Microcenter Intel CPU/Mobo Deal Email.

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SpeedBump613

Gawd
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Just got an email today. Looks like they got a $40 off mobo deal on Intel i3 3225 and i5 3570k CPUs. Looks like this is online as well as in store. I tossed the 3570k and a Gigabyte GA-Z77X-D3H mobo into my cart and the price shows as $269.98 before tax and there is a $10 rebate on the mobo as well. The MSI H61M-E33/W8 mobo is free after a $10 rebate. From what it says...ANY compatible motherboard should work with the discounted combo. Something to think about...wonder if it will work in store for open box stuff?
http://www.microcenter.com/site/emails/0104_Computer-Parts-DEALS.aspx
 
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Some stores have allowed open box boards to be used to make a combo, but others stores do not. At the Chicago area stores it's not allowed, and it won't ring up as a combo if they try at the registers. I know because I found out the hard way recently.
 
pgaster said:
Some stores have allowed open box boards to be used to make a combo, but others stores do not. At the Chicago area stores it's not allowed, and it won't ring up as a combo if they try at the registers. I know because I found out the hard way recently.
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Either you're not in the store enough, or you just don't know the right people. I frequent BOTH Chicago and Westmont stores. I've never had a problem using an open box board in a combo. Then again, most of the employee's at either store seem to know me.
 
they have had this deal for a while now... but i have never been able to do it online... in store only..... id have spent a few grand with them by now.... if they would do it online and ship it... :mad::mad: *** ARE YOU LISTENING MICROCENTER??!!?!! ***:mad::mad: the single Fry's store is making a killing in SEATTLE..... Microcenter would too....... Open one or do some "online" deals too..... :confused:
 
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Wow, I didn't know MC only has one west coast location in Tustin, CA. With so much of imported from Asia it would seem to be convenient to have like a San Jose and Seattle store.
 
Waveforme said:
Either you're not in the store enough, or you just don't know the right people. I frequent BOTH Chicago and Westmont stores. I've never had a problem using an open box board in a combo. Then again, most of the employee's at either store seem to know me.
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Well, maybe my wording should have been different and I should have been more clear.
Let me give you more details on my experiences.

I was at the register once with an AMD cpu and open box motherboard. It would not ring up with the combo discount. The total was for the price of the cpu + the open box board price. I was told that they would make it a combo for me, but they would make it the same price as if it was a new board. The only reason I picked open box was to save money but they told me at that time that it did not work that way. Since the overall price was going to be the same I went back and got the same model board, but new, not open box. I wasn't going to pay a new price but get an open box board.

Another time I bought a AMD cpu only for some goofy reason and then later realized it was somewhat dumb since an AMD combo with a cheap board was not much more money. Even if you don't need the board you can sell it for more than what you pay for it in a combo deal which drops the effective cost of the cpu. So I went back to the store to make it a combo. They do allow this within 30 days. I asked about a combo with an open box board again, since it was at the returns counter and different people there. They said they would do it there that time and I did get a combo with an open box board, but it was a manual process which required a manager. They did give me a better deal than if it had been a new board, but it seemed like they were going well outside their normal process to help me out. Maybe I'm wrong, but it's not something I would count on to work again, that's for sure.

After those 2 experiences I don't buy open box boards. And for the record I have bought at least 2 1045T, a 960T, 965, FX-4100, i3 2100, FX-6100, and FX-8120 cpus from them in the last year, all as combos. That is what I can remember. I tinker and have built computers for my mom and some friends, all who don't need high end computers, hence the AMD preference, except the one time they had an i3 combo deal when I was there.
 
reapergato said:
they have had this deal for a while now... but i have never been able to do it online... in store only..... id have spent a few grand with them by now.... if they would do it online and ship it... :mad::mad: *** ARE YOU LISTENING MICROCENTER??!!?!! ***:mad::mad: the single Fry's store is making a killing in SEATTLE..... Microcenter would too....... Open one or do some "online" deals too..... :confused:
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Maybe you don't understand the way this works...they sell the CPU's at a loss to get you in the store to buy other things that they will make money on. If you buy online, you aren't in the store to buy the other stuff they'd make money on, hence, the deals are "in-store only."

Why they don't open a store in Seattle? Who knows? But you have a better chance of getting a store opened near you rather than them opening up the deals online.
 
kirbyrj said:
Maybe you don't understand the way this works...they sell the CPU's at a loss to get you in the store to buy other things that they will make money on. If you buy online, you aren't in the store to buy the other stuff they'd make money on, hence, the deals are "in-store only."

