Technology Purchasing Tips

Getting Good Deals: How to Bargain When Buying Computers

jonb — 2007-03-06T18:05:52Z

Conventional wisdom is that computer companies operate on very small margins and are unwilling to bargain. This is a myth.

As relatively new organization, Dogwood Initiative operates with a small budget. Yet our staff is sophisticated -- and growing quickly. We need to squeeze every penny from our limited technology budgets.

Our entry into bargaining for computer hardware began out of desperation. The euphoria of our first successful technology grant quickly wore off when we tried to purchase computers. Taxes and shipping charges (which we hadnt budgeted for) ate into our budget. The initial quotes we received were higher than we anticipated, jeopardizing our ability to purchase our first, long-awaited (and much anticipated) laptop computer. As result of hard bargaining, to our surprise, we saved approximately $1,300. Since then we have saved thousands of dollars and acquired significantly more technology horsepower then we thought possible.

Here are some tips:

Tip 1: Be audaciousbegin haggling

You'll never get a deal if you don't ask. The hardest part for me, and many North Americans, is to begin to bargain. Except for cars, we are so used paying the sticker price, we don't try to haggle. What Ive learned is that everything is negotiable, but you need to begin the negotiation process. It can be as simple as saying, is that your best offer or can you do better. Remember, the worst that can happen is the other side can say no.

Tip 2: Know what you want

Preparation is the key in getting good deals. The more you're familiar with the going rate for computers and peripherals the better prepared you'll be. As with any negotiations, you need to establish your negotiating envelope: your opening position, your target, and your bottom line.

As negotiating guru Jim Thomas says, increase your aspiration level. Don't set your initial request too near your goal. Begin acting on your higher aspirations through your opening offer.

To set your envelope you need to know the essential components you need, what you'd like to have if you can afford it, and what is non-essential or dispensable. For our recent desktop purchase, we knew that large hard drive was essential, a CD burner was desirable but not essential, and a floppy drive was disposable. Technical consultants like ONE/Northwest can help you figure out what you need, and what you don't.

Tip 3: Shop aroundget quotes

After you've established what you need, would like, and don't need, get some price benchmarks. You do this through research on the web as well as soliciting quotes. Recently, we solicited written quotes from Canadian computer retailer, Dell and a local computer builder. Ask for the price as a package and for each individual component including desired but non-essential components and those that are dispensable. Always request the quote indicate the discount available for purchasing in volume (this helps you figure out their true cost). Do not forget to have them itemize taxes, shipping, delivery and warranty prices as well. Get them to commit to a delivery date.

With Dell, keep researchingnew offers occur nearly everyday on the web or in the newspaper. Using the component prices they have quoted, you can subtract from or add to these advertised prices to get a better deal. By doing this we saved about $450 and got upgraded components on our last purchase. One good source of Dell deals is http://www.gotapex.com. TechFoundation (a Boston-based nonprofit tech assistance provider) has pre-negotiated a 10-15% discount on Dell equipment, which any nonprofit can take advantage of at http://www.dell.com/epp/techfoundation/. An excellent source of price comparisons from multiple online vendors is PriceGrabber (http://www.pricegrabber.com).

Tip 4: Build relationshipsor pretend to

Generally, computer retailers want repeat customers. This means they are usually prepared to sacrifice some profit to build longer-term relationships. Exploit this desire! Always remind them that this is only one of a number of purchases your organization will make over the next few years.

This plays out differently with different retailers. With local vendors, indicate you'd much rather buy local, but as a nonprofit you're very price sensitive and worried about their ability to provide service over time. With larger retailers indicate that stability is an advantage, but there is lots of competition.

Remember, you are building a relationship with both the company and the salesperson. Many work on commission and rely on repeat business.

Tip 5: Use competitors prices

Written quotes help you play retailers off against the other. I have succeeded in getting Dell to drop their quotes on both desktops and notebooks to well below advertised prices by informing them of a lower quote from Gateway or a local retailer. I said, I have been pleased with our previous Dell purchases, and would prefer to deal with one vendor and Dells superior product, but as a cash-strapped non-profit Ill have to go with the lowest price.

