Ready to buy, but....

it appears to me that many of the people on the board seem to be rather down about buying from any of the authorized online resellers (macmall, macconnection, Amazon,etc).

I don't have an Apple store within a reasonable driving distance and due to some health issues, I am pretty much housebound. It sounds as though there are some problems going on here and there with some of the new Macs (which is natural with an upgraded OS AND new users), but I can't easily go back and forth to an Apple store for any issues that might arise.

So, that being said, what are your opinions about the authorized resellers? The most trustworthy site(s)? I can avoid sales tax and put more money towards increased memory or whatever. I've noticed a couple of the sellers even offer different configurations which is great.

Also, I called Apple.com and asked if they would do on-site work on iMacs with the purchase of AppleCare if there should arise a hardware issue and was told yes. (Not that I'm expecting that to happen, of course) ;D Can anyone relay their experience if you've ever had onsite service? Thanks! Jennifer

If you plan to buy it online, why not just get it directly from the Apple online store?

Welcome Jennifer! Awesome avatar btw. I love John Lennon. I just bought an Apple poster with Lennon and Yoko on it. Totally sweet.

Anyways, I was going to mention buying it straight through Apple.com but you would be charged sales tax. I was also going to suggest my employer but you'd be charged sales tax through them as well.

I would think Amazon.com would be a perfectly good source. Is there some bad rep. buying through them?

Frys.com sells Mac stuff. I don't know if you'd be charged sales tax in Cali. They usually have good pricing (small discounts) and I buy from their store a lot.

I have yet to purchase AppleCare so I don't have any experience in that category.

What you looking to get?

I have ordered directly from Apple.com for two of my Macs. That being said, if they are an authorized Apple reseller (like Comp USA was) I would not have a problem with buying it from there if that was my only option that was in reasonable distance.

Thanks for the feedback, much appreciated. Yeah, if I go through the Apple Store or Fry's there would be sales tax, so I'll look again at some of the other authorized resellers. Anyone have any experience with AppleCare onsite?

Thanks again & Imagine (hard to believe it's been 27 years since John was killed)! His message still resonates with me and always will. Jennifer

Yea, I tried a few other sites for you and couldn't find any that wouldn't charge sales tax in Cali. I guess most computer companies have something going on in Cali seeing that's where all the action is.
But I checked newegg.com and they have some discounts. I saw the Macbook came with a free carrying bag. I know that doesn't help you but free stuff is always cool. Plus newegg.com always has the best prices on RAM.

The problem with resellers is that they are hardly any cheaper than Apple! So you might as well buy online from Apple and get free shipping!

buy online from apple so what you pay sales tax but id rather buy through apple online than a reseller anyday

When I was looking to buy on-line it seems that Amazon was quicker on the delivery than Apple. For me I couldn't spend the money for a pro without actually looking at one so I made the drive. It was worth it for me because I ended up buying matte instead of Glossy and the 15" instead of the 17". I also got an 8% discount in the store because of where I work (that I didn't know I qualified for). I had to ask if there were any discounts... They didn't just offer... They were fast and knowledgeable. The store was buzzing with people.

The couple times I've been in an Apple store there are LINES of people and the store is packed. And this was before Leopard even came out. Of course, the one we went to was near UCSD (San Diego), so lots of students.

A matte screen isn't an option anymore, as far as I know. At least on the iMacs, which is what I'm considering.

Well, no matter where or how I get it, has anyone actually had an onsite repair through AppleCare? Obviously, if some hardware issue comes up, I don't want to have to pack and send it in nor do I want to spend days taking it in and picking it up. Not that I'm expecting anything to go wrong with the hardware. Just curious as to their responsiveness. Plus I have a couple website businesses, so couldn't afford to be down for long.

I'm not so concerned about software as I can call in, get books, come on here and other sites, etc.

Thanks, Jennifer