An online retailer should never be more expensive than a walk in store

tuesday0180

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Nov 15, 2009
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Does anyone agree?

I have been buying a lot of computer equipment lately, (multiple hard drives, graphics cards, computer cases, fans, power supplies etc).

I have noticed that Frys electronics has consistently outpriced newegg.

How is this possible? Frys electronics is a huge store that employs a ton of employees an pays them an hourly wage. They have a much higher operating cost at the end of the month than Newegg.

Now Newegg is no slouch either. They're a huge company with sales in the billions mark. They have a large operation, but they don't have higher operating costs than a traditional brick and mortar store like Frys. They don't have sales people to pay. Their whole sales process is computer operated. Why do they still charge more than Frys?

Keep in mind, I love newegg. I think their customer service is great. Their warehouse is also close to me so I usually receive the package the next day if I order early in the day. I'm just concerned about their price. I would much rather buy from newegg than Frys.
 

cadder

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Nov 17, 2008
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Frys here does not have a ton of employees. They have one of the biggest stores in our area and they have maybe 3 employees in the whole store.

Their store is not run very well. They don't maintain a good selection of many items. Its like they stocked the store when they opened but they never restock the items that sell.

I shop there, and window shop there, because it is an interesting place. They have things that nobody else has. But when I want to buy something it is ususally frustrating.

I bought a laptop computer for my wife there a year ago. They put such a hard pressure sell on me to buy their exhorbitantly high extended warranty that it made me sick. If I could have bought that machine anywhere else I would have, just to not deal with their salesman. But it was last minute and I had to have it, so I bit my lip and ignored the guy. He insisted on walking with me the entire way from the back of the store to the far front corner where the cash registers were, breaking into his sales spiel many different times along the way.
 

tuesday0180

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Yea I don't like that whole sales thing either. If they're polite, I usually allow them to ring up my item so they get commission, but if they're rude and pushy I just take it off the shelf and take it up front myself and ring it up. That way they don't get commission if that happens.

Which state are you located? The Frys here in Anaheim California is pretty good. I've consistently seen Frys out price newegg on many item. But you're right about the stock though. Frys doesn't really stock a good quantity of video cards. They didn't even have 4850's and 4870's until Christmas time. They did have a large quantity of Nvidia product though.