You have now, hopefully, decided what type of PC you want, have investigated PC performance and non-performance issues, and have evaluated and chosen your hardware. The next step in your odyssey is to select a manufacturer and/or vendor for your new PC.

The exact approach you take depends on exactly what sort of system you have decided to go with. All hardware has a manufacturer, of course, somebody has to make it. However, sometimes PCs are sold directly by their makers, and sometimes through third-party vendors: it depends mostly on the type of PC. And if you are building your own PC, you will likely be dealing with several manufacturers and possibly more than one vendor as you buy your components.

Here's what you need to do, step by step:

1. Decide On A Source: Determine what general source you want to use for your hardware. There are three main source categories:
   • Retail sources such as 0"> department stores, membership warehouse clubs, office stores, electronics stores, computer superstores and local PC shops.
   • Online, catalog and mail order sources. These include direct-channel PC manufacturers, large online and mail order vendors, small online PC shops, and group buying clubs.
   Other sources such as computer shows, auctions and individuals.

   Which of these is best depends in large part on what sort of hardware you are getting, as well as your personal preferences and shopping style. For a pre-built PC you can buy from any of the retail sources except a local PC shop, or from a large online vendor or group buying club. Configure-to-order PCs are usually sold directly by the manufacturer online or over the phone. Build-to-order PCs are usually made by local PC shops or smaller online PC makers, or at computer shows. Used PCs are usually sold by individuals. Components can be found just about anywhere, and auctions have just about anything. (This page shows a comparison of the attributes of different sources, and this one provides a cross-reference between sources and PC types.)
    

2. Decide On A Vendor: Choose the vendor that you feel is best for you, after thoroughly researching all the important issues that distinguish good vendors from bad ones. I have broken these factors down into categories, some of which will be more important than others for your particular circumstances:
   • Reputation and history issues, including time in business, reputation, financial stability, and references and referrals.
   • Pricing, selection and stock matters such as general pricing levels, selection, stock levels and out-of-stock policy, and also price matching and price protection policies, if any.
   • Other factors and issues that affect pricing from different vendors, such as shipping and handling charges, sales tax, rebates, discount coupons, clearances, and credit card surcharges or cash discounts.
   • Customer service considerations, including communication efficiency, order fulfillment competence, issues related to salespeople, delivery options, payment options, web site quality, and also privacy and security.
   • Guarantees and return policies, including return periods, polices and a balanced look at restocking fees.
   • Warranty service and policy issues such as warranty length, service, and extended warranties.
   • Support issues such as pre-shipment testing, vendor vs. manufacturer support, and technical support quality.

   That's a very long list of considerations, and you probably won't be able to thoroughly assess every vendor's characteristics to this level of detail. Just focus on what is most important to you. In order to make your decision, you will want to make use of various research resources to gather information about companies. A primary way is reading their own sites and other relevant information, but you will also benefit from "word of mouth" research, offline independent research resources, PC-oriented magazines and online independent research resources.

Some important thoughts to keep in mind as you make your choices:

• If you've ever wondered why the PC industry seems to be so competitive and difficult to figure out, you may find this section interesting reading.
• Don't underestimate the value of a long-term relationship with a reputable vendor, especially if you will be buying a lot of hardware over a period of time.
• If you are buying individual components, consider buying from one vendor even if some items are cheaper at a second or third seller. You may save the difference on shipping costs, and you'll certainly make your life simpler.
• To improve your chances of avoiding a bad vendor experience, read this page of vendor "danger signs" and look for them.
Take your time when shopping. If you are in a hurry though, simplify your shopping approach to reduce the chances of problems. Read these tips on successful shopping in person and online. Beware the temptation to choose vendors based on online price search engines.

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