Save money on hardware

"Where's the cheapest place to buy this hardware?" The perpetual question asked by techies, hobbyists, and consumers alike. For us gamers who always want the best but are also on a tight budget, the question is even more vital. Many of us spend hours looking through magazine ads (i.e. Computer Shopper) and surfing the web (i.e. PriceWatch or KillerApp) to find the best price. After extensive research and hard labor, we finally find a place out in the boondocks which sells what we're looking for at a decent price - often at just a few dollars less than the store next door. But we buy from them anyway, because there is no better feeling than the feeling of knowing we got a good deal (or at least thinking we did.)

What if someone can tell you that you will never need to buy another issue of Computer Shopper again, and that you will always be able to get the best deal on computer hardware without doing any research? What if someone can tell you that you will always be able to buy hardware at costs below even the lowest price you could possibly find from KillerApp? Well, you can. The key is to go directly to the source. Go straight to the manufacturers and distributors where all the retailers buy from. Cut out the middleman.

By cutting out the middleman, not only can you ensure the best prices, but you can also tap into other programs and special promotions normally only offered to resellers. You see, it is to the manufacturers' best interests to educate their resellers on their products. The more the reseller knows about the products, the more likely the reseller will sell and push the products. Hardcore gamers and techies know this concept well. You like a game or a product, and soon everyone around you will also like that game or product. In order to better educate their resellers, manufacturers offer resellers special deals on their products. For example, Intel has a program where resellers can buy most Intel products at a 50% discount. Microsoft has a similar program where resellers can buy hardware and software at substantial discounts. (NT Server for less than $100, Intellimice for less than $25, MS Office Pro for less than $80, etc.) In fact, most manufacturers offer similar programs, some more substantial than others.