Where have all you NYC residents been shopping for COMPUTER- & ELECTRONICS-related goods over the years in NYC & region? (New York: hair salon, apartment)
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B&H is a huge electronics store on 34th and 9th. They also have a website. They're a fairly famous store. I find them to be very knowledgeable and helpful about equipment. I'd say they're known for video/photo equipment but really they sell everything. The owner and most of the employees are observing Hasidics so they follow Jewish holiday calendar and often close early before holidays.
Edit: Also wanted to mention they have an interesting conveyer belt system to get people's purchases to the cashiers/check-out. It's fun for kids to see as well.
Thanks for the rec. I'm really interested in purchasing some cool video equipment, I think I'm going to check them out next week.
At least the salespeople will actually KNOW what they're talking about and not trying to wing it with whatever sounds good like so many other places.
The reason why the staff at many retail locations (not just computer stores) are horrible is because they are not being trained properly about the products in their assigned areas. Unfortunately, many of them have to "wing" it and you can tell they have no clue what they're talking about.
I never heard of Micro Center. I probably wouldn't visit the locations you listed anyway due to them being too far away. I like Best Buy and I don't have a problem ordering products online if I need them.
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Originally Posted by mc33433
Same here... I've never heard of it. I don't think I would go out of my way to visit either. I've bought at B&H before for computers and cameras.... I also usually compare online to see alternate prices.
I don't know where each of you (Marilyn220 and MC33433) geographically lives and/or works but, if in New York City proper, I stated earlier that Micro Center will be opening their first-ever New York City stores (one in the Kew Garden Hills/Pomonok sub-section of Flushing, Queens and the other in the Red Hook neighborhood of Brooklyn nearly along the New York Bay/East River waterfront) within either March or April 2014 and then they presently have a Long Island store (Westbury), a northern New Jersey store (Paterson), and a Westchester County store (Yonkers). So the NYC metro area is or will very soon be well-enough populated with their stores as one other option for all of us to check out or consider. (Note that, for local shopping, I have also bought various computer- and electronics goods over the years at Best Buy, Radio Shack, Staples, Office Max, the Apple Store, Walmart, K-Mart, the former CompUSA, the former Circuit City, J&R, B&H and some single-store retailers occasionally . . . along with online shopping.)
As to Marilyn220's statement that "The reason why the staff at many retail locations (not just computer stores) are horrible is because they are not being trained properly about the products in their assigned areas": It is not just or only a matter of their training the hired persons. It is also (or even more important) that they hire people who are well-competent with the technology and products line to begin with (right from the start); that is, people who are not neophytes or newbies but rather competent, experienced, techie geek/nerd types (like myself, for instance) and do what it takes to attract and hold on to such staff. And then, of course, supplement this with ongoing and continual training and re-training . . . and to not just take the applicant's word at face value as to their stated competence level but to intensively test them for their competence level. I get the feeling, with some of these retail operations over the years, that the way they hire someone for sales or support staff is they ask them "Have you ever worked with a computer?", the job applicant answers "Well, no . . . but I think I seen one once on TV. Duh!", and the store responds "Good enough. You're hired!". Like they just seem to grab just about anyone off the street whose only qualification to offer the employer is that they merely walk on two legs and have a brain. I would say to them all these retail operations the following: "If you don't have the will and determination, and, for that matter, the ethics to run a competent operation from the get-go, then simply don't bother at all. That is, don't even go into business. It makes you look bad and ill-serves the customer or prospective customer."
Yes, I fully understand the appeal of shopping online and I do shop online at times. But IF I can manage to find a local seller(s) that has the desired type or brand of product being sought, a reasonable selection of competing products, and reasonable-enough prices (they don't always have to be the absolutely-lowest price offered by anyone but be at least what can be deemed as "reasonably priced"), I would prefer to buy locally. But then who wouldn't (if all those conditions were being met)?
Thanks for the rec. I'm really interested in purchasing some cool video equipment, I think I'm going to check them out next week.
At least the salespeople will actually KNOW what they're talking about and not trying to wing it with whatever sounds good like so many other places.
Yes, I was in B&H once or twice (near the corner of 34th St. & 9th Ave. in Manhattan). They are an enormous multi-floor store and are likely the very largest retailer of photographic, videographic, and imaging equipment, accessories and supplies in the greater NYC region (and I wouldn't be surprised if they were the largest in the USA or, for the matter, in the entire world). And they do also have a computer products department in the store as well that, if my recollection is accurate and correct, "appeared to" sell more than a mere or middling range and selection of products.
