Computer stores here suck

After reading around on this forum, it seems almost everyone has a good computer store nearby. I'm in Chrleston, SC in the US and we have crap for computer stores. There isn't a computer store within 100 miles that has an Asus EEE PC, much less an Aspire One. The best computer store around here is BestBuy, which isn't much of a computer store. There is a CompUSA about 150 miles away, but that's a long way to go to see if they have it.

And if I wanted a ZIF cable or a 1.8"HDD or even a descent CF... forget it. I have to order everything or pay high prices for lesser products locally. EG: 4GB USB stick at $50 USD at Office Depot.

I read on here that people are walking into local computer stores and buying the AOA110 and picking up 1.8" HDD and 40pin ZIF cables. I'm very jealous! Where do you live that has such wonderful computer stores?

 

Here in the Netherlands (that's in Europe for you US geography wizards <grins, ducks & runs > ) since a few weeks there are Eee netbooks popping up all over the place for about 250 euros, even in my midsized hometown.

The AOne 110L is a bit harder to come by since the main batch of puters isn't due to arrive until August, but some retail chains got early batches so that it's for sale here and there within a 50 mile range. Bought mine for 299 euros, in Germany the average price seems a bit higher at about 330, and the Windows version isn't there yet.

Oh, and other netbooks are nowhere to be seen in the shops yet, although I gather some MSI Wind's popped up here and there.

Regards, R

 

I got mine at Pc World, its a crap store, but they somehow had them in stock. They are literally as poor as you can imagine. They know f-all about computers and sortof point you in general directions and can never give good advie. They also seem to think I must know f-all too because I look young (I'm 18, but look about 15) and therefore ignore me. Stupid shop. When I spent £290 in cash the guy nearly fell over.
All the extras you spoke of, extra drive, RAM, ZIF cables, Cf to ZIF adapter, all mine have come off ebay, and should arrive Tuesday.
PC world employees wouldn't know a PATA cable from a SATA cable... Asking them aboit ZIF would probably get interpreted as ZIP, and they would either lead you to some software which decrypts zip files, or (slightly more intelligent workers) would say you can't buy ZIP drives anymore.
(rant over)
But, as ive ranted on, it's not all sugar and daisies over here in the UK with regards to computer stores
Rory

 

Good summary on PC World, but I think you are being too kind to some of the mouth breathing knuckle draggers that "attend" these stores.
I have a magnetic personality when in PC World, I tend to attract the assistants that are from the shallow end of the gene pool :shock:

Surely it cannot be fact that all the employees are the same, can it?

 

i went to pc world too have a look at the AA1 (they didn't have one, only an advent 4211). I ended up teaching the assistant more about netbooks.

 

Well yeah.. I actually bought my One from a home appliance shop because they were the first in Finland to get One's, they got them before any computer store in the whole country did :lol:

But as for computer stores in general, there aren't that many "good" stores near by.. There are several where you can get the basic stuff, some cheaper, some more expensive, but for the real variosity and more rare parts there's about one shop in my home town of ~175 000 inhabitants.

 

i hope pc world will get their act together and get some AA1's in stock!!!

 

you know there is a tiger direct in the usa tigerdirect.com , i am sure they have the same stock as canada, might be worth a try!

 

im in the UK???!

 

The reason the bricks and mortar stores are crap and few and far between, is that we buy at a dicount from online stores.

Easy really.

 

Why? Web based shops are cheaper and it's so much more convenient to shop online. Browse the store, pay with credit card and have the ordered items shipped to the doorstep the next day. 80% of everything I buy, incl food and clothes, I buy online.

 

I like being able to see what I'm getting. I also like the physical stores when something goes wrong with an item. Buy your laptop from NewEgg and 2 days later it dies... call Acer. Buy your laptop from CircuitCity and two days later it dies, they give you a new one and you don't wait the two weeks for mail services and customer service

 

After just 2 days I'll get a new one.

 

I thought the CompUSA Stores went out of buisness?

 

it was partially sold to liquidators

 

there's a CompUSA in Durham, NC but that's a long way to go for supplies.

 

They sort of got reborn, but with far fewer brick and mortar stores (mostly in Florida). Looks like they're related to TigerDirect now:

http://www.compusa.com/retailstores/compusaStores/index.asp