🚀 go-pugleaf

Note: This article is crossposted to the groups listed above.  If you object
to crossposing, please skip this article.

Note: This article is of interest to people living in the Ottawa-Hull area so
if you live elsewhere, you may want to skip this article.

A few weeks ago I posted in this newsgroup an article showing that printer
prices advertised by *Ottawa Computer Sales and Services* in a certain
magazine were about $30 to $50 higher than prices advertised in the same
magazine by another outlet in Ottawa.  

In response, at least three individuals posted an article to recommend
*CompuNation* for good service and good prices, while another individual
posted a negative article about *Ottawa Computer Sales and Services*.  Of
course, there was also the usual individual who posted an article implying
that I may be a competitor and a spammer. 

All this got me interested in the computer marketplace so that when the April
number of *Ottawa Computing!* magazine came out, I did a little more
comparison shopping on paper.  Using as a basis the advert placed by *Ottawa
Computer Sales and Services*, I looked for another advert that gave prices for
exactly the same items.  On page 11 I found an advert that listed a large
enough number of items to give a fair comparison, and here are the results. 
(To ensure that nobody can accuse me of being a competitor, I am not giving
the name of the outlet.  If you are interested enough, check for yourself
using the page number I have given).



A. Monitors.   The following list includes ALL monitors appearing in both
adverts

Aa.  Prices given by *Ottawa Computer Sales and Services*

Viewsonic 17GT770    C$ 989
Viewsonic 17GS           869
Viewsonic 17PS        1,049
Viewsonic 20G800        1,559
Viewsonic 15GS      509


Ab.  Prices given by another outlet on page 11 for exactly the same monitors

Viewsonic 17GT770   C$ 941
Viewsonic 17GS         831
Viewsonic 17PS         971
Viewsonic 20G800       1,551
Viewsonic 15GS      481



B.  Printers.   The following list includes ALL printers appearing in both
adverts

Ba.  Prices given by *Ottawa Computer Sales and Services*

Epson stylus 400         C$ 349    
HP 820 cxi                  559
Lexmark 2030                319
Lexmark 2070                 499
HP 5L                       699


Bb.  Prices given by another outlet on page 11 for exactly the same printers

Epson stylus 400         C$ 339    
HP 820 cxi                  518
Lexmark 2030                275
Lexmark 2070                 415
HP 5L                       558


 
Another outlet posted an advert on page 83 of *Ottawa Computing!* (the name of
the outfit is omitted for the reason given before).  This advert gave four
printers that also appeared in the advert by *Ottawa Computer Sales and
Services*.  Here is the comparison for all four models:

C.  Printers.   The following list includes ALL printers appearing in both
adverts

Ca.  Prices given by *Ottawa Computer Sales and Services*

Epson stylus 400       C$ 349
HP 820 cxi               559
Lexmark 2030             319
Canon BJC 240       249       

Cb.  Prices given by another outlet on page 83 for exactly the same monitors

Epson stylus 400       C$ 302
HP 820 cxi               529
Lexmark 2030             264
Canon BJC 240       214       


I hope you find this comparison useful.  Perhaps you can shed more light on
the reasons for the price differences.