Tip 5: Use your nonprofit status

Continually reinforce that you are a non-profit agency operating on low budget. With some sales agents, especially those that support your mission, this seems to encourage them to go the extra yard. If the sales agent doesnt seem sympathetic, call another agent.

Once you get a good agent, get as much direct contact information as possible so you can establish a relationship they want to maintain.

Tip 6: Dicker on components

Once the core components of the package are dealt with, wrangle about everything elsethis is where your desired and disposable components, taxes and shipping come in. Negotiating guru Jim Thomas calls this nibbling at the end. If is your operative word. Say things like, that would work, if you could throw in______. I was able to get Dell to throw in Windows XP, a leather briefcase, an extended warranty, free shipping and a monitor stand all essentially for free.

When nibbling, research is importantestimate the hard cost of the item. For example, extending the warranty may not cost a company much if it does it in house, but it can be expensive to outsource. I have had some success getting companies to throw in free software, security packages, and extra RAM and colleagues have gotten a free wireless mouse and keyboards as nibbles.

Tip 7: Haggle some more

When you are almost embarrassed to keep nibblingask for one more thing. Westerners are usually embarrassed to keep askingdont be, the company will let you know if you have reached the limit. Recently, I have been asking a retail computer store for a discount of the sticker price on every purchase. They immediately offer a 7-30% discount that I would have never gotten if I hadnt asked.

Tip 8: Walk away

Salespeople, especially those on commission, want to close sales. If they have invested significant time in the back and forth they often will be more willing to haggle after you have let them sweat for awhile. If you think they will come down more, tell them, I want to (1) think about it or (2) shop around. Often they will respond with a another inducement.

Tip 9: Hold them accountable

Document everything. If the company doesnt perform exactly as promised, ask for additional benefits. We keep detailed notes of all our interactions with computer service providers and this has proven very useful in getting additional concessions.

If the shipment is late, service is poor, or components dont work or are missing, demand something in return. Last year when my laptop wasnt replaced by the promised date (note: dont let anyone drop your laptop in the ocean), I wrote to the CEO documenting all our problems. Ultimately, the company agreed to provide me with a more powerful replacment machine, double my memory and RAM and throw extra peripherals. The replacement was worth $4,700 and I only paid $2,500 for the original computer.

Tip 10: Be patientbut time is money

Bargaining takes time. Be patientknow your limitations and set boundaries. Always ask yourself: Are the potential savings worth the time and effort needed to save money?

Your organization has to evaluate each transaction to determine the relative benefits. Sometimes it may be worth spending the extra money to get equipment quickly.

Computer Recycling

jons — 2007-07-16T20:26:02Z

Have your current computers reached the end of their useful life with the organization? Because computer equipment is fast becoming a major solid waste problem (especially monitors), we believe the best way for environmental organizations to retire their outdated computers is to recycle them.

Recycling computers requires some effort and sometimes a bit of cost. The best option is to take advantage of local computer recycling options in your community. This is the most convenient and inexpensive way to make sure your computer equipment is recycled appropriately. The bad news is that not every community has computer recycling programs.

Here are some options in the Pacific Northwest:

British Columbia

Vancouver

Intercon Solutions
http://www.interconrecycling.com

Nanaimo

Nanaimo Recycling Exchange
http://www.recycling.bc.ca

Idaho

Boise

Idaho Department of Environmental Quality http://www.deq.state.id.us/assistance/recycle.htm

Computers for Kids

http://www.cfkidaho.org

Montana

Billings, Bozeman, Helena, Missoula, etc.

Montana Department of Environmental Quality
http://www.deq.mt.gov/Recycle/cpuList.asp

Oregon

Portland

Free Geek
http://www.freegeek.org/recycle.php
StRUT
http://www.strut.org

Clackamas

E-Waste Solutions

http://www.ewastesolutions.biz

Eugene

Computer Reuse and Recycling
http://www.laneccrc.org

Washington

Seattle/King County

Computer Recovery Project
http://dnr.metrokc.gov/swd/default.shtml

A longer listing of Northwest electronics recycling providers can be found at http://www.recyclingadvocates.org/wepsi/recycle.htm

If there's no computer recycling service available in your area, you may need to look farther afield. Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition is one of the leading groups working on responsible e-waste recycling issues. They maintain links to electronics recycling resources at http://www.svtc.org/cleancc/recycle/recycle_otherstates.htm.

