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In an effort to get the best pricing & service we've done a lot of our hardware purchasing thru smaller local vendors like Vertex for desktops/ servers & CompUSA for most of the other IT accessories (memory, hard drives, switches, etc.). As the local CompUSA business rep. noted in a NAG meeting several months ago (& our experience attests to it), they offer very good discounts to MSU departments & staff (just go the Business Svcs. counter & show your MSU card). We've found the Comp. Store is very competitive on HP printer pricing and common software; their LAN cables are dirt cheap too. Tim At 04:57 PM 3/9/2005, Laurence Bates wrote: >This is a common industry practice and it is one of the downsides of taking >the MSU purchasing department out of the procurement process for >departmental and/or student computers. > >Students assume that MSU is acting in their best interest by offering direct >"deals" from computer vendors when the reality is often that they could get >a better deal from other sources. My sense is that the MSU purchasing >department should require computer vendors to bid for the right to have >their systems recommended by the MSU Computer Store. The risk of being >locked out of the university for 12 months would quickly stop the practice >of over-pricing products that are targeted at a less than fully informed >student/faculty/staff audience. > > >-----Original Message----- >From: MSU Network Administrators Group [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On >Behalf Of Peter J Murray >Sent: Wednesday, March 09, 2005 11:19 AM >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: [MSUNAG] dell education pricing vs home/small bus > >Hello > >I'm starting to look at prices for possible next year purchases, and I >wonder if this is right. For example, I'm pricing out a laptop (Inspiron >700m). Configured exactly the same (including warranties and >such): > >Cstore pricing through Dell link: $1619.90 >Home: $1388 >Small Business: $1212 >Higher Education through Dell.com: $1593.64 > >The only difference between the laptops configured is the price (and perhaps >one or two minor differences that you can't configure out of the quotes). >I'm feeling slighted. > >How are people purchasing equipment these days (Through the computer store, >etc)? Is there anything you can do as a purchaser in a department to get >better pricing? $407 is a significant chunk of change for 1 piece of >equipment.