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Photos: New Phoenix Microcenter is a 'tech-heaven' for geeks

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Re: Photos: New Phoenix Microcenter is a 'tech-heaven' for geeks

#51

Post by peteforde »

jedbrooke wrote: post #28
peteforde wrote: post #26

Can someone offer an explanation of why this is popular? I don't mean this in a crass way, I'm actually genuinely baffled to see geeks lining up for a Costco-like experience to get stuff that you can easily get online without needing to get into a car. For me, big box stores just mean markups + staff that know less than most tech reviewers on YouTube. All in an introvert's nightmare. What's the upside?

have you heard of the phase “like a kid in a candy store”? there’s just something about the in store experience that’s different than online. Microcenter is also known for having better prices than online retailers, but they don’t ship for many items

Applying Costco bulk purchasing leverage for geek items definitely makes sense.

Thanks.

Re: Photos: New Phoenix Microcenter is a 'tech-heaven' for geeks

#52

Post by peteforde »

Daub wrote: post #33
peteforde wrote: post #26

Can someone offer an explanation of why this is popular? I don't mean this in a crass way, I'm actually genuinely baffled to see geeks lining up for a Costco-like experience to get stuff that you can easily get online without needing to get into a car. For me, big box stores just mean markups + staff that know less than most tech reviewers on YouTube. All in an introvert's nightmare. What's the upside?

Online shopping of fashion items can never replace the experience of physical shopping, especially with friends. Geeks are no different... shopping can be a delightful experience if you are up for it. Part of which might be the thrill of discovering things you are not searching for.

I appreciate the analogy but respectfully I don't think it holds up 1:1.

Love or hate window shopping, the nature of shopping for fashion lends itself far more to in-person evaluation. Every item is slightly different, and so is every person wearing them. This is why you can try on clothes in the store!

Crate digging for vinyl is similar. There's a real joy of discovery, and turntables with headphones for auditioning purchases.

I have a hard time picturing the same dynamic with identical shrink-wrapped boxes.

Re: Photos: New Phoenix Microcenter is a 'tech-heaven' for geeks

#53

Post by peteforde »

NoPicklez wrote: post #44
peteforde wrote: post #26

Can someone offer an explanation of why this is popular? I don't mean this in a crass way, I'm actually genuinely baffled to see geeks lining up for a Costco-like experience to get stuff that you can easily get online without needing to get into a car. For me, big box stores just mean markups + staff that know less than most tech reviewers on YouTube. All in an introvert's nightmare. What's the upside?

The upside is that if you need a particular thing, you can go buy it immediately, not only that you can actually see the product and potential try to a degree before buying it. For me, its seeing cases in person and being able to see how they compare for size rather than trying to estimate online. As someone in Australia where we have pretty poor computer electronics stores for PC parts, this place is like heaven on…

Case evaluation is a strong argument!

I generally think of myself as immune to impulse/window shopping, but if I walked by a Fractal North case for the first time, I would prove myself wrong.

Re: Photos: New Phoenix Microcenter is a 'tech-heaven' for geeks

#54

Post by nickthegreek »

ostensible wrote: post #35
peteforde wrote: post #26

Can someone offer an explanation of why this is popular? I don't mean this in a crass way, I'm actually genuinely baffled to see geeks lining up for a Costco-like experience to get stuff that you can easily get online without needing to get into a car. For me, big box stores just mean markups + staff that know less than most tech reviewers on YouTube. All in an introvert's nightmare. What's the upside?

I agree. Microcenter seems to sell a lot of flashy shiny garbage and not enough or at all of what matters — like cables or adapters. It’s more a best buy than fry’s electronics. We had a recently opened one here in the Bay Area — I went there once, having heard good things. Never again. It’s a bullshit emporium.

which microcenter could you even be referring to?

Re: Photos: New Phoenix Microcenter is a 'tech-heaven' for geeks

#55

Post by peteforde »

brandon272 wrote: post #34
peteforde wrote: post #26

Can someone offer an explanation of why this is popular? I don't mean this in a crass way, I'm actually genuinely baffled to see geeks lining up for a Costco-like experience to get stuff that you can easily get online without needing to get into a car. For me, big box stores just mean markups + staff that know less than most tech reviewers on YouTube. All in an introvert's nightmare. What's the upside?

