Can this store live up to its name? -TigerDirect-
Written: Mar 15 '05 (Updated Feb 10 '06)
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Lately, I have been using my new Canon iP5000 photo printer as if it were going out of style. That said, I needed to find a store that provided the best deal on ink tanks for this printer. I stumbled upon Tiger Direct a few months ago while searching online for an inexpensive digital camera. Although I didn't find that special digital camera at Tiger Direct, I did find an amazing deal on ink cartridges for my printer.
About Tiger Direct:
Tiger Direct is a huge computer based online store. Though Tiger Direct's main focus is on selling Computer related products, this store also features a good selection of general electronic equipment i.e. digital cameras, DVD players, TVs, etc. One should note that most items sold at Tiger Direct are in new condition, however this store also features some refurbished items and huge discounts on open box items (items that have been returned).
Navigation/Ordering:
Tiger Direct isn't exactly the easiest store on the net to explore. To explain, Tiger Direct is littered with advertisements and miscellaneous product icons, so much so that it can make for very slow page loads (especially when using a dial-up ISP). Tiger Direct also features a huge list of categories, which sounds great theory, but unfortunately the listed categories are organized like those messy stands at a flea markets. I find that using this store's search feature is the best way to find products; using categories just takes too much time and is too prone to errors.
When you do find the product that you are looking for, Tiger Direct rewards you with a huge amount of product information along with excellent visuals of the product.
To finalize purchase at Tiger Direct you don't need to register with this company, though you will need to fill out a short personal information form. Unlike many online stores that require a credit card, Tiger Direct offers a host of alternative payment methods i.e. PayPal, bank transfers, checks and money orders, A "bill me later" plan (requires a quick credit check), and all major Credit Cards.
Prices:
So far I have made one purchase at Tiger Direct; one order of 4 ink cartridges for my iP5000 printer. I purchased my 4 tanks of ink for just a little over $7 each! Tiger Direct's price for each ink tank was about $5 cheaper than what Canon.com wants for the same exact product. After shipping, my total cost came to $44.21 cents. Had I went to Canon.com to purchase these ink tanks I would have paid nearly 60 dollars for all 4 tanks after shipping. The only store that offered a slightly better deal was Beach Camera Online Store, however during the holidays I had a bad experience with that sore so I wasn't about to take another chance.
In general, the prices at Tiger Direct are better than average. The prices tags on computers, printers, DVD players, Plasma TVs, Digital Cameras etc. are usually, on average, about 20% less than retail.
Shipping Charges:
Although Tiger Direct Online Store offers some excellent prices, shipping chargers can be quite costly for low weight items. To explain, Tiger Direct chargers by weight, which, in theory, sounds great considering I just purchased 4 ink cartridges (weighing less than 1-lb total). However, Tiger Direct has an inflated base shipping charge which makes low priced/low cost items have the highest shipping cost per pound ratio. These high shipping charges didn't ruin my good deal though, as mentioned I still paid less than $15 versus retail. Shipping methods include, UPS Ground, UPS Second Day and UPS Next Day Air.
Selection:
The computer hardware selection at Tiger Direct is absolutely gigantic and blows away many competing stores' selection on computer equipment, i.e. eCost.com, eTronics.com, and BuyDig.com. In addition to having a great selection on computer related equipment and general electronics, this store almost always has what they feature in stock.
Customer Service:
Online customer service is one of my major concerns when buying a product over the internet. Tiger Direct's customer care line is excellent and is probably the best I have had experienced so far from any online store this year. The people are nice, they know what they are talking about, and the company rarely makes you wait longer than 2 minutes to talk with a live representative; how refreshing.
Arrival:
I was told I would receive my ink cartridges in 10 business days, but it ended up only taking only around 5 business days (via UPS Ground) before it arrived to my home; not bad. When my ink tanks did arrive they were thoughtfully packaged and were in perfect condition.
Return Policy:
Tiger Direct offers a fair return policy. For defective items Tiger Direct gives a average of 30 days for you to return the product. According to the return policy, however, Tiger Direct has sole discretion on your credit received. They claim that if a product arrives broken, they have the right to fix it and send it back to you. I don't know about you, but if a product arrives broken, I want a new product, not the same machine with duct tape holding it together (sense the drama). If a product arrives and it isn't damaged, you may be charged a 15% restocking fee within the 30 day window period.
Final Thoughts:
Although this store has poor formatting, high shipping charges on low cost items, the low prices and the huge selection make shopping at Tiger Direct worth while. In conclusion, I do recommend this online store, especially if you are looking for a great deal on computers or computer related equipment.
Thanks for reading-
Recommended:
Yes
What product did you purchase or try to purchase? Ink
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About the Author
Location: Atlantic Coast
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