debcook

I am no beginner at purchasing electronic gadgets but I feel like one today. In a previous post I talked about wanting a Samsung UMPC. I ordered one a few days ago from Beach Camera.com. I paid $50 to learn an important lesson.

Originally I wanted to purchase my new UMPC from Amazon.com but the site showed that the item was on order. That is when I clicked on the link that shows where the item will be shipped from. I was surprised to see that they (BeachCamera.com) not only had it in stock but it was also nearly $100 cheaper than on Amazon.com. Two out of three times that I looked at the site the price of the UMPC was the same and the day that I decided to order it the price had gone up $50. I was very careful to check the stats to confirm that I was looking and the exact same UMPC.

Anxious to receive it I have checked the shipping status a few times. Just to look at it again I went to Beachcamera.com. Today the very same UMPC (Samsung Q1UP-V) is listed $50 less than it was on Thursday of last week. I wrote them an email and received a response that basically said – Due to the fast pace of the electronic industry they could not guarantee a price would stay the same from one day to the next.

What is the lesson I’ve learned? Don’t hesitate when you see a good price on an electronic gadget that you really want. I realize that prices drop fast once a new gadget hits the market – but this could give me a whiplash.

Am I upset? Yes but not too much. I understand that these things happen. In the future I will check all of my favorite websites that I buy gadgets from and choose quickly. Sometimes the price is not the only factor. I am often willing to pay more if I can receive it faster. Since I ordered my UMPC last week on Thursday afternoon and will receive it by Wednesday of this week I think Beachcamera.com is acting in good faith.

This story has a strange twist to it. Apparently it was just my luck to buy when I did. The early bird theory would have saved me money and waiting would have saved me money. Come to think of it – I bought a lottery ticket on Friday and it was a looser. I’ll chalk this experience up to the fact that it was just not my week.