> I'm actually genuinely baffled to see geeks lining up for a Costco-like experience to get stuff that you can easily get online without needing to get into a car. "Why go to a fine restaurant when you can just stick something in the microwave? Why go to the park and fly a kite when you can just pop a pill?" - Kramer, Seinfeld

A big box electronics store is not a fine restaurant or a park. It's just a less-efficient way to purchase identical shrink-wrapped boxes that you should probably research extensively online before buying.

Re: Photos: New Phoenix Microcenter is a 'tech-heaven' for geeks

#56

Post by nickthegreek »

bschwindHN wrote: post #19
nosduco wrote: post #9

I live in Columbus near the original Microcenter. Still the GOAT store, it's not even close. Happy to see them expand more!

I always wondered why my Ohio hometown had a Microcenter (grew up near Cincinnati), now it makes sense! I had no idea they started in Ohio.

their headquarters is here as well.

Re: Photos: New Phoenix Microcenter is a 'tech-heaven' for geeks

#57

Post by brandon272 »

peteforde wrote: post #55
brandon272 wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I'm actually genuinely baffled to see geeks lining up for a Costco-like experience to get stuff that you can easily get online without needing to get into a car. "Why go to a fine restaurant when you can just stick something in the microwave? Why go to the park and fly a kite when you can just pop a pill?" - Kramer, Seinfeld

A big box electronics store is not a fine restaurant or a park. It's just a less-efficient way to purchase identical shrink-wrapped boxes that you should probably research extensively online before buying.

Not everything needs to be completely efficient, experienced through a computer or mobile phone screen, nor does it need to be "researched extensively". Some people prefer the option of a tactile, in-person, sometimes social experience of browsing physical objects.

Re: Photos: New Phoenix Microcenter is a 'tech-heaven' for geeks

#58

Post by peteforde »

brandon272 wrote: post #57
peteforde wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A big box electronics store is not a fine restaurant or a park. It's just a less-efficient way to purchase identical shrink-wrapped boxes that you should probably research extensively online before buying.

Not everything needs to be completely efficient, experienced through a computer or mobile phone screen, nor does it need to be "researched extensively". Some people prefer the option of a tactile, in-person, sometimes social experience of browsing physical objects.

If you're buying art, then yeah - go to a gallery.

If you're buying a shrink-wrapped GPU, then I think you're romanticizing what a big box store adds to that transaction.

Re: Photos: New Phoenix Microcenter is a 'tech-heaven' for geeks

#59

Post by brandon272 »

peteforde wrote: post #58
brandon272 wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not everything needs to be completely efficient, experienced through a computer or mobile phone screen, nor does it need to be "researched extensively". Some people prefer the option of a tactile, in-person, sometimes social experience of browsing physical objects.

If you're buying art, then yeah - go to a gallery. If you're buying a shrink-wrapped GPU, then I think you're romanticizing what a big box store adds to that transaction.

Has nothing to do with whether it's art or a shrink-wrapped product, different people value different things. As an example, a vehicle may be an engineering wonder or a work of art to one person and a "silly mass-produced hunk of steel" to another.

And yes, I am romanticizing in-person experiences and interactions over the insistence that more and more things in life are best experienced through a phone or computer.

Re: Photos: New Phoenix Microcenter is a 'tech-heaven' for geeks

#60

Post by andreimackenzie »

peteforde wrote: post #46
OkayPhysicist wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Microcenter has a pretty good reputation for having knowledgeable enough staff. Plus, discovery tends to be a lot better in a curated brick and mortar than online. And sometimes you just want to see and buy cool stuff that you didn't know you wanted.

That's a very reasonably reply. Except (?) that it's not like you can do more than look at shrink-wrapped boxes. Even record stores generally let you play albums on a private turntable before you buy them. It's just so weird to me that someone looking to buy a significant component for their desktop machine or whatever wouldn't do loads of research first. Buying a GPU, for example, during window shopping seems almost…

The Cambridge, MA location still has an aisle of keyboards and mice outside of their packaging. It's very nice to be able to hold and feel those peripherals as part of the shopping experience.
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