Shopping at Frys

One of the fun things about coming to the San Francisco Bay Area, or for that matter, the Portland area or the Seattle area around Renton, is the ability to go shopping at Frys Electronic Superstores. They actually started in the Bay Area and have been here for years. It is a recent event that they have expanded to other states.

Frys is like no other computer/electronics store you have ever been in before. Quite frankly, it is huge. Imagine a store the size of a Costco that is devoted strictly to computers, peripherals, and other electronic goodies. It is difficult to image, so I urge you to visit one when you are close by.

I usually go to Frys when I need something, which is most of the time. And before going, I always check their current ads in the newspaper, which usually come out every other day. Sometimes their sale items only last for two days, sometimes a week. Finding one of their ads in the store is next to impossible as they are usually hidden somewhere that is difficult to get to. But they are there. Just ask.

It is worth checking out the ads as many of their ad items are at incredible prices. For instance, when I arrived here, I discovered that I had left my wireless adapter for my laptop back in Washington. I look at the latest Frys ad last Friday and found they had a wireless card on sale for $10. I got one and it works great (if it didn't, I would be unable to be write this blog).

Not too long ago, I purchases a 200 Gb USB-2 external hard drive for $100, after the rebates (which did come in). That was an in-store special rather than an advertised item. I have picked up many items at great prices over the years shopping at Frys, but you need to exercise some caution when shopping there.

Not all their items are well priced. In fact, many of them are marked up at full manufacturer's retail prices and are available much, much cheaper at other places. They use the Wal-Mart practice of offering some things at incredible prices to fool you into thinking that everything in the store is discounted.

For instance, while picking up my new wireless adapter, my friend Paula needed a PCI card with a parallel port. At Frys, they were selling for $39.95. I found them at several places on the Net for $10-12 and at a local computer store for $29.95. As I do a lot of shopping and price comparisons, I am pretty up-to-date on pricing. All I am saying is that you need to be aware of this when shopping at Frys.

But a trip to their superstore is definitely worth the time and effort, especially if you are a computer nerd. They also carry TV, sound systems, books, DVD's, CD's, appliances, candy and sodas, and much more. Stop by there and have some fun.