Low prices!!! - and you get what you pay for
Written: Sep 16 '02
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Why, oh why do I keep tormenting myself like this? I KNOW Tiger sucks, but I kept coming back. This is REALLY the last time.
HISTORY
My experiences with TigerDirect go back to the mid 90's. It all started when I decided to help a friend build an affordable computer for her moderate budget. I ordered a barebones system from Tiger (100mhz processor) and the appropriate components to flesh out the system. To keep my story simple, the video card and sound card were incompatible and the CD-Rom drive just flat didn't work. I spent over two months fighting with Tiger to return the non-working items and finally, they beat me down. I gave up. I was young and naive and ended up buying my friend some new components out of my own pocket. She got her computer (after two months of headaches) and I got a lesson in life.
I swore off (and at) TigerDirect for a very long time. But if we don't learn from our mistakes, we are doomed to repeat them. And I guess I didn't learn. I tend to be the eternal optimist and I was sure that they had changed since they were still in business so many years later.
I later bought a few minor components over the years and they all seemed to work. The prices were certainly good and I allowed my TigerDirect nightmare to fade into the background.
Recent Experience
Fast-forward to the present. I recently bought a 64MB GeForce video card from Tiger for the unheard of price of $29.99. It came, it works, and I was thrilled with the price (after rebate). I allowed myself to slip into complacency and I let my guard down. I was enticed by their email "specials" and bought a motherboard/CPU combo.
And suddenly, nightmare visions from the past are all coming back with vivid clarity. I installed the motherboard into a case I had waiting for just such an occasion. I then carefully installed the heatsink and CPU. I snapped in my memory and components. With rapid heartbeat and dry mouth anticipation, I plugged in an turned on the system. Nothing. Not a beep or a whir, nothing. I worked for hours checking jumpers, switches, cable connections, etc. No go.
I brought the system in to the IT people at work and asked the tech to see what I had done wrong. He kept my system all day and came back to me at the end of the day. The verdict? What I had done wrong was buy a combo from TigerDirect. The motherboard and CPU are not compatible. My IT tech had called both the motherboad and CPU manufacturers and confirmed that a)the board manufacturer didn't support that processor for that board and b)the processor manufacturer didn't recommend that board for their processors.
I thanked him for his efforts and contacted Tiger. First, my email when unanswered. A telephone call that dumped me into voice mail also went unanswered. After numerous attempts, I finally spoke to a live(?) human(?) who refused to issue me an RA because neither part was defective.
Now, I am out the money (fortunately not a large sum) I spent. I am going to have to buy either a new processor or a new motherboard to use some of what I have. You can bet that new purchase won't be from TigerDirect.
Bottom Line
I'm older now and not nearly so naive. I WILL learn my lesson this time. TigerDirect has seen the last of my money and my business. I suppose they don't care but it is a real shame. A review of my Quicken files shows that I spend $1000 to $2000 per year on computer components and software.
If you buy from Tiger, and you get a solid working piece of equipment, then you can rest assured that you probably got it for a great price. But buying from Tiger is a lot like playing Russian Roulette. You just never know when you're going to get shot in the head.
Recommended:
No
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About the Author
Location: Maine
Reviews written: 245
Trusted by: 44 members
About Me: I am hopelessly impulsive. I admit it.
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