hello.

I will shopping for a new laptop on Boxing Day. I guess I will check out Future Shop and Best Buy, since they seem to have the best deals. I wanted Windows Vista for my OS.
Will anyone else be hitting the stores early tomorrow? Anyone know where I can get the best deals on Laptops? What does everyone plan to buy?

No no no no no no. I'll be going on the 27th... I will not be fighting those ridiculous crowds.

Crowds? What crowds? Ain't there a recession going on out there? What you saw Dec. 23-24, might have been the last of crazy shopping for quite a while... At least until the food riots start...

I was thinking of getting a large TV and went on line to check it out- Check on line The source for lap tops.
There is a lot to choose from, although in the comments there was more criticism that the items and the prices were not anything "special".

what about BestBuy? or Future Shop?

They have their geek squads... I've heard some good things about their service.

HurtinAlbertan wrote:hello.

I will shopping for a new laptop on Boxing Day. I guess I will check out Future Shop and Best Buy, since they seem to have the best deals. I wanted Windows Vista for my OS.
Will anyone else be hitting the stores early tomorrow? Anyone know where I can get the best deals on Laptops? What does everyone plan to buy?

Stay away from Vista if you can. It sucks, and shall be replaced soon, just like windows 98 was.

Try a Mac Book.

LivingDead wrote:

HurtinAlbertan wrote:hello.

I will shopping for a new laptop on Boxing Day. I guess I will check out Future Shop and Best Buy, since they seem to have the best deals. I wanted Windows Vista for my OS.
Will anyone else be hitting the stores early tomorrow? Anyone know where I can get the best deals on Laptops? What does everyone plan to buy?

Stay away from Vista if you can. It sucks, and shall be replaced soon, just like windows 98 was.

Try a Mac Book.

I've heard Vista was pretty good actually...


PS Did you know that even if Best Buy and Future Shop are the same company, you can not use Future Shop gift cards at Best Buy. I think that's pretty lame...

Each business has its own P & L and are run as stand-alone. It is almost like using an HMV card at Best Buy...

From what I have heard Future shop is on the bubble , stay clear have heard it from 3 people in the bank industry.

Perfect way to start the day, an unsubstantiated warning that a company is in trouble.
Please get us the names and which bank those guys work for and forward that news to the TV, newspapers and to the company!
That is scary to say that 3 people who work in a bank would say something like that.
The Bank managers would have a fit if that was reported to them, even if it was true! What would a bank employee be aware of? Bounced payroll cheque?
I do not think so! Please get me in touch with these people! Potential great early warning storey!
I guess Best Buy is also on that list, as Best Buy is owned by the same conglomerate!

There is a "viral" rumour floating that the Best Buy/Future Shop chain is a) owned by Circuit City and 2) Circuit City is in serious trouble. Do a quick Google search and read the news stories for some more-likely facts. Or continue to substantiate rumours.

That said, take immediate delivery from any store and pas de problem...

I bought my laptop from Best Buy in the summer and one of the things I recommend is buying the extended warranty so that if there are any problems you get it fixed ASAP as well as getting a replacement laptop for the time yours is in for service. Also I have Vista as my OS and have not had any trouble with it, have more trouble with XP on my work computer than Vista. Guess it is all how you use your OS.
Cheers

holly golightly wrote:I bought my laptop from Best Buy in the summer and one of the things I recommend is buying the extended warranty so that if there are any problems you get it fixed ASAP as well as getting a replacement laptop for the time yours is in for service. Also I have Vista as my OS and have not had any trouble with it, have more trouble with XP on my work computer than Vista. Guess it is all how you use your OS.
Cheers

Even though almost every consumer advocate says extended warrantys are a rip off?

Had the extended warranty for the laptop at work and it needed the motherboard replaced, so the warranty work was free, if I wouldn't have insisted on the extended warranty, I either would have had to wait for a new computer to come in or pay for the motherboard to be replaced at a price. Sometimes the extended warranties are a rip off but there is always the chance that it will be needed. I have it on my original ipod as well and when it was close to the end of the warranty period I took it in to have the battery replaced and I go a new ipod (3rd generation as opposed to the 2nd generation one that I took in for the battery). To each his/her own, I guess.

I have extended warranty on my home PC as well as my ipod. I have learned my lesson...in the past I didn't get the extended warranty and had problems.

Ok...I've been here 5 years now...figured I should "experience" a "Boxing Day" shopping spree.

I figured it was the same as a "Black Friday" trip in the US...and it was. The deals weren't quite as good...but I did find some good ones.

Quickly...for the HurtinAlbertan...for a laptop...go to a computer place, like CBIT or Computer Trends. The deals are better, and the service is better.

