Geekonomics 101

[ Thanks to Ken Hess for this link. ]

"It might surprise you to know that geeks hit the big name computer brands first because they know that there are some nearly unbeatable deals lurking just beneath the home page. Geeks check out clearance items, special sales and refurbished units — that's right, refurbished. Don't be afraid of refurbished units because often refurbished means that someone opened the box and returned the unit without ever powering it on. The manufacturer can't put it up for sale as new so it becomes part of the refurbished list. Even if refurbished literally means refurbished, you'll still receive a full or near full warranty on the product at significant savings.

"When you're looking for those special deals, tune-in to the synonyms for inexpensive, such as refurbished, recertified, remanufactured, returned and "pulls." Always look for exceptions, warranty information and language related to the sale for any non-new product. "All Sales Final" and "All returns subject to a 15% restocking fee" exist to protect the seller, and you should proceed with caution under these circumstances. Any vendor worth dealing with will honor returns on dead on arrival (DOA) devices, components and systems.

"Some vendors prefer to work through online auction sites. Most of the time these vendors are reputable but you should check out their feedback and their overall ratings. Look for positive feedback above 95 percent and a seller status of "Power Seller" or similar."

Complete Story

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