replace it as it runs out.
Most chain computer stores and office supply stores that carry a
large selection of ink cartridges make more from ink than they do from
the computers themselves.
Cables also have huge markups. A cable that costs the store $2-3 will often sell for $20-30. That's ten times their cost!
If you're buying a new computer, you will likely need to buy some
cables. Some items - printers, for example - don't often include the
cables needed to hook them up.
Many printers also come with "starter" ink cartridges that are only
half-full. You might also want to pick up some extra ink cartridges.
This is where you should be able to negotiate a better price. Don't
expect the salesperson to throw them in for nothing, but they should be
willing to offer you a better price. After all, if you're happy with
their service, you'll probably continue to buy your ink, paper and
other products from that store in the future.
5. What Software is Included?
The last secret of buying a new computer has to do with the software
that is included. Most new computer systems include quite a few
programs and sometimes the value of the software can be quite high.
Something to watch out for when looking at the included software is "trial versions" or "limited editions".
Many programs that are preloaded are either crippled versions that
don't have all the features of the full program, or trial versions that
will only run for a certain amount of time before they expire.
Computer are often sold with trial versions of the following types of software:

• antivirus
  
• firewall
  
• MS Office or other office suites
  
• Accounting - both business and personal
  

The computer manufacturers generally don't make it easy to tell
whether the software on their systems are trial versions or limited
versions. This is a question that you should specifically ask if you
can't find the answer in their promotional information.
If you're buying a new computer with trial versions of the software,
keep in mind that you will need to pay to continue using it after the
trial period is over. This is an added cost that you need to consider
as part of your overall budget.
These five "secrets" of buying a new computer are fairly common
sense, but they are not always made clear up front. Knowing what to ask
will help you in two ways. First, you can be sure you are getting the
right computer for your needs.
Second, if the salesperson or company that you're dealing with
explains these things to you without being asked, you'll know you're
dealing with someone who is honest and upfront.
Knowing you can trust the people you're dealing with is an invaluable feature of your new computer system.
John Lenaghan offers easy-to-understand advice at the Computer Help
Squad website. Sign up for our newsletter and receive your free report
"5 Critical Steps to Protecting Your Computer on the Internet" at Computer-help-squad.com



Courtesy of Doityourself.com