An issue recently surfaced in the forum regarding a misprint in an online ad for a hard drive, and the subsequent debacle with replacement and shipping costs that ensued. The company's employees were obviously incompetent and did not understand the difference between a 2.5" laptop hard drive and a 3.5" desktop hard drive. It's tough to find great deals from reputable manufacturers, but there are a few sites out there that make the game a little easier for deal hunters.

If you see a great deal or a killer sale on something, the first place you should go is Reseller Ratings. This is a free site that shows you buyer feedback and ratings of a variety of computer parts and electronics resellers. It's kind of like an expanded version of eBay's buyer/seller feedback system, geared more toward rating the seller than the buyer. You don't have to register or sign up to see the ratings and comments.

If you've had a particularly good or negative experience with a computer retailer, you can help other people gauge the reliability of the companies you've done business with by posting about them on Reseller Ratings. This is not a perfect process because some retailers offer discounts to customers who leave (presumably positive) feedback on the site. Still, a discount means nothing if you don't get what you thought you were paying for, so it does not absolve the reseller from unethical behavior, but it may result in an unusual number of positive comments.

If all you're looking for is hot deals, FatWallet is a good forum to check out. I advise only reading the forum unless you are really excited about participating in it. Like many poorly moderated online forums, the participants frequently devolve into melodrama and flame wars, and seem to be leery of newcomers. That doesn't diminish its usefulness as a resource for computer parts buyers, though.

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Copyright 2007 JEM Electronic Media, Inc. No reprints without written permission.