For more information on e-waste-related policy issues, see Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition's "Clean Computer Campaign" at http://www.svtc.org/cleancc/index.html.

Thanks to Alex McCallum and Suzanne for updates and suggestions.

Scanners

jons — 2007-03-06T18:05:53Z

Scanners are the simplest and most ubiquitous digital imaging tool. Scanners are used to capture ordinary prints and slides for use online. High quality flatbed scanners now cost under $250, and many can be had for less than $150. Typical scanners now offer 600-1200 dpi resolution, easy connectivity via your computer's USB interface, and reasonably good bundled software for imagine editing, OCR, etc. In addition, more specialized (and expensive) scanners exist for scanning long documents, and for doing high-quality scans of slides.

Flatbed scanners

Flatbed scanners are the everyday workhorse scanners most folks rely on. They can scan photos, documents, and some even havetransparency adapters that will allow them to scan slides.(But most flatbed scanners lack the resolution to produce truly great slide scans).

For current reviews of scanners, see:

C|Net - http://www.cnet.com/Scanners/4502-3137_7-0.html
C|Net's reviews are somewhat consumer-oriented, but pretty solid overall.

We've had good luck with the Epson Perfection series. Visioneer, Canon and HP are among the other leading scanner manufacturers. There are a lot of good choices in the $100-200 range.

Slide scanners

If scanning slides is important to your organization's publishing work, we recommend purchasing a dedicated slide scanner. While slide scanners can be somewhat expensive, they are capable of producing the truly outstanding image quality that is essential to creating persuasive high-impact materials.

There are several appealing choices at two price tiers: around $500 and $1000.. Advantages of the more expensive scanners include: slightly higher resolution and ability to deal with "difficult" exposures (i.e. lots of shadow, etc.), built-in "scratch/dust removal" technology, and more robust software. Recommended "low-end" slide scanners include the Minolta Dimage Scan Dual II ($500) and the HP PhotoSmart S20xi ($400). Recommended midrange slide scanners include the Minolta Dimage Scan Elite** (US$1000) and the Nikon CoolScan III LS-30 (US$770).

http://www.flatbed-scanner-review.org/
35mm_slide_film_scanners/35mm_film_slide_scanners.html
has some real-world (if somewhat wordy) reviews.

Also see http://www.photo.net/digital/scanners/for some more opinions from photo geeks.

Document scanners

Someorganizations (typically folks working with legal documents) frequently need to scan in long paper documents. This can be very slow with typical flatbed scanners. There are specialized document scanners that do this job quickly and efficiently. They're not cheap, but if you have to scan long documents frequently, they're well worthwhile.

The best resource we've found on this somewhat esoteric market is CD Dimensions' Document Scanner Comparison chart:
http://www.cddimensions.com/document_scanner/scanners.asp

Scanner Galaxy (http://www.scannergalaxy.com/) is an online vendor with a wide range of document scanners.

Buying a Projector

deane — 2007-04-17T16:10:09Z

Driven by increased corporate and home entertainment use, portable projectors have become more affordable to activists in the past few years. The increased competition means that there are more available options, so it's important to get a baseline education on what makes a projector useful in an activist context. Below are four criteria that you can use to evaluate your LCD Projector purchase.

Ease of Use
Can the average activist use this equipment with minimal effort?

Brightness
Will the projector shine brightly in a partially lit room?
Portability/Durability
Can this equipment be transported easily and safely?
Image Quality
Can I get high quality image from a projector from any source?
Recommendations
What to get; where to shop?

Ease of Use

Most of today's portable projectors are very easy to use. They come with about as much hardware as a laptop. Usually just two to three cords (15 pin power adapter, PS2 mouse cord, and audio/video cables) and the projector itself pack into a bag small enough to carry on the plane, or place in the back seat.