I don't know where each of you (Marilyn220 and MC33433) geographically lives and/or works but, if in New York City proper, I stated earlier that Micro Center will be opening their first-ever New York City stores (one in the Kew Garden Hills/Pomonok sub-section of Flushing, Queens and the other in the Red Hook neighborhood of Brooklyn nearly along the New York Bay/East River waterfront) within either March or April 2014
Fine. If and when the Queens location opens up, I'll visit.
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As to Marilyn220's statement that "The reason why the staff at many retail locations (not just computer stores) are horrible is because they are not being trained properly about the products in their assigned areas": It is not just or only a matter of their training the hired persons. It is also (or even more important) that they hire people who are well-competent with the technology and products line to begin with (right from the start); that is, people who are not neophytes or newbies but rather competent, experienced, techie geek/nerd types (like myself, for instance) and do what it takes to attract and hold on to such staff. And then, of course, supplement this with ongoing and continual training and re-training . . . and to not just take the applicant's word at face value as to their stated competence level but to intensively test them for their competence level.
To get someone like you, they would have to pay way more than minimum wage and I'm sure you'd want commission as well.
I don't believe all the salespeople working for Apple and Microsoft are geeks. I think the color of their t-shirts (for Apple) tells what level they're on in the store. I'm not sure. I could be wrong. They tend to have like what appears to be a hundred salespeople on the floor at one time. LOL
TIGER DIRECT for all electronics...I cannot get more "local" than the desk in my living room. For air conditioners, fans, etc. I use VENTING DIRECT, an online store.
I have found, not unexpectedly, that online vendors can offer lower prices than brick and mortar (and salesmen) joints.
I used to like CompUSA next to Bryant Park LONG before 2007, like the late 1990's. I have no use for BestBuy because of their inflated prices. Radio Shack and J&R are both beyond abysmal. P.C. Richards for refrigerators, not computers.
Boutght TV's at Target and at BJ's Warehouse. CD, Blu-Ray players at BJ's, Costco, and TigerDirect. Stereo equipment from, sit down for this, CRAZY EDDIE'S on Flatbush...probably their first store.
I have no use for Apple Stores because I own none of their products, and likely will not.
Probably the only hardware place I am wedded to is Home Depot.
Ah, yes. "Crazy Eddie . . . his prices are . . . INSAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNEEEEEE!!!" Ah, the memories!
In the city, I mostly use B&H and J&R. I do go to Microcenter also.
However, this whole category is much better served by internet merchants.
As to the boldfaced quote of yours seen above: Yes, overall (in terms of pure selection and range of product offerings & then often of price) but then, for products that you want to be able to inspect and examine in-person for suitability, you don't get that with online merchants. And it is a hassle and an extra shipping expense (and sometimes a restocking fee is incurred by you) if you have to ship-return said product(s) back to the online merchants because of its unsuitability for you or because of damage.
Radio Shack has many locations in the NYC area and is good for small items.
One can also buy certain items at Sears which has a location in Rego Park, Queens.
I bought some stuff at CompuUSA when they had a location in Queens. In 1990s one also had several locations of Nobody Beats the Wiz. Also I know that 47th Photo in Manhattan was a popular place to buy electronics (also in 1990s).
I have an small old TV that I got at Costco just before flat-screens became popular.
This is true, but sort of inevitable. Given the vast permutations of all the configuration of all the components that are available, it's just much more efficient to keep them in one central warehouse (or even have them drop ship from the manufacturer) than to have them in a large number of retail stores. This is especially true of parts that only matter in specification only (IE, where it doesn't matter what they look and feel like.)
And then, of course, you get into the issue of showrooming, where people look over the merchandise locally, then scour the web for the best price (and likely not have to pay sales tax.)
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Originally Posted by UsAll
As to the boldfaced quote of yours seen above: Yes, overall (in terms of pure selection and range of product offerings & then often of price) but then, for products that you want to be able to inspect and examine for suitability, you don't get that with online merchants. And it is a hassle and an extra shipping expense (and sometimes a restocking fee is incurred by you) if you have to ship-return said product(s) back to the online merchants because of its unsuitability for you or because of damage.
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