Micro Center Partners With iFixit (nerds.xyz) 23
BrianFagioli shares a report from NERDS.xyz: Micro Center and iFixit have announced a partnership that combines the DIY repair giant's guides, parts, and toolkits with Micro Center's nationwide chain of computer and electronics stores. Customers browsing iFixit online can now find local Micro Center locations through a built-in locator and even stop in for a free consultation with a certified technician. Inside stores, shoppers will see iFixit toolkits and parts on shelves, while Micro Center's in-house technicians begin using iFixit's gear for professional repairs.
I respect iFixit. (Score:4, Interesting)
Re: (Score:3)
They have saved me a lot of money over the years. I hope this merger is a good thing.
iFixIt had a booth at a recent Maker Faire (the right audience for their toolkits and their "If you can't fix it, you don't own it" mantra). I am a long term satisfied customer of many of their tool-kits, and have recommended them to others who want to tinker and repair (FD: I also own Metcal (soldering) and Hakko (SMT rework) equipment, but that is not iFixit's core audience).
Sounds good to me (Score:2)
We don't have Micro Center in Canada so I can't comment on the quality of service they offer. But getting iFixit stuff in front of consumers can only be a good thing. Between getting people to consider repair rather than replacement, and showing them that they might even be able to repair some devices themselves, this seems like an idea whose time has come.
It might even influence the non-tech-savvy to at least learn which devices are easier to repair and make better choices which might influence manufacture
They mean "Microcenter" (Score:4, Insightful)
Which is a pretty solid chain of stores. Really glad we have two to choose from here.
Microcenter and CompUSA showed up at about the same time. That Microcenter is still here decades later, and CompUSA is dead in the tar pits says a lot about how they manage their business, and keep eyes on what the customer actually wants.
Very happy they have 3D Printing stuff, maker stuff, hobbies, cables and adapters, PCs, Macs, new and refurb phones, the works.
iFixit is pretty great too. Sounds like a positive move for both.
Re: (Score:2)
Microcenter was doing small business in my area until CompUSA closed.
Since then, it's exploded.
Happily for me, I'm just a few miles from a brick and mortar Microcenter.
Re: (Score:2)
Our local one has always been busy as hell. The only real competition they ever had was Fry's, and that was pretty weak and is now long gone.
Re: (Score:2)
CompUSA's main downfall was that they would never have any prices on the products... Only a sticker with a SKU, and you would have to look for the price tag on the shelf and match it against the SKU. More often than not, the tag with the actual price was missing or wrong.
Who wants to go shopping at a store where you don't know what anything costs?
Re: They mean "Microcenter" (Score:2)
Well, there were a fair amount of jerks working at mine. I went looking for things like commodity SCSI cables, and got attitude like "A MAC? Get a REAL computer!"
Oh yeah sales guy? Is that PC what started your career rocket ride to the retail sales floor?
Re: They mean "Microcenter" (Score:2)
"Working at mine" - I mean my local CompUSA.
Re: (Score:1)
CompUSA's main downfall was that they would never have any prices on the products...
No, CompUSA's main downfall was the constant infighting among the sales force. The retail sales folks worked on commission and SPIFs. Your pay was directly related to your sales totals. Anyone coming in for a printer cable, mouse pad, laptop bag, or small accessories was basically ignored. Sales folks would hover around the desktop aisle hoping to grab a customer looking for a computer. Up-sales and extended warranty we
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
I can only dream (Score:1)
Living in Oregon, I've hoped for Microcenter to expand out here for years, at least since Fry's went belly up. This makes me wish for one even more. The old Incredible Universe-then-Fry's location in Wilsonville is still vacant, Microcenter!
Re: (Score:2)
There used to be a Micro Center in Santa Clara, CA but they had to compete with Fry's sprinkled around the area and closed. Then Fry's died a slow and painful death and we had a void in that space. There were businesses like Central Computer on the one side of the market and like Best Buy on the other side, but a void in between. Fortunately Micro Center recently opened a new store in Santa Clara and it addresses some of that void (and more of if one only considers the portion of that void that Fry's filled
Re: (Score:2)
The Las Vegas Fry's is still vacant, too. Best Buy has this market to itself.
Long drive (Score:2)
The closest Microcenter to me is a little over a 2 hour drive one way. I wish one would open closer to me.
Re: (Score:2)
The Microcenter in Minnesota is two hours away from me too.
I stop whenever I am in the Twin cities, bought alot of stuff from them,
from PC's, monitors, to various parts and pieces. A one stop shop for tech.
I also have used instructional video's and bought tools, and parts from iFixit.
This should be a good match. Don't trash it, FIX-IT.
Re: (Score:2)
They now have a store in Santa Clara just a few feet from the San Jose city line on north side of Stevens Creek just a few hundred feet east of Lawrence Expressway.
I wonder how many people have no idea it there even though it's now been open for several months. It's not terribly visible as it's tucked into a strip mall type environment with a shared parking lot where a Bed Bath & Beyond used to be.
Years ago they closed their store that was in north Santa Clara - likely because of competition from Fry's
what's the change? (Score:3)
"Inside stores, shoppers will see iFixit toolkits and parts on shelves..."
This is a chance how? They've had the toolkits for years at the one near(-ish) to me
Re: (Score:2)
I have an iFixIt toolkit I bought at my local Microcenter at least 5 years ago. Afaik, Microcenter has been selling iFixIt tools for about as long as iFixIt has.
Re: (Score:2)
iFixit launched in 2003 and started selling tools day one to raise money for the site. They were pretty cheap and the only branding was an iFixit sticker on the case. I don't remember Microcenter carrying any of their stuff before 2010.
Excellent (Score:2)
Microcener is my happy place, and iFixit make great tools... in fact I've bought many iFixit kits at Microcenter.