Projectors are now plug-and-play, user-friendly and they can be put together in a matter of minutes. Even with the challenges of a constantly changing environment, in most cases all you will need to shine is a power outlet (and an extension cord!).

Brightness

Projector brightness is measured in ANSI lumens. Ultra-portables start as low as 350 lumens (best for lights-off presentations) all the way up to a stunning 2500 lumens. Low or lights off presentations are not generally desirable, as you may be inviting people to doze (or pass notes) during your presentation. A projector with at least 800 lumens is desirable for use in rooms where there will be some ambient light that cannot be eliminated, or in cases when you want your audience to see your winning smile.

A projector rated at 1500 or more ANSI lumens would put you ahead of the pack however, and these brighter projectors should soon become the industry standard. In any case, brighter can't hurt you, but it may cost a little more for the quality.

Image Quality

A lot of people think first about resolution when fretting over image quality. The quick and easy answer is simply match your projector's resolution to your laptop's resolution. New laptops are moving away from SVGA (800x600) into XGA (1024x768) resolutions, so keep that in mind.

Another way to think about image quality is uniformity. Uniformity is measured by percentage. The higher uniformity rating will give you better quality throughout your image, thus eliminating hot spots and distortion around the edges. A good range to shoot for is about 85-95%. The best quality projectors produce such a sharp picture that you can use your projector for home theatre use. HDTV compatibility in your projector is something you might want to consider if you'd like to 'super-size' your home theater in the future.

Portability/Durability

Ultra-portable projectors tend to run between 5 and 10 lbs. The lightest projectors are convenient to carry; however, often there is a trade off for brightness, image quality, or features. I recommend something that best suits your individual needs. Sometimes, but not always, lighter projectors are a little less durable too. However, a good sturdy hard case can help minimize that problem and is recommended for anyone who travels by air. A case with wheels is great to have if you elect to go for a heavier portable, particularly if you tote your laptop too. In some instances, a soft or hard case may be included in the original purchase.

Recommendations

Today, the technology has greatly improved. They have added things that can make your presenting life easier and more successful. Some examples are; memory cards for computer-less presentation, digital keystone correction for versatility in projector placement, digital zoom and digital freeze for visual poignancy, wireless mouse control, on screen pointer, and multiple computer inputs for complex presentations. You may not require all of these bells and whistles for your purposes, but keep them in mind when shopping around for the best deals.

Sacrificing quality is not worth the marginal dollars on an investment that will (hopefully) last 3+ years. That said, there are some great projectors for around $1000-$1500 (USD) capable of doing everything a busy activst needs.

ProjectorCentral.com provides good coverage of projectors and current reviews.

We suggest looking for the best price online, evaluating the vendor's shipping and return policy, and making a smart choice. A good source of online price comparisions is Pricegrabber.com.

Buying a New Monitor

jons — 2007-03-06T18:24:51Z

Monitors are one of the most important components of your computer system. If you have any doubts ask yourself what other thing in this world do you stare at more. Unless you say your spouse's eyes, the answer is probably nothing.

A good monitor can help you work more productively by improving visual access to your work and perhaps more importantly, by improving visual and even physical comfort. It's also a very good investment. Unlike most other computer components, the monitor will likely last a number of years without becoming obsolete. Thus, it's usually worth spending a few extra dollars to get a quality monitor.

What to Look For

Ergonomic Considerations
Before purchasing a new monitor you should make sure that your current setup is ergonomically healthy. It is often said, "the eyes lead the body" and as we continue to stare at our monitors for much of the day, it is important to think about the impact this has on our bodies. When viewing a poorly positioned monitor the necessity to see clearly will force your body to adjust, which creates significant strain and often results in headaches, back pain and eye problems. Ideally, the screen of your monitor will be just below eye level and directly in front of you, about 20-24 inches away. It is also recommended to limit glare and to keep your screen free of dust. Additional computer related health information can be found here.

