[kwlug-disc] Technology big box stores

[Andrew Kohlsmith (mailing lists account)]

> On Apr 20, 2015, at 4:39 AM, Charles M <chaslinux at gmail.com> wrote:
> Walmart was closest, but they didn't have a modem. I checked Bestbuy next, "nope, go to Canada Computers." Oops, 7:10' Canada Computers is closed. Moved on to Future Shop, no ADSL modem there either. Finally I bought one at Computer XS, but not before more than an hour of running around. Turns out the one I bought is an updated version (same model, different look) of the one I already have. Sadly it doesn't fit the same mounting screw setup I have. It wasn't a terrible price either, under $40.

Wow.

I have tried over the last… decade… to buy something from Computer XS. I’ve never been able to find what I’ve wanted there. SATA cable? Sorry, no stock. Bluetooth (not 2.4GHz proprietary wireless) mouse? Nope. Case? nope. Laptop? They only had oddball systems there.

Their website was never functional. Pretty pictures and no stock or pricing. Even now it seems they’ve rebranded themselves into some weird combination of a mom ’n pop store but no pricing, no list of items they carry, hell I don’t think there’s even a picture of a computer on the site!

Canada Computers is my usual go-to, with BB a distant second. Canada Computers isn’t great either, but at least it’s a functional *computer store* which is what I need most of the time.

For a city hosting the University of Waterloo this town sure does have a dearth of real computer stores.

-A.