The following article is based on chapter 5 from Shop Online the Lazy Way, a book written by Richard Seltzer, which was published in August 1999 by Macmillan. It is available in paperback directly from the author or from Amazon.com. It is also available in a Braille edition from National Braille Press (www.nbp.org). This work is copyright 1999 by Richard Seltzer. All rights are reserved. Check the author's bio for a description of this book and why it was written.
Now that the rights have reverted to the author, he is free to update and revise this online version. Please send email to alert him of changes and interesting new sites that you have encountered.
At first, I was reluctant to buy computer products completely online. Many of the online computer stores used to sell exclusively through printed catalogs, addressing the needs of the technically astute. I found those printed catalogs intimidating and confusing, and preferred to go to a physical store, where knowledgeable sales people could guide me through the maze of choices, explaining the benefits and risks and costs.
When Egghead, the prominent software retailer, closed its physical stores and decided to operate solely on the Internet, I was shocked and disappointed. I had shopped regularly at the local Egghead store and depended on explanations and advice from their sales people whenever I needed either hardware or software.
Also, I greatly valued the fact that when I bought new add-ons or upgrades for my PC, I could pay to have them installed on the spot.
When I didn't have a store like that any more in my neighborhood, I had to go online, which meant I could no longer rely on someone else's expertise and judgment. I was forced to learn more about computers than I ever wanted or expected to learn. As it turns out, that's probably a good thing, both for my budget and myself.
Basically, when it comes to computers, you should learn before you shop, especially before you shop online. The products are complex assemblies of standard commodity parts made by multiple manufacturers. The more you understand about your choices and their implications, the better you'll be able to take advantage of the opportunities available on the Internet.
Today, the computer industry is a commodity, standards-driven marketplace. Computer "manufacturers" are really just assemblers. They buy processors from one source, software, disks, memory etc. from other sources, and assemble them into systems. The competition is fierce and the profit margins are slim. In terms of the basic specs--speed, memory, and storage--what we now define as a "complete system" for home use would have made a wealthy technical guru tremble with envy ten years ago. This dream system now sells for about what it would cost to buy a wooden table for your kitchen. Does this make sense?
And this dream system has barely enough capacity to perform what we now perceive as basic tasks because the latest versions of the software we depend on, and even the games we play, require the latest and greatest of hardware to run properly. Does this make sense?
Did you ever hear of "built-in obsolescence"? We are seeing the computer-equivalent in action.
Fifteen years ago, it seemed inconceivable that an ordinary individual would ever want or need a 100 MHz machine with 1 gigabyte of disk storage space. Yes, we could forecast that such machines would be available and at reasonable cost, because of predictable improvements in technology. As a rule of thumb (known as "Moore's Law"), the speed of commercially available processors doubles about every 18 months. Typically, the new model sells for about what the old one did, and the value of the old one drops in half. While, at some point, technology must meet barriers that will slow the pace of change, the computer industry has been adapting at this incredibly rapid rate for more than two decades now, with great regularity. And the software industry has been keeping in lock step with these hardware developments by making each new version of the common applications that people depend upon more and more complex and bulky, requiring the full capacity of the latest and greatest hardware. I don't believe this software inflation results from a conscious conspiracy. Rather we're seeing the consequences of human nature--software expands to fill the capacity available for it.
That means that even if you don't want to do any more with your system in the future than you do right now, to stay compatible with other people with whom you have to share files, sooner or later you will have to upgrade your software. And the new versions of software will make your equipment seem painfully slow in two years, and obsolete in four.
In other words, in defiance of all logic, even though your computer could probably function well for another 10-15 years, and could do everything you really need to do with it, you will find yourself compelled to make major upgrades or buy a complete new system every two to three years.
Considering the enormous resources available today, I'm amazed at what we were able to do back in 1983-84. Back then, my Atari 800 with no hard drive and 48 Kbytes of memory seemed lightning fast and capable of miracles. Today, my year-old 266 MHz laptop with 2 gigabytes of storage and 96 Mbytes of memory (2,000 times more than that old Atari) feels sluggish and limited.
Basically, "Moore's Law" plus software inflation mean that the computer system you buy today, no matter how well chosen, will not last. You'll be back shopping for add-ons and upgrades and new systems again and again. In other words, you should invest some time learning about these gadgets and the commodity upgrades you can buy for them so you can make full use of the shopping resources on the Internet, and save again and again.
You don't need to learn to program. You don't need to learn the skills of a technician. But you should familiarize yourself with each of the major commodity pieces that can go into a system and which you can later add or upgrade. You should understand the terminology and the measures of speed and capacity and how they relate to your needs. And you need to keep up to date on major new options as they become available.
