Buy Direct, from Dell Computer
Written: Aug 06 '02
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Dell Computer is one of the largest manufacturers of computer hardware in the world. This company was founded by Michael Dell, a man who foresaw the day when computers would be as widespread and common as television sets, occupying desktops and briefcases all over the world. One of the key components to his company's success was the offering of computers direct from an on- line site. At www.dell.com, a customer can purchase a personal computer, printer, digital camera, and various services, all from the comfort of your favorite office chair.
Products Offered:
The main reason that most people (including myself) visit the Dell on- line store is to purchase a personal computer, but there is more offered through this site than just pc's. Here's a list of the items available for sale:
Servers and Storage- Dell offers several different types of servers to accomodate your business or personal needs. You can buy rack servers, tower servers, and appliance servers along with several different storage devices.
Notebooks and Desktops- This is the first place I visited, when I logged on to dell.com a few years ago to purchase my pc. Dell offers a decent range of desktop personal computers and notebooks, with many different configurations, speeds, and special features available with a range of prices to fit your needs.
Networking- This section of dell.com will be visited primarily by business owners. Dell has network systems available for small, medium and large businesses, healthcare businesses, state and local governments, and educational institutions.
Software and Peripherals- This area of dell.com will help to satisfy your needs for additional accessories for your home or office based computer system. You can buy digital cameras, printers, monitors, scanners, software for business, computer game software, and much more.
Services- This section includes Dell's miscellaneous services that it offers to go along with its many products. You can purchase special training, certification, integrated solutions, storage, asset recovery, custom factory integration, managed deployment, and several other computer- related services.
Other Features:
Besides buying products, Dell.com provides links into some other services, too. You can read press releases, case studies, technological updates, etc. You can also link into a service and support area where you can lookup answers to questions or send an e-mail about a specific inquiry that you have. And if your finances are tight, you can purchase refurbished desktops and notebooks to ease the strain on your wallet.
Making a Purchase:
With Dell.com, building your personal computer is one of the main reasons why customers visit the site. After you decide whether or not you want a desktop or a notebook pc, you will then have the option of choosing the recommended configuration, or customizing your pc by adding/modifying accessories such as video cards, monitors, hard drives, speakers, sound system, zip drives, and warranty agreements, just to name a few. Special offers are indicated as you shop. For example, you might notice a special offer to upgrade your hard drive, for a drastically reduced price that's good for a specified period of time.
Selecting additional hardware is the last step. Dell will give you one last chance, before you place your order, to add a printer, scanner, surge protector, digital camera, and various types of software. If you don't want anything else, then you can continue to the checkout line.
Shipping Charges:
Dell does charge a fair amount of shipping, but only a minimal amount of tax (unless you happen to live in Texas). Shipping options include next day, 2nd day, and 3- 5 day. The cost of shipping ranges from about $100 to more than $300, depending on the distance and the size of your order. Unless you really need to have your pc delivered asap, I recommend going with the 3- 5 day delivery plan. It will save you more than $100 on the cost of shipping that you would pay with next day delivery.
Final Thoughts:
Dell.com is where I made one of my first major on- line purchases. I logged into the site from work, and ordered my desktop computer complete with a few accessories and a large, 19- inch monitor. A few months later, I used the site again to purchase a printer.
Technology and prices have really changed since I purchased my pc in the spring of 1999! When I bought my pc from Dell, it was the top of the line model that Dell offered. Now, I laugh when I logon to Dell.com and look at how much better the products have become. My pc was the fastest one offered at the time, but the fastest one offered now is five times faster than mine! Even the slowest model offered is twice as fast as the one I purchased just over three years ago. And the prices are lower now, too.
I have had a few dealings with Dell.com service and support, and they have always been quick and courteous with their response. I called their toll- free support line (indicated in the on- line store) and was connected in less than one minute. On one occasion, my monitor had gone bad (it was a Sony Trinitron model). Dell quickly replaced it, at no cost to me at all.
One thing that you need to keep in mind, before you start to build your Dell pc, is that the base price listed will more than likely not be the final price that you pay. Once you start to add accessories, upgrades, software, and the like, your final price will be about 20 to 40 percent higher than you first thought it would be. Even if you swear that you will only buy the base model with no additions, I can almost guarantee that you will want something else. I said the same thing when I bought my pc, yet when I saw all the cool accessories and software that was available, I couldn't resist adding more options, which quickly bumped up the final cost. I sat back and watched as the final price kept growing, and growing, and growing, with each click of the mouse.
It's a good idea to pay close attention to the basic system options, before you click ok to accept everything. Dell has several of the options defaulted (like the size of the monitor), and you may not like the choices. It's important to review everything, before you complete your sale.
The main reason that I visited Dell.com was because of the reputation of the company. Dell's products are a little more costly than other personal computers, but you pay for the quality. Dell consistently finishes at the head of the class, when personal computers are ranked by the experts. That was enough to get me to logon and visit this on- line service. Don't forget that you can't purchase Dell computers in stores. You have to go on- line, to own a Dell.
If you're the type who would rather see your pc before you make a purchase, then put your mouse down and head to the nearest CompUSA or Best Buy. But if reputation and quality are enough assurance for you, then logon to www.dell.com and start building your dream pc. If there's a way to construct it, the people at Dell will configure it for you. That's something you can't get in a retail store, so logon and start building!
Recommended:
Yes
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About the Author
Member: Bryan Carey
Location: Houston, TX
Reviews written: 3614
Trusted by: 1569 members
About Me: Beer Drinker and Libertarian Political Activist. Great Combination, eh?
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