Best Answer
- Radio Shack = some electrical components like speakers, off brand stereos; but they are mostly known for their sell of electrical pieces like resistors, capacitors, motors, etc.
- Circuit City and Best Buy = primary electronic retailers with a selection of DVDS, CD Music, some computer components like memory, hard drives, keyboards, and mice, along with full systems and monitors. They also carry appliances like big screen TVs, washing machines, dryers, and refrigerators. Both also provide technical support and at home technical support.
- Frye's (if you can find them) = are the best deal, they are larger like Wal Mart and have both the stock of a Circuit City/Best Buy store with the electronics of Radio Shack. If you are going to build a computer from scratch this store is the only one that I know of that offers just the main boards, cases and cards like sound cards, video cards, and so one. The prices are also better, but they do not have a large number of stores.
- Office Depot/ Office Max/Staples = offers fax machines, fully built computers and printers. They are primarily an office supply store and have a limited selection.
- Wal Mart is a super store that offers some electronics at some of the same prices as those found at Frye’s (very good prices), but they do not have as good a selection in name brands nor do they have a wide selection of items.
- JC Penny's/Sears/Target/Kmart = Like Wal Mart these are department stores more know for appliances and clothing than electronics, but they do carry them.
- Comp USA = a store that only deals in computers and computer components. However, they have not been able to compete against other stores and the Internet stores very well so they have cut back on the stores they have open.
In my opinion you would be best served by going to Frye's or Best Buy, or Circuit City; in that order. I have priced a few things that Frye's stocks and that the Best Buy offers next door and I find better prices at Frye’s. Circuit City has the same selection and prices as Best Buy, but they don't support what they advertise in there ad circulars as well.
So BEST BUY is probably your best bet. Check out the in store circular, which should be posted near the interest for what is on sale. Often they are good sales on a wide range of computers, big screen TVs and other primary electronics. Don’t forget that you can’t buy something huge or you may not be able to get it delivered overseas, or you may have problems just carrying it. Also the American Air carriers have started to charge people who have more than one item of luggage so you could be caught paying more for a return ticket. However if you are dealing in Euros, Pounds, Dollars, or Canadian Dollars then you will get enough of a price break due to the currency exchange rate to make up for the price of carrying most things back with you.
You will do best to buy small; notebook computers, digital cameras, maybe some components like computer circuit boards, and video cards. Memory is mostly made overseas so its prices are similar world wide. Calculators are made in the US by companies like Texas Instruments and a graphing calculator could be a good investment. IBM is a US company with mostly US built pieces so they and Dell should be a good buy.
If you do happen to buy something larger than a notebook computer then the best thing to do is to save the original package and carry it home in that. This box and packing is designed to survive a rough sea or air voyage so you won’t find a better shipping container. It is worth the small bit of extra weight to make sure the unit arrives in one piece and still working.
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