BestBuy Black Friday Desktop Computer Sale With Monitor and Printer For $299

I wrote a few days ago (at http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2009/10/buy-windows-7-get-an-almost-free-computer.html and at http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2009/11/i-bought-a-windows-7-pc.html) about the latest round of $299 PCs being released with Windows 7 pre-installed. I thought that was a great bargain but now I have found a new advertisement that sounds even better:

During the upcoming Black Friday sales event (the day after Thanksgiving), BestBuy is going to be offering the following system for sale for only $299:

An eMachine with Windows 7 Home Premium, an AMD Athlon processor [the ad doesn't mention the speed of the processor], 3 gigabytes of RAM memory, a 320 gigabyte hard disk, AND an 18.5″ flatscreen LCD monitor AND an HP Deskjet D1530 color printer.

The ad also states that there will be a minimum of 10 units per store and there will be no rain checks. You'll want to be there and in line well before the doors open at 5 AM. Check the BestBuy Black Friday ad for details (the front page of the ad is at http://www.black-friday.net/bestbuy-ad-scan.html with a brief mention of the $299 computer shown on page 7).

Comments

[Natalie Cottrill]

I purchased this eMachines computer for my son yesterday (no package, just the machine). He's 12 years old. The computer works fine. The reason it is cheaper (as with most cheaper computers) is that it comes pre-installed with a bunch of software offers - Norton, Games programs, etc. that just clutter up the registry. I generally wipe all that from the computer - but that takes time (usually several hours). I can affirm, however, in setting this computer up for my son on our network that there are Windows 7 drivers for most peripherals from the major vendors (Linksys, HP printers, etc.)

I don't think I'd personally be thrilled with this computer. But, I'm more of a power user and I use a lot of imaging programs. If a computer user mostly used it for word processing and surfing the Internet ... and stored most of their genealogy records and images online, this machine would probably do a good job.

I would imagine that if I were not a geek myself and didn't know how to uninstall the pre-installed unneeded software ... I would go ahead and pay BestBuy's GeekSquad to remove it all for $69 ... or whatever it is that they charge to "optimize" a computer these days. It will definitely make the machine start up faster, because all those unneeded registry entries will be removed.

[Trevor Rix]

I am curious to know what a 'rain check' is? That's not a phrase that we use in this part of the world. Could it be something like a payment if you get wet waiting outside in the queue in the early hours of the morning? Whatever it is, I wonder what is the origin?

Trevor Rix
United Kingdom

[Roger Moffat]

A "rain check" in this context is a paper that entitles the holder to buy an item at an advertised special price even if it's not in stock at the time the person is there to make the purchase. They are common on items that are on a regularly scheduled, weekly for example, sale, but are often/almost always excluded on items such as go on sale as "loss leaders" for super sales like the Black Friday sales.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_language_idioms_derived_from_baseball#R

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loss_leader

Cheers

Roger

[Trevor Rix]

Thanks Roger. Black Friday is also a term that is not used over here. It is interesting to note these differences in retailing that are major considerations in some countries, yet are unknown in others.

[Dae Powell]

It is a super deal for young students. These days you may not get what you paid for, but you WILL pay for what you got.

Happy Dae·
http://ShoeStringGenealogy.com

[Roger Moffat]

"Black Friday" in the shopping context is explained here

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Friday_(shopping)

- both the activity, including the quite unpleasant aspects of it (like trampling a store worker to death in the rush to get inside and grab the bargain), and the origin of the name.

Roger

[Kate Foote]

Tip #1: If you want to shop on Black Friday and keep your sanity, shop online. There are amazing deals and "Black Friday Specials" for hundreds of products and most of the well known stores. Last year on Black Friday I noticed an ad for deals on Dell computers. I went to the Dell.com site and (just for fun) built my dream computer - when it was all configured I was shown a price ($450) that stunned me. Ironically a Dell similar to, but not as good as, the one I "built" was the "Today's Special" on QVC for $1600! I called my son into my office and showed him what I had on Dell.com - he's my resident geek - and he said, "Mom, if you don't buy that your crazy!" I bought it (with free shipping BTW.) This year we're all staying home on Black Friday - and shopping online!

Tip #2: Check out ebates.com - it's free, you get a % back on all purchases (you shop whatever store or site you want) and I've used it for years - and made money back!

[Glenda Edwards Boyajan]

Black Friday is the day after the US Thanksgiving, which is always the fourth Thursday in November. It is called "Black" Friday because it is the beginning of the Christmas shopping season and, traditionally, retailers that were "in the red" or had not reached their profit point for the year reach it because of the large quantity of shoppers and resulting sales achieved on this day.

[Jim Agnew]

I've had very bad experiences with eMachines computers in the past. I would not even consider one now. They just don't last.

[Jennie Vertrees]

I fully understand the Englishman, who has questions about many of our sayings. It works both ways, for I was very frustrated the first time I was in Great Britain in 1956. I asked for directions to something and the party told me it was at the "top of Totenham Court." I had no idea where Totenham Court was and I'd never heard of the top and bottom of a street. We describe a hill as at the top or the bottom, but not a street. I also learned that things cost a Guinea, but there was no such thing as money by that name. And there was the "Hapney," the "tuppance" and the "thrupance." There were even a few Florins around at that time too, so I was lost in knowing what they were. Euros are much easier to understand for they are all divisible by 5 or 10 and not in odd numbers. The first time I had to use Euros, I felt cheated that I didn't have to know more about my money as I travelled from country to country--those, which have Euros. I'll never forget an English friend, who kept talking about her "saloon," only to learn that it was a four-door car. The English have "pure" vowels. We diphthongize them. Oh, well, it's still easier to converse in our American and English languages than it is to learn a new language for every country. German happens to be my second language. Jennie

[2009 Black Friday Ads]

There is no need to wait for Black Friday ads. Everyone is looking out for the best price for laptops and computers. The great forecast for 2009 Black Friday is now available online. It’s just October and companies have already started to buzz on the best Black Friday ads for laptops and computers. Now it’s time to start up with the shopping list of the year.

[Jewel]

I also found the same Black Friday sale on other computer sites but this makes me think that the offer here is more reasonable. I just hope I can buy the computer accessories that I definitely need.

[Jason Presley]

I've had a couple of eMachines now, only upgrading to get a bigger, faster machine. I've yet to have one fail on me, but I have seen the occasional failure amongst family & friends. In any case, does BestBuy force you to take the near worthless printer they include in this deal, or can you just buy the computer & screen and leave them with the low-quality, money-devouring inkjet?