Why they don't open a store in Seattle? Who knows? But you have a better chance of getting a store opened near you rather than them opening up the deals online.
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I get that this is the idea on paper, but I've never quite understood why they do it with items like CPUs and mobos that only informed, tech-savvy customers will be buying for in the first place. Isn't the average system-builder pretty unlikely to stumble in looking for a 3570k and end up sidetracked by shiny things that have a 500% profit margin for the store?

Both Frys and MC have been doing this for years, so it must be working somehow. And I have neither store within a two-hour drive, so maybe I'm just looking for a reason to question it out of envy. But on a common-sense level, I'm surprised these prices are good business -- especially when they're taking what would appear to be a $40+ loss on the CPU+mobo combos. If the loss leader were an ULTRA HD TV 55"!!! that brings in Average Joe who knows nothing about technology and its pricing, then sure, I get how that works in the store's favor.
 
They have all kinds of things there. At the store I was at in Cincinnati, the computer components section was only about 10% of the store (maybe).
 
brettjrob said:
I get that this is the idea on paper, but I've never quite understood why they do it with items like CPUs and mobos that only informed, tech-savvy customers will be buying for in the first place. Isn't the average system-builder pretty unlikely to stumble in looking for a 3570k and end up sidetracked by shiny things that have a 500% profit margin for the store?

Both Frys and MC have been doing this for years, so it must be working somehow. And I have neither store within a two-hour drive, so maybe I'm just looking for a reason to question it out of envy. But on a common-sense level, I'm surprised these prices are good business -- especially when they're taking what would appear to be a $40+ loss on the CPU+mobo combos. If the loss leader were an ULTRA HD TV 55"!!! that brings in Average Joe who knows nothing about technology and its pricing, then sure, I get how that works in the store's favor.
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I went in there to buy a 3770k for $270 (later called them when the $230 deal started so I could get some of my money back) and ended up bringing an SSD and a SSD bracket. However I got a good deal on the SSD too ($150 for a 256gb samsung 830) so I am not sure they made that much money of me by heavily discounting that proc.
 
kirbyrj said:
They have all kinds of things there. At the store I was at in Cincinnati, the computer components section was only about 10% of the store (maybe).
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Right. My point was not so much about what they carry as what products they choose to sell at a loss. Loss leaders essentially depend on ignorant and/or impulsive customers, and again, I don't see your average system builder as being either. Even if they come in for the CPU+mobo and end up wanting an SSD, PSU, etc. to go with, they're probably going to have done their homework and only buy those things if the prices are competitive with Amazon/NewEgg -- in which case I doubt MC's profit offsets the CPU loss.
 
brettjrob said:
Right. My point was not so much about what they carry as what products they choose to sell at a loss. Loss leaders essentially depend on ignorant and/or impulsive customers, and again, I don't see your average system builder as being either. Even if they come in for the CPU+mobo and end up wanting an SSD, PSU, etc. to go with, they're probably going to have done their homework and only buy those things if the prices are competitive with Amazon/NewEgg -- in which case I doubt MC's profit offsets the CPU loss.
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Doesn't really matter whether it makes sense to people or not, they have a system that works for them. And why Intel CPU's is because they've got an arrangement that goes back many years. They're not actually taking a loss.
 
reapergato said:
they have had this deal for a while now... but i have never been able to do it online... in store only..... id have spent a few grand with them by now.... if they would do it online and ship it... :mad::mad: *** ARE YOU LISTENING MICROCENTER??!!?!! ***:mad::mad: the single Fry's store is making a killing in SEATTLE..... Microcenter would too....... Open one or do some "online" deals too..... :confused:
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They dont do it online so people go in, and get enticed to buy more...

Simple marketing.
 
MC also does price matching the on items shipped and sold by amazon/newegg so that's also a nice plus. Anytime I'm there and see something that interest me I just look it up on my phone then show it to the sales guy for a price match.
 
dlewis4 said:
They dont do it online so people go in, and get enticed to buy more...

Simple marketing.
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exactly..... simple marketing....... supply and demand...... they have the supply.... we have the demand.... open a store in seattle. LOL
 
brettjrob said:
I get that this is the idea on paper, but I've never quite understood why they do it with items like CPUs and mobos that only informed, tech-savvy customers will be buying for in the first place. Isn't the average system-builder pretty unlikely to stumble in looking for a 3570k and end up sidetracked by shiny things that have a 500% profit margin for the store?