Technology
Monitors come intwo general flavors, CRT and LCD. The CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) is the conventional tv-style monitor and has been available for years. It shoots electrons at a special screen, which responds with the orderly light that forms the images we see. An LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) monitor uses a completely different technology involving electrical current through a liquid crystal solution. Notebook computers were the first to adopt LCD displays, and now because they are smaller, lighter and more energy-efficient than traditional CRT displays. For a detailed comparison see http://www.bigbruin.com/techtip.php?file=005.

Environmental considerations
LCD monitors do more than save desk space -- they save electricity, which is an important consideration for folks dedicated to protecting the environment. As typical with many eco-friendly products, the initial costis slightly higher, but the total cost of ownership is less expensive. LCD monitors are no exception. LCD monitors are more energy-efficient than CRTs, and do not emit radiation. LCD monitors contain less toxic lead than CRT displays, and the EPA has estimated that their overall environmental impact is less than CRTs. More information about the benefits of LCD monitors can be found at:

Life-Cycle Assessment of Desktop Computer Displays
http://www.epa.gov/oppt/dfe/pubs/comp-dic/lca-sum

Benefits of LCD Computer Displays
http://web.archive.org/web/20021113120519/ http://
yosemite.epa.gov/estar/consumers.nsf/content/LCDorCRT.htm

Size
Screen size is probably the most important feature to consider when buying a new monitor. While a quality 15" monitor will suffice for many users, a larger viewing window means less scrolling and less squinting. A 17" monitor tends to make the standard office user quite happy, and with good 17" monitors around $400, they have become the standard for most new systems. Graphics and design work represent high-end needs and such users will receive greater benefit from the larger workspace provided by a 19" or 21" monitor.

Resolution
Directly related to the size of the monitor is resolution. Resolution is a measurement of the size of the picture displayed on the screen, measured in number of dots or pixels. A big monitor is not only capable of a higher resolution, but displays lower resolutions in a bigger, more clear picture. For example, a 15" monitor might be capable of a 1024x768 resolution, but any given image will take up much more of the screen (and be less comfortable to look at) than if it were displayed on a 17" monitor at the same resolution.

Refresh Rate
Directly related to resolution is refresh rate, which is essentially the rate at which images on the screen are recreated. Increasing the resolution or size of the image makes it harder to recreate that image. Thus it is recreated slower, causing the screen to flicker or tremble. So, in order to display a high resolution you need an appropriately high refresh rate. Generally, your monitor should display your target resolution at a refresh rate of at least 75MHz. Anything lower will appear to flicker and cause perceptible eye strain.

Dot Pitch
Dot pitch is the distance between dots of the same type, measured in millimeters. The smaller the dot pitch the closer the dots are together, thus the finer the detail. Any new monitor purchased should have a dot pitch of .27 or lower.

It is also important to consider features like screen treatments to reduce glare, warranties and how easy it is to make adjustments to the picture.

Video/Graphics Card
Having a great monitor on your desk is almost worthless if the picture it's being sent is poor. The images that the monitor displays come from the video card. So, it is important to make sure that your video card will support the features of your new monitor. Generally speaking, you'll be fine with the one that came with you computer. However, if you're planning to buy a new monitor for a five year old machine, you may be disappointed. If this is the case, a good video card can be purchased for about $70. An ideal video card will have a DVI (Digital Video Interface) connector, which offers higher image quality when paired with an LCD monitor.

Summary and Recommendations

Your purchase will probably boil down to a tradeoff between screen size and money. How big a monitor can you buy within your budget? That's not to say however, that bigger is always better. A 30" LCD display looks great, but will burn a huge hole in your wallet.

For a typical small office user, a 17" LCD monitor offers an ideal combination of image quality, usable screen real estate, small size, environmental friendliness and moderate cost. 19" LCD monitors are now also pretty affordable, and offer a significant boost in usable screen real estate.

17" LCD monitor reviews:
http://reviews.cnet.com/4323-6529_7-6509062.html

19" LCD monitor reviews:
http://reviews.cnet.com/4323-6529_7-6509063.html?tag=subnav