Understanding IT Pricing

How to Find the Best Price

• Look beyond your usual sources. Having good supplier relationships is important, but there's no law that says you have to buy everything from a single source. If you're hunting on only one or two sites, you could be costing your company money.

• Know what you're looking for. The Web can be a great place for comparative research on different vendors' product features, but the canny price hunter will search for a specific product in a specific configuration. Do your comparison after you've selected the product you want.

• Include all price factors in your equation. Often, two products may appear similar in price, but add-on costs--options, shipping or state taxes--may change the numbers. Be sure you understand all the costs before you compare prices.

• Use sites that hold their vendors accountable. Many sites give dealers some sort of rating based on feedback from other customers. Take a close look at customer reviews, both positive and negative. If a prospective dealer hasn't generated much feedback, stay away--a low price is not much good if you never actually receive the product.

• Vary your search patterns. Some sites collect more pricing data on consumer-type goods, such as PCs and handhelds, while others have more information on business gear, such as networking devices and management software. Use a variety of resources to find pricing data.