Both Frys and MC have been doing this for years, so it must be working somehow. And I have neither store within a two-hour drive, so maybe I'm just looking for a reason to question it out of envy. But on a common-sense level, I'm surprised these prices are good business -- especially when they're taking what would appear to be a $40+ loss on the CPU+mobo combos. If the loss leader were an ULTRA HD TV 55"!!! that brings in Average Joe who knows nothing about technology and its pricing, then sure, I get how that works in the store's favor.
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uhh no, they are likley to just buy the rest of their computer stuff in the store. hardly anyone buys a CPU/Mobo and no ram, no video card, no case, no hard drive. and all those prices are same as newegg/amazon, selection is just less.

let me put it this way, if i were to build a computer today, from scratch, i would buy everything except possibly the case and video card from microcenter, or i would buy NOTHING from microcenter and go 100% online. and only because their selection is not so great. its not because i got tricked, its because im already in the store, and their prices are NO different than online and i pay tax to newegg and amazon regardless.

its very easy to cherry pick and order from 5 online stores which have the best price on each component, save $2 here, $4 there, $0.99, etc. its simply not worth the time to run around to 5 stores. if they get your warm body in the door, its worth $40. its not a difficult concept.
 
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The money I save going to microcenter by these deals is pretty much offset by tax. Still, I prefer to go in and hold the boxes in my hand, see cases irl, etc... for my build. If they didn't have the deal I'd probably still use them for showrooming, but since they do, I buy their stuffs.

My Microcenter is actually 30 minutes away (actually have 2 Microcenters 30 minutes away in opposite directions) while I have a fry's literally 2 minutes away. Too bad Fry's blows ass, would save me a 30 minute drive.
 
"except possibly the case and video card from microcenter" nor should anyone looking to save money. But if rubes or olds buying the GTX 550 or GT 240 help the CPU subsidies, fine.
 
brettjrob said:
I get that this is the idea on paper, but I've never quite understood why they do it with items like CPUs and mobos that only informed, tech-savvy customers will be buying for in the first place. Isn't the average system-builder pretty unlikely to stumble in looking for a 3570k and end up sidetracked by shiny things that have a 500% profit margin for the store?

Both Frys and MC have been doing this for years, so it must be working somehow. And I have neither store within a two-hour drive, so maybe I'm just looking for a reason to question it out of envy. But on a common-sense level, I'm surprised these prices are good business -- especially when they're taking what would appear to be a $40+ loss on the CPU+mobo combos. If the loss leader were an ULTRA HD TV 55"!!! that brings in Average Joe who knows nothing about technology and its pricing, then sure, I get how that works in the store's favor.
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I recently built a system from my local Microcenter with the 3570k and mobo combo deal. While I was there I bought a new case. Why buy a case online for the same price, potentially pay for shipping, and not get a chance to see it in person? I was in store, got to see and play with all the cases and bought the one I wanted at no additional markup to online pricing. While I was there, why not buy the RAM right? I mean I got the CPU and mobo, might as well pick up the RAM. No point in waiting for shipping... I almost got a full system here. Oh wow, black DVD-+RW drives.. mine is burnt up.. Lite-On 20 bucks OEM, sure why not.. Oh hey, additional silent case fan for my new case.. 10 bucks? sure...

I don't have ADD, but I'm telling you when you walk into Microcenter and you see all the equipment from the floor to the rafters any amount of ADD you have in you will kick into overdrive mode. For example.. when you go to buy a computer case you're not looking at online pictures where you can't see the build quality of the materials or visualize the size. This is what you have.. a 30 foot wall of computer cases stacked to the ceiling to play with.. If you go in there with the possibility of looking for a case you will leave with one. You will check the price on your smartphone, see it is the same as the online price for your favorite retailer and walk home with it. And if you find it cheaper online, most stores will price match.
 
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IIRC just about every CPU I've purchased since my FX55 was from a Microcenter CPU/MOBO deal. The SB 2500K and MSI P67 mobo I'm still rocking today are from the Santa Clara store that is now closed apparently due to a landlord dispute. But their deals were not just on CPU's. I got my 7970's there when they released. I checked inventory online, made the order and went in and picked them up. The sales guys did not even know they had them and they were not marked up like every other retailer. They also had decent deals on SSD's and memory. In short.. I miss out local MC and hope they find a new location soon. :(
 
Last time I was there December 30th all I bought was a i5 3570k and a asrock z77 atx mobo, only becausei didn't need anything else.
 
sheesh721 said:
I recently built a system from my local Microcenter with the 3570k and mobo combo deal. While I was there I bought a new case. Why buy a case online for the same price, potentially pay for shipping, and not get a chance to see it in person? I was in store, got to see and play with all the cases and bought the one I wanted at no additional markup to online pricing. While I was there, why not buy the RAM right? I mean I got the CPU and mobo, might as well pick up the RAM. No point in waiting for shipping... I almost got a full system here. Oh wow, black DVD-+RW drives.. mine is burnt up.. Lite-On 20 bucks OEM, sure why not.. Oh hey, additional silent case fan for my new case.. 10 bucks? sure...