When it comes to the extended plan...the ONLY reason to get one, is if you travel with your laptop, and will be plugging into random electric or network connections. Things that may change your laptop function, and thus cause problems.

The extended warranties do NOT cover physical damage...for those who say get it if you have small kids...read the fine print.

The thing to consider on laptops, is that the margins for profit on them for ALL stores is minimal. Unlike desktops, which have options for expansions, and addons that have higher markups...the laptops are pretty much "buy it all at once", so the markup is even across the board.

So...my shopping trip, I had reviewed all the flyers yesterday...and new what I was after. The only flyer I did not have available was Future Shop, though I had browsed it online on Wednesday.

On my way out this morning (at 7am, because the alarm I set for 5:30am failed), I was headed to Best Buy. Upon seeing the traffic though, and parking lots overflowing...I pulled in at Future Shop (St. James) and parked as close to 1/2 way between the two. I figured I'd hit Future Shop and see what they had, since I had the Best Buy flyer to refer to.

What I went in for was about $500 to spend on merchandise...what I left with was $1500 spent.

Because of my inane curiosity about Boxing Day shopping though, I had planned on going in a couple of weeks ago, and took note of "regular" prices...to see what the markdown/sale price was...and if it was worth it. I'd esitmate I saved about $900 overall on the merchandise I did buy...from "regular" prices.

One side note...I used to work for Radio Shack, which is owned by Tandy Corporation. They also own Circuit City. The REASON the sales people push the warranties so much? Because the commission percentage is higher for a warranty than the merchandise itself. When I worked for Radio Shack...the merchandise we received between 5-10% (and a few bonuses here and there for specific products)...for Warranties...it was between 18-25%...and if we could get you to buy it on your "brand new" Radio Shack Credit Card...the commissions usually doubled.

Also, for those yet to venture out...remember...if the sales people work on commission...they are ALWAYS allowed to offer you deals...like a free bag for your laptop. They typically won't offer it...and most the "seasonal" workers aren't even aware of it...but if you've picked out your laptop...just say something like "well...if you can throw in a bag for it, you have a deal"...the odds are you can get there manager to sign off on it.

Happy Shopping.

http://www.cbc.ca/consumers/market/files/money/extended_warranties/

"
Tod Marks — a senior editor at Consumer
Reports magazine — says
the magazine’s
research shows extended warranties are not a good investment. Last fall, Consumer Reports surveyed tens of thousands
of its readers about their purchases, repairs and experiences
with extended warranties.

"What we found out was that in most instances the cost
of the extended warranty, at the time the product was repaired,
exceeded the cost of the repair. In other instances it was
a wash," Marks says."

I hit Future Shop just off Pembina Hwy at about 5:15 AM. There were already at least 100 people in line. Curiously about 70% of them looked of Asian heritage.
ANyway the doors opened at 5:50AM, and tI walked in to the song "Eye of the Tiger" being cranked on the speakers. This was suprising, considering people in the US have been trampled to death.
I made a dash for the Laptops, picked up the one I came for, along with MSN Office, and a anti-virus software. I was in the store for only 20-25 minutes, so it actually was not as bad as i expected.

[quote="rosencrentz"]Perfect way to start the day, an unsubstantiated warning that a company is in trouble.
Please get us the names and which bank those guys work for and forward that news to the TV, newspapers and to the company!
That is scary to say that 3 people who work in a bank would say something like that.
The Bank managers would have a fit if that was reported to them, even if it was true! What would a bank employee be aware of? Bounced payroll cheque?
I do not think so! Please get me in touch with these people! Potential great early warning storey!
I guess Best Buy is also on that list, as Best Buy is owned by the same conglomerate![/quote


The people work in Investment areas and maybe wrong Iam just telling you what some people are aware of . Don't want to heed it fine .

I decided to do some research on the failing stores claim.

First, I wasn't aware (till now) that Tandy Corporation went out of business long ago. That Circuit City took them over (and thus Radio Shack)...so much has changed.

As far as the Best Buy/Future Shop question...no, they - in fact, are expanding...even facing the economic issues. They recently bought Napster, and have made exclusive deals with Apple as a special retailer.

My wife had actually mentioned the same rumour a couple days ago, that Best Buy was failing...but apparently it's not having problems as suggested.

Bartron wrote:Tod Marks — a senior editor at ConsumerReports magazine — says:

"the magazine’s research shows extended warranties are not a good investment."

I've often thought that and have never ever purchased one. But, if one can afford to, then I say go for it. By all means protect your investment. I believe some credit cards provide protection as well. Read your credit card agreement to see if maybe you're covered there.

I think it was also pointed out that the repair costs were a wash with the warranty prices.

Imo, you pay the repair costs up front with the extended warranty, and if you don't...you may pay later.