Cheap Computers For Sale

Especially when buying from the large online retailers (for example Dell), it is possible to reduce the price of your computer purchase using the tips outlined in this article. Getting (sometimes very) cheap desktop computers needn't be a difficult task.

The reason you can get a better deal is mainly because many of the larger retailers setup their websites and ordering process in such a way that it becomes very easy for us consumers to add extras and upgrades to the system you are ordering, and thus spending more money than we originally intended to! (I think we've all done it at some point - we intend to spend a particular amount of money, and by the end of the checkout process we've added extras and end up spending [much!] more than intended!).

This article gives some tips to help you avoid doing this and instead get a good deal (since the truth is simply that many of these extras are over-priced and sometimes not worth purchasing). It also covers a couple of other tips and tricks which the online retailers wish you didn't know!

Tip 1 - Get a lower priced model and upgrade certain components if needed

When a retailer has a product range available at various price points (for example, when you can get a particular system for $400, then for $550 you can get a similar system but with a better processor, hard-drive and RAM), consider sticking to the system at the lower price and simply upgrading only certain components if needed. For example, if you like the $400 system but would prefer a bigger hard-drive, consider configuring the $400 system and upgrading just the hard-drive. By doing this, you might end up paying (say) $450 and not the $550 for the higher priced system.

In short, going for a lower priced model and simply upgrading one or two components might be cheaper than ordering a higher priced system which might have upgrades which you don't actually need.

Tip 2 - Avoid adding extras to your checkout basket

Once you've decided on a system you are happy with, retailers (both online and offline in actual shops) tend you ask you whether you want certain 'extras' - such as security software or a 'special offer' on a printer. However be wary of such offers since you can usually get better (or free!) security software than what's being offered to you, and sometimes the printers can lose you money in the long run since they sometimes require you to buy a particular type of (usually expensive!) ink directly from the retailer.

So be wary of adding extras because they are often over-priced and unnecessary.

Tip 3 - Which warranty do you need?

Whilst having a comprehensive warranty sounds great, be sure to ask yourself whether you actually need it. Sometimes these 'comprehensive' warranties (the ones which last for a 3-4 years, have next business day on-site repair, etc) can cost hundreds of dollars extra and it simply might not be needed. If you plan on buying a better computer in 2 year's time, then getting a warranty of longer than 2 years might be wasted. And if you have a laptop or backup computer, consider avoiding the on-site repair option since this can sometimes be much more expensive.

To conclude this tip, think about your needs and choose the exact warranty for your needs - don't spend money on a bigger more expensive warranty if you don't need it.

Tip 4 - Check for a company's "Outlet"

Many companies offer an "Outlet" or factory-refurbished section of some sort - such as the Dell Outlet. Whilst you might be dubious about ordering factory-refurbished computers, remember that they are all in a condition to satisfy fairly strict laws (they couldn't simply sell systems which don't work or that will break down within weeks). Ordering from an outlet can lead to some very large savings. Also remember that some systems are sold in an outlet due to a minor cosmetic issue: I once seen a computer system sold by the Dell Outlet which was 40% off because the outer case was slightly dented!

In short, getting factory-refurbished systems can lead to very big savings and the systems are usually still of a high quality.

Secret: Tip 5 - Consider ringing up to get an easy 5% discount

This is a bit of a secret tip. Many company's authorise their sales staff to give a small discount on a computer system. For example, the sales staff employed by Dell are all authorised to give up to 5% off a computer system. They aren't able to give anything bigger than 5%, though (the Dell sales software apparently won't grant discounts greater than 5% without manager approval). As a result, be sure to ring up a company's sales department via the phone before ordering and seeing if they can give you a discount.

Even consider working out how much the system would be minus 5% (for example, $500 - ($500x5%) = $475) - before ringing them up - and then saying on the phone "Hi, I'm interested in [some system] which retails at $500. However my maximum budget is only $475 and so I'm wondering whether you can sell this sytem at $475 instead?".

This is a basic tip, but one that definitely works (I have used it numerous times myself!) and it is very useful for giving you a quick money saving!

Hopefully the tips above will help you to realise that it is possible to get the system that is right for you at a lower price. You might not get dirt cheap computers, but you can certainly get a much better deal than most people would.


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