I don't have ADD, but I'm telling you when you walk into Microcenter and you see all the equipment from the floor to the rafters any amount of ADD you have in you will kick into overdrive mode. For example.. when you go to buy a computer case you're not looking at online pictures where you can't see the build quality of the materials or visualize the size. This is what you have.. a 30 foot wall of computer cases stacked to the ceiling to play with.. If you go in there with the possibility of looking for a case you will leave with one. You will check the price on your smartphone, see it is the same as the online price for your favorite retailer and walk home with it. And if you find it cheaper online, most stores will price match.
http://media.glassdoor.com/m/366625/micro-center-office.jpg
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While I've never been to a MC for me when it comes to computer parts I don't impulse buy. I spent about five hours researching a case I just bought. So for me it's unlikely I would do anything except buy what I was after. Just spent some time looking on the MC website to see what was in stock at the store closest to me and I was very underwhelmed by the selection and prices. Outside of the cheap CPU and great combo with the motherboard I want there is no other part there that I need that I would bother buying. Amazon is cheaper every time and I don't care about waiting a day or two since I have Prime.
 
singe_101 said:
Wow, I didn't know MC only has one west coast location in Tustin, CA. With so much of imported from Asia it would seem to be convenient to have like a San Jose and Seattle store.
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They did used to have a Santa Clara county location, but closed down when they claimed "couldn't agree on new lease agreements" really? WTF? Couldn't agree on paying rent? I wonder if there weren't more issues with that store/location than leasing a location, there is a Fry's nearby to that location that may have affected them.

For the life of me I'm not sure why none of these stores (MC or Fry's) haven't tried to push into the San Francisco market, maybe not even a physical presence but be close enough nearby so people like me don't need to drive 45-60 minutes to get to a store which completely makes going there useless since that'll tack on another $10 in gas or so. Hell there's a Levitz store right off the freeway that has been vacant for years.
 
Convinced a buddy to move up from his aging setup to a i5 3570k/z77 board with the combo. While I was there I got most of the components for my step bros build too, deals can be ok for the most part.

I was gonna grab that MSI Twin Frozr III 7950 3gb for $324 but they were OOS...the guy selling me stuff mentioned he could price match some Gigabyte 7950 against NewEgg, MC had it for 380, NewEgg had it for 299.99.......and they price matched it. Can't complain today!
 
brettjrob said:
Right. My point was not so much about what they carry as what products they choose to sell at a loss. Loss leaders essentially depend on ignorant and/or impulsive customers, and again, I don't see your average system builder as being either. Even if they come in for the CPU+mobo and end up wanting an SSD, PSU, etc. to go with, they're probably going to have done their homework and only buy those things if the prices are competitive with Amazon/NewEgg -- in which case I doubt MC's profit offsets the CPU loss.
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You're right. I got my i7-3770k for $230 from them, got the motherboard off Amazon, and other parts salvaged from my old rig.
 
sfsuphysics said:
They did used to have a Santa Clara county location, but closed down when they claimed "couldn't agree on new lease agreements" really? WTF? Couldn't agree on paying rent? I wonder if there weren't more issues with that store/location than leasing a location, there is a Fry's nearby to that location that may have affected them.

For the life of me I'm not sure why none of these stores (MC or Fry's) haven't tried to push into the San Francisco market, maybe not even a physical presence but be close enough nearby so people like me don't need to drive 45-60 minutes to get to a store which completely makes going there useless since that'll tack on another $10 in gas or so. Hell there's a Levitz store right off the freeway that has been vacant for years.
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I drive 45 minutes each way to go to microcenter. It is worth the $10 in gas for sure. I saved like $80 buying my I5 and Z77 board there compared to buying it online
 
Waveforme said:
Either you're not in the store enough, or you just don't know the right people. I frequent BOTH Chicago and Westmont stores. I've never had a problem using an open box board in a combo. Then again, most of the employee's at either store seem to know me.
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I am also a frequent at the Michigan store, and I was explained that this cannot be combined with the bundle. They said it was a recent, now written company policy that open box items cannot be combined in the bundles.
 
Bman123 said:
I drive 45 minutes each way to go to microcenter. It is worth the $10 in gas for sure. I saved like $80 buying my I5 and Z77 board there compared to buying it online
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If you're saving that much I agree, however if I wanted something other than a CPU I doubt the savings would be anywhere near that substantial
 
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