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From: pxd3563@ritcv.UUCP (Patrick A. Deupree)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: 47th ST. Mail Order
Message-ID: <289@ritcv.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 20-Apr-87 22:21:40 EST
Article-I.D.: ritcv.289
Posted: Mon Apr 20 22:21:40 1987
Date-Received: Wed, 22-Apr-87 00:32:35 EST
References: <2700@panda.UUCP> <1938@bunker.UUCP> <1983@uwmcsd1.UUCP>
Reply-To: pxd3563@ritcv.UUCP (Patrick Deupree)
Organization: Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY
Lines: 38


     Here is what I have heard about 47th St. Photo.  I have heard that, if
you send back something that is defective, they tend to put the defective item
back on the shelf and hope that the next person that gets it does not have a
problem.
     This is merely something that I have heard.  Here is what I know about
47th St. Photo, and just for the record I used to work for the IBM Product
Centers/NYNEX Business Centers so I know what I am talking about.  For one,
you will get a great price, possibly the best, on real IBM PC's.  However,
you have to consider a few things.  When you get this computer there is NO
warranty on that computer.  47th St. buys computer grey market, which means
that they are sort of second hand.  Once that computer leaves the original
Authorized Dealer a clock starts ticking and the warranty eats away.  Although
this does not matter because you have to go through an Authorized Dealer to
get your warranty honored, and if you did not buy from an Authorized Dealer 
then no other Authorized Dealer has to help you at all.  You can not even
go to IBM for help because they will just say, "Sorry, it is out of our hands.".
However, this is not to say you can't get it fixed.  It will just be extremely
tough.  The other big problem is the non-IBM parts they use.  Just because the
computer they sell you is IBM, it does not mean that the interfaces are also.
They have a tendency to use generic parts in there (and I mean really generic).
These cause a problem with servicing also.  If you get an authorized dealer to
service the thing and you do (by some miracle) have some way to cash in on 
a warranty, that is only for IBM parts.  They will see the generic parts and
say "Gee, the computer works fine.  It must be these generic parts that we
can't service here.".
     So, if you really want the cheap computer I would:
          1) make sure you have someone that can fix it
          2) buy it bare and get the cards elsewhere
          3) look into large order discounts, or special business discounts

     But, after working for IBM and having to deal with customers that 
bought from 47th St., I would go elsewhere.  It is company policy for the
NYNEX Business Centers and the IBM tech support not to deal with 
people who purchased from non-authorized dealers.  And believe me, there have
been some people who were mighty upset when they found this out.