Impossible task? Hardly. There are thousands of people making a living providing information like that for people like you, in the form of articles, magazines, books, and courses. This information is available in traditional form and/or over the Internet. Here's a sampling of the resources available to you:
Also, with your inevitable need for upgrades, you should think of your computing capability not as a fixed asset, but rather as a regularly recurring expense for a consumable. You will periodically refill your system box, rather like refilling the oil tank for your furnace. Hence you should seriously consider creative financing arrangements, such as leasing, and/or guaranteed future trade-in agreements.
When considering leasing, the length of the lease is critical. If, for your use, the system is likely to become obsolete in two years, you don't want to be saddled with it (and its payments) for three or four years.
When considering a pre-arranged trade-in/upgrade agreement (such as that now being offered by Gateway), remember that while you will be able to get back some of the value of the system you buy today, you are at the same time locking yourself into a particular vendor. In this volatile industry, by the time you need to upgrade, there may well be better choices elsewhere -- including free PCs.
Also, look for and invest in extended warranties and service contracts. Sooner or later you will need help, either to pick the right product or to install it or fix problems later on. So make sure that as part of your purchase, you are going to have access to experts who can help you either online or by phone. If it is by phone, the company should provide a toll-free number and assurances that you won't be stuck on hold for endless hours, if you are lucky enough for your call to ever get through.
You also should look for online stores that offer not just the ability to search for the best price and performance on all the different pieces that can go into a computer or an upgrade, but also tools designed to help you "configure" your system. In other words, you want to make sure that pieces made by different manufacturers or by the same manufacturer at different times will really work well together, and make sense. (What's the point of a part that's ten times faster than the rest of the system can handle?) Only if you have that kind of information can you really take advantage of commodity prices and price comparison tools and even auctions. And you want this online decision-support program to be organized and worded in ways that make sense for your level of knowledge--not just for the eight-year-old computer guru who lives next-door.
The creative financing, warranty, service contracts, and online configuration tools can come from either the manufacturer/assembler or an independent store (which may also assemble a system to your custom requirements). The cross-company search capabilities at various online superstores might help you determine which make and model you want. Then you might go to the manufacturer's site to use the configuration tool there, as a check against the store's recommendation and price; and you might also want to see if the manufacturer is offering better deals on financing and service.
At Pricescan www.pricescan.com you can search for the hardware, software, and computer supplies you need across dozens of online stores. You enter the features, parameters, and price range you want. The results list includes the model number, the vendor name, and a selection of dealers, along with their prices.
With the online service Price Watch www.pricewatch.com, you can click on a category of computer product to get all the prices, or enter a customized search. You can also search for the best price on a particular product from a particular manufacturer.
Covering hardware, software, and components (such as generic memory, StreetPrices www.StreetPrices.com "sniffs out the best consumer prices on the Web." They update their index hourly.
Killerapp www.killerapp.com calls itself "a shopping channel for computers." It helps you pick the right product at the best price and most convenient location. You can select a product area, then enter your keywords to drill down to exactly what you want. You can see lists of the hundred most popular products in a wide variety of categories. You can get detailed contact information on hundreds of computer dealers nationwide. Killerapp also lets you create your own personalized page for tracking prices of products that you are interested in buying.
For instance, just before Christmas 1998, a new company soared out of nowhere to grab a significant chunk of the PC market. emachines (www.e4me.com), as shown in Figure xxx.18, currently sells new, fully equipped, powerful 300Mhz computer systems (including the monitor, 24X CD-ROM, 56K modem, 3+G hard drive, and 32 MB RAM) for less than $500--less than half the cost other competitors were selling comparable systems for at that time.
You might be reluctant to deal with a newcomer, because of questions regarding reliability and support -- will they be around if and when it breaks? But if the system is built from standard commodity pieces, any computer fix-it shop should be able deal with it, and third-party service contracts (such as those offered by some computer stores) should be able cover it. If you have any doubts about a particular company or system, ask for advice from the people you would normally turn to for fix-it help.
With prices dropping at that rate, don't be surprised if some of the old established computer system manufacturers with easily recognized names soon disappear. (I worked for Digital Equipment for 19 years. Ten years ago, Digital was second largest computer company in the world. Today, Digital doesn't even exist anymore, have been swallowed up by Compaq.)
