The Online Insider Says TigerDirect.com Is Nearly PurrFect!
Written: Sep 21 '04 (Updated Sep 21 '04)
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Background on the purchase
I've always used online sites to purchase everyday items, but sometimes I've gone to real world chain stores to buy big ticket items. I've done this for 2 reasons. First, if I decide that I want a new toy, I want it NOW! Second, some of the larger chains have better pricing. With some purchases, I can afford to wait a bit. That was the case with my new flat screen monitor. I recently moved and have a new office and desk. This new set up isn't as roomy as the old one, and I needed to downsize some of my equipment. Thankfully, my monitor decided to fry in the midst of the move, so I knew what I needed to do... trade up for a flat screen.
My brother was nice enough to toss me a few duckets for the purchase, as the Insider recently celebrated another birthday. This sealed the deal. I began to scour online and offline stores to see what I could get. I looked at Amazon first, as that's where I always start my searches. I narrowed the purchase set down to a 17 inch flat screen monitor and breezed through the 30 plus items that Amazon had that fit the bill. Then I checked shopping.com. They listed a monitor by Advueu at 279.00. It was sold at TigerDirect.com, a site that I was aware of, but had never shopped. Now that I had the specs and the price, I went to Walmart and Staples. These 2 stores have outlets near where I work, so they were easy to check. Both of them listed 17 inch monitors for sale, but neither could beat the price.
That night, cc in hand, I went to TigerDirect.
About the Company
TigerDirect is another mail order company that made the jump online. Like compatriots MacWarehouse and CDW, they know that good information, customer satisfaction and low prices are the ways to keep folks coming back. They are part of SystemMax, a computer manufacturer that is a Forture 1000 company. They're based in Florida, and have been in business for 16 years (first the catalog, then the website). The site has won some nice accolades. It was ranked among the New York Times' "Top 25 Online Retailers" in 2002. Here's why Tiger Direct thinks you should shop from them -- "When you shop with TigerDirect.com, you'll choose from brand name computers—the industry's top names—at prices simply not possible anywhere else. But that's just the beginning. We also carry a vast inventory of components: motherboards, processors, hard drives, optical drives, cases and more. You'll find emerging technologies as well, because at the end of the day, we love what we sell." These folks know their stuff, and they want to help you.
About the Site
Their website tells you all you need to know about the company immediately upon your arrival. First, the conspicuous placement of the 800# is a good sign. Why? Some companies (mine included) hide their 800 number from the customer because they don't want to talk to everyone, just the folks that might buy. This is smart from a budgeting standpoint, as you don't waste money on the lookey-loos, but you might suffer in customer retention for the long haul. Tiger Direct invests their money in your lifetime value. They WANT to talk with you... a nice thing to know if you're thinking about buying from them. In addition, the top of the site also lists the following customer service friendly options: Shop By Brand, Rebate Center, Track Your Order, Free Catalog, Services & Resources, Help.
Shopping at the Site
The site is broken down into categories; Computers, Notebooks, Monitors, Printers, Components, Memory, and Barebones. Most of these are self explanatory. Barebones are stripped down computer kits for those who want to build their own box. To begin shopping, I clicked on the tab labeled Monitors. This takes me to the front page of the Monitors section. The site immediately does some cool merchandising. First, it uses the left side of the site to break the category down into subcategories. You can drill down further by clicking on these links. Second, it uses the top right side of the site to show me the Top Ten items purchased by other users on the site. Lastly, and very reminiscent of a catalog layout, they show you the top deals in the category. They list 14 monitors on the front page, with pricing, small specs and full color pictures. The top 2 deals are larger and located at the top. One of these is the monitor that I was looking for. The text for this is very alluring... "The Advueu 17" LCD The spectacular Advueu 17” LCD monitor delivers brilliant colors and text so sharply defined it commands your attention." Then under the description, they list the price -- 269.99! I clicked on the Add to Cart button. You could also click on the item itself to go to a large page about the item. This page has product information, detailed specs and lots of pictures. It also lists the warranty information and any available rebates. It's very detailed.
Checking Out
Once you decide to buy, you simply give the site your billing and shipping information and create a profile. After you create a profile, it's an easy 3 page process. The site does try to upsell you on a service plan, but this is the same stuff you'll get at any large store. Simply decline it and move on.
I chose regular shipping and was delighted when the package arrived 7 days later (as I was promised.) The site uses UPS as the primary carrier for their items and calculates their shipping by weight at the time of your order. I paid 16.14 for the shipping cost on my order, as it weighed about 15 lbs or so.
Bottom Line
The Insider recommends this site!
Recommended:
Yes
What product did you purchase or try to purchase? Adveue 17 inch monitor
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bhweb22
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Member: Brian H
Location: Northeast
Reviews written: 297
Trusted by: 108 members
About Me:
I'm an Internet GEEK.
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