Circuit City

Full review
So it was time for a new laptop. I'm sorry - I had my PC for three years, and I was SO over it. I couldn't take it anymore - my computer would take ten minutes just to start up, and God forbid I had iTunes open while my Internet was open as well. So frustrating. So I started researching laptops online. My PC was an HP, but I had heard from several sources that HP had more "functional" laptops that were well-priced. Since I'm not a computer nerd, I saw no need for an overpriced iMac Notebook.

So I went to circuitcity.com. I knew Circuit City had a pretty decent selection of notebooks, and I had had pretty bad experiences with Best Buy in the past. Circuit City always treated me well. In any case, the web page for circuitcity.com is rather pleasant. It has a white background with deep red, silver, and black text and advertising boxes - which continues throughout the shopping experience. The text is easy to read, and the images displayed are in color and are relevant. Overall, the site has a nice design from a decorative point of view.

I didn't really feel like scrolling through pages upon pages of products, especially laptops. Instead, I used the "Search" function and typed in "HP laptops". (Note: the search function on circuitcity.com is certainly better than the search function on Epinions.com. Ha!) After entering my search, I received a whopping three pages of 24 laptops on each page - most of them HP laptops, of course. In order to narrow your search, you can select price ranges, brands, or other ways such as available in-store and new arrivals. Overall, you can definitely narrow down your search. If you wish to scroll through the pages, you will get a thumbnail image, customer ratings (on a 5-star scale), basic information such as memory space and big features, and - of course - the price (before and after rebates). This page is certainly sufficiently informative to get a preview of each laptop before choosing to further analyze them.

After scrolling through the pages and getting further information on specific laptops, I decided on the HP Pavilion dv6910us Entertainment Notebook, whose price came to $549 after a $50 mail-in rebate. I clicked on the tab and received a wealth of information. This included a larger image, as well as a very detailed product description, a comparison of similar notebooks' prices and features, the manufacturer's description, specifications, and some very short reviews with star ratings. There was also a section which offered accessories for the laptop, including carrying cases and security devices. Another section allowed me to choose how to buy the laptop (in-store pickup, shipping, etc.), and yet another section allowed me to choose an (overpriced) warranty. (Note: I did find the warranty at Circuit City to be cheaper than the warranty at Best Buy.) The return policy seems fair: 14 days and a 15% restocking fee.

One feature that I love about circuitcity.com is that if the laptop is available in your local store, the website will inform you and you can choose to pay and pick it up at the store. Unfortunately for me, none of my local Circuit City branches had this laptop available, so I was had to purchase shipping to my home. I did have the option of being notified when the laptop was in stock in one of the local stores, but I decided to purchase online anyway - especially since shipping was FREE! Yes, you read right - basic shipping is free. Though it does not include tracking information, you can choose "standard" shipping for only $2.99 (which does come with piece of mind, aka tracking info). Other shipping options are also available, such as Express, which offers next-day service for $24.91.

After confirming that I wanted the free basic shipping, I added the laptop to my shopping cart, went to checkout, and took a few minutes to complete my order. Circuit City certainly does push the warranties and additional accessories, but I did find this to be useful since most of these items could be especially helpful in maintaining your laptop. Circuit City does accept all major credit cards as well as a few other payment options. Overall, the ordering process was very straight-forward and user friendly.

I placed my order, and within minutes I received a confirmation e-mail with my order number, total price paid, and some further information on my laptop. About a week after ordering my new notebook, I received it from UPS. The laptop was well-packaged, it was the one that I ordered, and it was in great condition. It came with the charger and all other needed parts. Sweet - no reason to call Circuit City and complain!

Overall, I would certainly recommend circuitcity.com. The website charged my American Express correctly, and I received exactly what I ordered. The free shipping is certainly a nice feature, and I appreciated the large selection of laptops as well as the many purchasing options. The site is modern and user-friendly - just about anyone can use it without hassle. I also love how I can compare products and prices, and there is a plethora of information regarding each laptop - which allowed me to be very well informed before making such a large purchase. If you are in the market for a new laptop, or any new electronic for that matter, I would certainly check out Circuit City's Online Store.