However, you should still check not just the online stores, but also the computer manufacturer Web sites, where you may find better special deals on select products. Also, the larger, Internet-savvy computer makers, like Dell and Gateway, are likely to have a wide range of products available directly through their Web sites. You may want to use their configuration tools, have them put together your dream system, and take advantage of their creative financing options.
If you visit an online superstore and find an attractive system made by a company you know little about, you should definitely go to the manufacturer's Web site to do some additional checking before making your purchase. What else does this manufacturer offer? How does the company represent itself? How does it try to differentiate itself from competitors? Also, be sure to check how easily you will be able to get follow-up information and service, should you decide to buy a computer from this manufacturer.
Dell (www.dell.com) seems to be the current online computer sales leader, both in terms of volume of business and its Web site's ease of use. This PC manufacturer has a lease program that's available for individuals as well as businesses, with a calculator to figure out if leasing a PC is the right option for you. Dell has "employee purchase" agreements with corporations, schools, and federal agencies; so you might be able to get a special price on your personal purchase if you work at the right place. Dell also sells refurbished and guaranteed products at substantial discounts. You can buy online, or call a toll-free number. Dell's advertisements appearing in magazines typically include an "E-Value" code that you can enter at Dell's Web site to take advantage of advertised offers.
Dell provides clear explanations of delivery time and shipping options so that you have a good understanding of what to expect when you purchase a PC. After you place an order for a computer with Dell, its online order status system lets you check continually to see what's happening with the custom computer they are assembling for you until the time you receive your PC.
If you click Dell's "contact" option, you'll see an extensive list of choices organized by the types of questions you might have, each of which has an email address and phone number.
When you enter Dell's site, the choices you first see are arranged by how you might want to use their products. If you click on the "home" option, then Dell displays a Web page that lists notebook computers, desktop PC systems, software, and accessories. Go another level deep into these nested options, and you will be able to pick a "recommended" configuration, or choose to build a PC customized to your needs. With Dell's configuration tool, you can select your basic PC style, and then add all the options you might want: processor speed, hard disk storage space, modem, amount of RAM, etc. With each selection, you will be able to see how each choice changes the computer's overall price. If the components you choose might not work well together, the configurator displays a symbol to alert you to that possibility. Then, if you are an expert, you can research the details and make your own decision; or, if you are an ordinary shopper, you can select other components to remedy the problem. Once you put your choice in the "shopping cart," you also can click on "request sales help," and someone will--if you like--step you through your final purchasing steps to make sure what you are ordering matches what you want and need. No wonder Dell reportedly sells over $10 million worth of products per day over the Web.
Gateway (www.gateway.com), as shown in Figure xxx.21, offers an option to trade in your PC after two years, and provides financing so you can pay monthly rather than all at once. This computer manufacturer has had a successful mail and phone-order business before the dawn of the Web. Recently, they opened a nationwide chain of stores at which you can see, touch, and test the products you are interested in buying. (Gateway opened its physical stores at the same time that Egghead closed its stores.) Gateway also now makes good use of the Internet to provide technical support for its customers. Before the Web, if you called Gateway for technical support, you would most likely have to stay "on hold" for over two hours, waiting to talk to a support person. (Oftentimes, you might not be lucky enough to get through to Gateway at all). Now you can get answers to many of your questions with quick searches through the Web site's Q&A section.
Because of competitive pressure, expect other computer makers, like those in the following listing, to imitate and improve the kinds of features and service that Dell and Gateway offer today.
PalmPilots have no keyboard. You input information using a touch screen that understands a shorthand code. You "scribble" what you want to remember, with a pen-like device. The palm-sized computer later displays the information in a neat and readable font. It can even come with a modem, for connection to the Internet.
These machines don't replace desktop or notebook machines. They are so small that you carry one in your pocket and pull it out when you need it to check phone numbers, appointments, and reminders. Some people even use these little PCs to keep track of golf scores, while on the course. These palm-sized PCs are yet another class of product that eventually you'll probably "need." For details on palm-sized PCs, visit the Web site www.palm.com.
The popularity of palm-sized computers has fostered an entire range of specialized software and related gadgetry. If you are looking for palm-PC-related products, you will usually find these items listed separately at computer superstores. PalmPilot Gear HQ www.palmpilotgear.com currently sells over 2000 different software packages for PalmPilot machines. You can buy an expense report desk accessory, an aviator pocket reference, programs to keep track of your bank accounts, arcade-style games there is an immense variety of applications.
