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Save with Mail Order

Computer hardware and software are not cheap. I personally have noticed software prices are starting to rise. I bought a software package a year ago for $80 and now the price has risen to over $200 for the latest version of it. You may be wondering if it is safe to buy hardware or software through the mail. The answer is, YES IT IS! But you must be careful in what you buy through the mail and from whom you buy it. Here are some tips:
 

• There is no advantage of buying software at a computer store. There is very little they can offer you except their time. The problem is that they can't learn how to use every software package they sell, so their knowledge will be limited. You are better off buying by mail-order and using the money you save to hire a professional to help you. You can save even more if you take the time to READ THE INSTRUCTIONS that comes with your software. You wouldn't buy an automobile, if you haven't learned how to drive, would you? The same holds true with computers. A large percentage of the problems that people experience with computers is directly related to their failure to take time to understand more about computers. The time spent learning is worth it!
   
• Buy small orders from a mail-order company and test out how reliable they are first. Many mail-order companies have an excellent reputation.
   
• Choose mail-order companies that have the biggest advertisements. It costs thousands of dollars for a company to put an ad in a major magazine. They wouldn't be spending this money if they didn't have a good business.
   
• Compare prices. Cut out the advertisements of a least five different mail-order companies and then compare their prices.
   
• Try to stick to brand name products when purchasing something that costs more than $100. It may cost a little more, but you probably won't end up buying a lemon.
   
• On the other hand, don't be afraid to try a lesser known product that is in the less than $100 range. There are many very good companies with very good products at a reasonable price.
   
• Try to be informed as much as possible before you buy. One good habit (especially for expensive software) is to request FREE Demo disks of the software when they are available. To do this, flip through all the ads in a computer magazine and order any or all the Free Demos you see offered.
   
• Buying a complete computer through the mail should be done very carefully. I suggest cutting out the ads for at least ten different mail-order companies that sell complete computer systems. Then either show them to a friend who knows a lot about computers and get his/her opinion on which is the best deal or hire a computer consultant in your area and be willing to spend at least $50 to get his professional opinion. The money you spend will be worth it.
   
• Before buying any software or hardware, see if there are any reviews of these products in a computer magazine. Many computer magazines compare products of similar design and tell which is the best according to their experienced opinion.
   
• Find a good mail-order company that sells computer supplies and be willing to buy your supplies in bulk. Buy disks 50 or 100 at a time. Buy ribbons 6 or 12 at a time. If you don't use a lot of supplies, why not find a friend or another small business that would be willing to combine their order with yours, so you can get the cheaper prices buy buying larger quantities.
   

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Last modified: Thursday, May 12, 2005