Tuesday, October 26, 2010

High Risk Purchasing


One of my most recent purchases was a desktop computer. I was saving up for one all summer and being careful to keep money back every paycheck for it. I had set a budget of around five to six hundred dollars in order to get the one that would satisfy what I wanted and needed for school. The whole summer I looked at magazines and different computer magazines wishing I could get the best one and soon realizing I was a poor college student.

Looking backing on this, the situation at hand was high risk. I was using the Compensatory model: (Product) Attribute-based Decision. The definition of this from Chapter 10 is when brands are compared by attribute, two brands at a time. Looking back I used this by comparing E-machines and HP computers. Don't think I was not thinking about a Mac either, because I would love to have one! Simply didn't even put any thought into the brand of computer because they are too expensive! I was looking for a reliable computer that runs smooth and will last. The main differentiator was price because I don't have much room to budge on that aspect. I reasoned with myself by saying that HP was too expensive and and I could still get great performance from the E-machine that was more affordable. I still had the specs I was looking for and the relief that it wasn't going to blow up a week later because of the high reviews and feedback that I read. It also came with a one year warranty which is always nice to have just in case.

So three months later here I am typing this blog with it and running other programs as well. It runs extremely smooth and I am hoping to acquire Pro Tools 8 to record music here soon too! I am happy with my purchase and I think I will get many great years with this desktop.

1 comment:

  1. I find your situation interesting. Possibly most interesting is the fact that you were shopping for a desktop computer. Most College students I know have laptop computers. Were there any factors or attributes of a desktop you consider superior to a laptop? Do you have a preference for desktops for some reason? I am by no means a computer expert but it appears you spent a good deal of time on information search which is expected with such a high envolvement purchase. As someone who tends to buy products that work very well and last a very long time (as long as I can afford it.) I hope your new computer serves you well for a very long time. Good luck!

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