You can also get what's known as "shareware," which is software you try out first and then pay for later, if you like the product. With shareware, your trial version won't time out, but it may come with limited functionality--just enough to whet your appetite and make you want to buy the full-blown version. Or the version you download for free works very well indeed, but to get support and future upgrades, you'll need to pay to register your copy. One fine example of this type of product is the award-winning WinZip file archiving utility (www.winzip.com), written and distributed by Nico Mak Computing, Inc.
Other software, called "freeware," is completely free. The authors of freeware write the software for the fun of it, for the general good of computer users, and for the chance to demonstrate their software writing skills. Often, the developers insist on having their names attached, and restrict the software to noncommercial use, then retain the intellectual property rights, while letting people freely copy the software. With terms like that, if the freeware turns out to have potential, then the author retains the right to turn it into a commercial product. Still other developers place their freeware in the public domain, and welcome others to develop improvements and create variations of the original freeware, with all the freeware developers working together as part of an online community.
You'll find try-it-before-you-buy-it software, shareware, and freeware at the same download sites.
Keep in mind that whenever you download software, you are at risk of bringing a virus into your computer, which could cause a nuisance, erase files, or completely disable your computer. Imagine your computer is about to have sex with another machine, and exercise appropriate precautionary measures. You are most likely, but never guaranteed to be safe downloading software from trusted sites. You should also have anti-virus software on your PC that automatically checks any new programs before you run them. Ideally, you would want anti-virus software which automatically updates itself over the Internet as new viruses are discovered, , like Norton AntiVirus from Symantec.
If you are new to downloading software, you should read the introductory article "Free (and Nearly Free) Stuff and Where to Get It," by Gail Shaffer. You can find this article at PC Magazine's Web site (www.zdnet.com/pcmag/pctech/download/best/index.html).
If you are interested in finding out what shareware and freeware is available in any particular category, use Softcrawler (www.softcrawler.com). (When you enter this URL, the site displays a page for you to first select your language selection.) This site searches simultaneously across eight major download sites. You just enter what type of software you are looking for and get a list of what's available from these sites:
The pricing of computers is based on rapid advances in technology, which lead to predictable improvements in computer speed. As a rule of thumb, a machine that's 18 months old should be worth only half what it originally sold for, because you could buy one twice as fast for the same price today. One that's three years old should be about a quarter its original value. And many people with perfectly good equipment feel compelled to sell their old machines and buy new ones to run the latest and greatest new software. So if the computing tasks you want to accomplish do not require the latest and greatest computer hardware, and if you know enough about computer hardware to be confident about making purchasing decisions and evaluating used hardware, you could come up with some serious computer hardware bargains.
As you try to navigate your way through this difficult and complicated territory, turn to newsgroups and email discussion lists for advice and tips, as well as announcements of items offered for sale.
As discussed in Chapter 2, there are literally thousands of computer-related newsgroups, each focused on a different area of interest. Go to Deja.com www.deja.com, and search for items directly related to your computer and software shopping questions. Then get involved in that newsgroup's discussions yourself--asking for help when you need it, and providing help to others when you can. Similarly, check and become involved in email discussions-a list of which you'll find at Liszt www.liszt.com. Also, check the major classified sites, like Classified2000 www.classified2000.com.
For used and refurbished equipment, consider the Advantage Computer Exchange www.computerpricing.com. This site features both PC and Mac price indexes, which reflect nationally tracked used computer sales, indicating low (the average buyer's bid), high (the average seller's ask), and close (the average sales price) for every item. Computer Exchange also provides links to PC and Macintosh user groups. (User groups are geographically centered organizations of computer users with common on-going computer interests. These groups can be drawn together by a common hardware platform-PC or Macintosh-or by a particular software interest, for example, an operating system like Windows or UNIX, or a particular software application, like FrontPage, QuarkXpress, or Office. These user groups usually conduct physical meetings on a regular basis.)
Also consider the refurbished offerings of major computer companies like Dell and Compaq. Last summer, I bought a notebook computer for my daughter at Compaq Works www.compaqworks.com at an excellent price, with an extended warranty and service agreement. Some configurations and special deals are in short supply, and Compaq Works updates its offerings throughout the day. I found it best to check the listings online, then call Compaq Work's 800 number and talk to a knowledgeable sales person who understood what each hardware package actually included. The sales person may also know of other choices which have not yet appeared in the Web site listings, and may alert you to a better deal than the one about which you were inquiring.
The Boston Computer Exchange www.bocoex.com works primarily with companies that want to buy and sell excess inventory and idle assets. Continually checking with this Web site can result in a bargain or two.
