Are you reading between the lines?

Reading ads in magazines is vital to the process of choosing the best PC, but there's a lot more to it than first meets the eye. Fiona Corless has some first-rate advice to ensure you get it right

Buying a PC is one of the most expensive and important off-the-page purchases you are likely to make. Your choice of system will not only affect the software you want to run, but also any peripherals, such as printers or scanners, that you may want to attach in the future.

Although it is a convenient way to purchase goods, buying off the page is not always easy; with one thousand and one systems on the market from a myriad new and established manufacturers, it can be a pretty daunting task. While there is no easy way around this, following a few basic guidelines will not only help you to find the perfect system, but will also ensure that you are aware of the smaller, easily overlooked details.

Hard as this may be to believe, consumers' needs are not so different from those of the direct advertisers. Also, you want to buy the perfect system ­ they want to sell it to you. Why? Because a satisfied customer is more likely to return time and again for future purchases. You want your new PC to arrive at your offices as soon as possible ­ so does the direct advertiser; shipping a PC on time means constantly changing stock, which allows the advertiser to keep up with the latest trends ­ and ultimately their competitors.

However, some buyers have been wary of off-the-page advertisers in the past, mainly as they are concerned about being ripped off; despite the fact that buying goods off-the-page is a convenient ­ and often cheaper ­ option, some people still have their doubts. In most instances, these doubts arise from a lack of knowledge about the products they are buying, about the advertisers in questions and their reputation, or about the actual direct buying process.

Reading ads in magazines like PC Direct is an essential part of your research when buying a system, so it is vital that you know what you are doing. Most ads will tell you the price and specification of the machine, but the buying process does not end there, as those of you who regularly read this section of the magazine will already know. In addition to the basic system details, a direct buyer should also be aware of factors such as warranty and delivery that may affect the overall price quoted.

Because of the space restrictions placed upon advertisers (it is all too easy to fill a page with product information), conditions of sale, delivery terms and warranty details are often only referred to in the small print at the bottom ­ or otherwise not included at all. An abundance of abbreviations and general industry assumptions and technology can all build up to bewilder or even misdirect potential buyers. Whilst no-one is out to con you however, a quick phone call to the manufacturer or vendor will confirm this.