🚀 go-pugleaf

You can also beat their prices.


steven@sgb.oau.org (Steven Bradley) wrote:
>Warning - Avoid Gateway Computers (aka Gateway 2000).
>
>Recently, during the course of my business I received a call from a friend
>that an associate of his was purchasing a computer system from Gateway.  He
>called because tax was attempting to be levied from this out of state
>supplier on this purchaser in the state of Florida.
>
>I verified with the state the sales tax ID number provided by Gateway and
>according to them they are registered to collect sales tax for thirty
>states.  I presume they pay for the manpower needed to do the paperwork
>each month for these monies collected.
>
>I learned they do in fact have a tax id for Florida.  This means that anyone
>in Florida will be charged sales tax when doing business with this out of
>state computer company.  My advice is to find someone else who is out of state
>and save paying the tax!
>
>Further research appears as if Gateway - while it has no official presence
>in terms of leased office space or real estate appears to have kiosk space
>access in some computer stores, computer city (maybe, not sure on who) and
>that is why they are charging tax.
>
>Since there are many others who chose to not place themselves in a tax
>collecting position, out of state, it would be better to give them the business
>and let Gateway rethink their position on how well this change will boost
>their sales (NOT!).  Without the tax free advantage of mailorder, they have
>no advantage over the local guys in town.  Since the only service they can
>provide locally is "sales assistance", specifically order taking, they provide
>LESS than some of the more competent dealers in town who have a tech support
>and service department.
>
>Think twice before ordering from Gateway.  They have them nice glossy ads in
>the magazines all the time.  The "cows in the pasture" theme normally.  I
>think its time they "went out to pasture" (literally).
>
>I used to deal with them a number of years ago, was responsible for several
>systems and upgrades purchased.  I quit dealing with them when I no longer
>had a personal salesman to call on, no longer received any response or
>return calls when trying to obtain pricing, information, or even place an
>order.  Their lines became great at providing voicemail or busy signals.
>
>With this latest turn of events, I'd say they just were eliminated from
>my list of even "consideration".  I actually had recommended against them
>to friends because of the last sentence in the above paragraph -- if you 
>can not reach them to place an order or obtain information, what kind of
>availability will there be for assistance _after_ the sale?
>
>Steven
>
>-- 
>Steven G. Bradley    |    The Forest City Exchange    | 121 Cambridge Drive
>System Administrator |      Forest City, Florida      | Longwood, FL  32779-5707
>                     | 1200-14400/PEP  1200-33600/HST | 
>steven@sgb.oau.org   | (407) 862-5112  (407) 862-8088 | Tel: (407) 862-7226