Tomorrow is the craziest shopping day of the entire year. Wait…i take that back…It’s now 2:00am, so the craziest shopping day will actually begin in about three hours for some people. Of course my wife and mother just happen to be some of those people. I’m sure there are some deals out there, but is it really worth it just to save a couple bucks? Not to me.
Since it is the season to shop, I will lend my advice to those of you looking for that tech toy for that certain someone: DON’T BUY IT AT BEST BUY. There are a multitude of reasons for this…primarily their poor customer service record backed by their ignorant staff and lack of quality products. Currently in my house I could probably count the number of things I’ve bought at Best Buy on one hand…and none of those things would be over $50.
So what are the options you might ask? Well, if you’re looking for sound or TV equipment, check your yellow pages for a home theater or hifi dealer. if you’re looking for a computer (or related product) go to some place like CompUSA, Microcenter, or your local computer shop. If you’re looking for anything else check the web and of course there’s always Circuit City. The point is…you’ll probably find better customer service elsewhere…particularly in a place that specializes in the item you’re looking for rather than a hodge-podge of different, mediocre products.
Finally, here are some links that I would recommend to get you started (particular to technology products)
CNET.com
NewEgg.com
zipzoomfly.com
B&H Photo & Video
Consumer Review
Musican’s Friend
oh yeah and…
best buy still kills many retailers on cds. i buy 99% of my cds from best buy because they are cheaper. and i don’t need customer service with a cd.. only selection (they could be better at that).