4 Options for Buying New and Used Macs

Buying a PC is easy. You go into Best Buy and pick one up. If you don't want to do that, you call up Dell or Gateway and order one.

Buying a Mac isn't quite as easy. Yes, a few years ago Best Buy and Circuit City sold a limited selection of Macs, but it was never as complete as their selection in the Wintel market. (Maybe this is another reason Apple has a small market share, or maybe that's a good thing - I think I'll rant about that next week.)

Anyway, all of this difficulty poses the one question: Where do you buy Macs?

Mail Order: Getting the Best Deal, but not Quickly

Catalogs and online websites, such as MacZone and Club Mac, are best for getting new Macs at good prices. You can often get a deal on a Mac with nice accessories. Most times you can get 256 or 512 megabytes of RAM and a free printer, among other things, with your Mac purchase.

Be careful with rebates and "installation fees." If not sent in correctly, rebates can quickly change your good deal into a waste of money. "Installation fees" are often applied to the free memory you receive. The catch 22: The installation fees are sometimes as much as or more than the cost of the memory being installed. Sometimes you can save some cash if you know how to install it yourself.

Another obvious downside to mail order is shipping. Heavier computers, especially my low-end favorite, the eMac can cost up to US$50 or more to ship. And you may be subject to back order and delays.

I ordered my lime iMac from a catalog and had to wait several weeks. Back then, if you remember, this was a small wait for a candy-colored iMac. It could take months to get one in blueberry. But I did get a good deal.

I recently ordered my 12" iBook from a catalog, and I received it in less time than they quoted.

CompUSA, Local Dealers, and Apple Stores: When You Need It Now

CompUSA is currently the only major retail chain that sells Macs. They've done so for quite some time. They have a pretty good selection, with the entire current lineup and tons of accessories. Plus, the people working there sometimes know about Macs, which is a definite advantage.

The Apple Store currently has several dozen locations in the US, with many more planned. These places are the high-class showrooms for Apple Computer. Owned and operated by Apple, they feature modern design and a genius bar, where you can get all your Mac problems worked out in person with a real "Apple genius."

Stores like this are your best bet for getting a Mac quickly. The day before leaving for college this year, I purchased my eMac at a CompUSA in a rush. I was able to reserve and pay for it online and pick it up in the store. While I did pay retail price, I got it in good time with good service.

I should also mention the online Apple Store. Oftentimes the only place you can get certain new things, it is a good place to get the latest bit of Apple genius. Sometimes you can even get a free printer, free shipping, or some memory out of the deal.

Authorized resellers are usually smaller computer companies that offer more personal sales and service than the other stores. Since the people employed in such places are more knowledgeable than those in a CompUSA, you can usually get better answers to your questions. Apple helps you find one in your area.

eBay: Everything Mac at a Price

eBay is known for its large assortment of garage-sale grade computer components. Naturally it is a great place to find obscure parts for an older Mac. For instance, I used it to get a VGA adapter for my old Apple monitor to use with my B&W G3. You'd be surprised the life those things can have in them.

This brings up another good use for eBay: finding vintage Macs. If you've recently become someone who's destined to build a Macquarium or an Apple picture frame, you can snag a cheap all-in-one Mac or PowerBook here.

eBay does have its downsides though. Many computers are offered without a warranty or "as is." You're pretty much on your own as far as computer quality goes when you're buying off of eBay. Also, you'll have to pay for shipping most times.

Used Mac Dealers: The Ultimate for a Real Low-end Mac.

Contrary to popular belief, most Mac users are not George Lucas. Because of this, most Mac users don't need the latest G4 or G5. Many people can compute just fine using a G3 or even lower. But where does one find a reliable lower-end low-end Mac? Used Mac dealers, of course.

Places such as MacResQ, Mac of All Trades, We Love Macs, Baucom Computers, Wegener Media, and others are great for getting a good deal on an older Mac. While you'll most likely still pay shipping on these computers, they tend to be more reliable and in better shape than many Macs on eBay.

LEM, of course, has a great list of Used Mac Dealers.