Some computer auctions sites sell only new and refurbished equipment, and deal directly with you, the buyer. Each computer is offered for bid online for a certain length of time. When the specified bidding time has expired, the person with the highest bid is notified by email and pays the company running the Web site by credit card. The auction site then ships the hardware.
In Spring 1994, the Internet Shopping Network www.internet.net was the first store to sell computer products directly to the public over the Web. After just a few months, Barry Diller, of Home Shopping Network fame, purchased the company. Today the Web site points visitors who are looking for a computer superstore to the Cyberian Outpost. But the Internet Shopping Network still sells computers and related gear auction-style at First Auction www.firstauction.com. This auction site offers "flash auctions" throughout the day-auctions in which the bidding starts at just $1, and the total bidding time is less than 30 minutes. After the 30-minute bid time expires, the highest bidder gets the product offered through auction, and the merchandise is new, not used. First Auction also has less frantic 48-hour auctions, with a wider selection of goods for sale. If you are lucky, you might pick up a complete, well-equipped, new computer system for $200-300.
Other auction sites of this kind include:
You can also learn about the latest and greatest computer products at trade shows. If you might be interested in checking out a local one or taking a vacation computer-shopping trip, check Trade Show Central (www.tscentral.com). Nearly all the major shows are listed there.
Some Internet businesses are giving away PCs to customers who make long-term commitments to them, for example, if you sign a long-term agreement with an ISP. Keep an eye out. Opportunities of this kind are likely to multiply.
Need computer supplies, like a printer cartridge? Try the Web sites of office supply stores like Staples www.staples.com or OfficeMax www.officemax.com, or go straight to the site of the manufacturer.
A wide variety of simple, inexpensive gadgets designed just to get you connected to the World Wide Web are just now becoming available. If accessing the Web is all you want to do, check out WebTV (which uses your television set instead of a monitor), and also take a look at televisions that have Web access built into them.
Microsoft provides valuable enhancements to its current products for free download from its Web site www.microsoft.com, but when they release a new version of the base product, they delete the software patches. However, if you know the name of the patch or its file name, you can go to AltaVista www.altavista.com, enter that name in the query box and find dozens of sites that still offer it for free.
If and when you install a new operating system (such as Windows 95 or 98), you'll find that you need new driver software for your existing printer to work properly. Go to AltaVista www.altavista.com, and enter in the query box the model name of the printer and the word driver (e.g., +bj200 +driver*). You are likely to find the software you need at one of the pages near the top of your results list.
Free-PC has joined forces with Compaq to offer free computers to "people who agree to share personal data about themselves and be exposed to Internet advertising." Consumers must agree to use the free computers at least 10 hours a month and allow the machine to download advertising that is displayed in a strip on the right side of its screen. For details, check www.free-pc.com.
Puzzled by an error message on your PC? Go to AltaVista www.altavista.com and enter the error number/name in the query box. One of the Web pages near the top of your results list will probably explain what it means and what to do about it.
Did you enjoy playing the old arcade games like PacMan and Missile Command? Would you like to play them on your PC? Go to MonroeWorld www.monroeworld.com or Dave Central Shareware Archive www.davecentral.com and download either Retrocade or Mame (free emulator software) and the game programs that go with it.
For information about computer-related flea markets that are held in the physical world, perhaps near where you live, check KGP Productions www.pcshow.com.
You could save yourself some money by asking around the office or your neighborhood to see if you can find a friend, neighbor or relative who just upgraded to the latest and greatest computer and wants to unload his old one. Stick with someone you trust who can also help you as you get started.
For more resources, see the Computer section of our Online Shopping Directory www.samizdat.com/shopping3.html#computers
The rest of the book (Shop Online the Lazy Way):
Part One covers aspects of online shopping that apply no matter what you want to buy.
Published by B&R Samizdat Express, 33 Gould St., West Roxbury, MA 02132, seltzer@samizdat.com
You can order the book Shop Online the Lazy Way directly from the author (seltzer@samizdat.com) or from Amazon.com If you buy it after clicking on this Amazon link, Richard will get some money back from Amazon as part of their Associates program, as explained in this chapter.
You may also want to check Richard's Online Shopping Directory www.samizdat.com/shopping.html, which has links to all the sites mentioned in the entire book, plus sites he has learned of since the book went into production.
You are also welcome to participate in Richard's weekly chat sessions about Business on the World Wide Web, Thursdays, from noon to 1 PM. For details and edited transcripts of previous sessions (dating back to June 1996) check www.samizdat.com/chat.html
Can we help you build an Internet business? Richard Seltzer is an independent Internet writer/speaker/consultant. Click here for details.
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