so, after customs and conversion, buying laptop drives from amazon is about the same as buying it from a best buy, here. the difference is that i get to return it to the store if it's busted.

and, that's with free shipping.

500 gb drives are running around $45 on amazon. i'm iffy about buying from these resellers, who should be operating through ebay and not amazon. i don't think of amazon the way i think of ebay. or, at least i didn't before today. so, i could take it down a dollar or two, but there's horror stories in the reviews about people getting refurbished hard drives when the listing says the thing is new. why fuck with that for $1.50?

45*1.33(exchange)*1.13(tax) =
67.63 + 5*1.33 (holding charge for ups) =
74.28

if i have to take a dedicated trip, you can add another $10 for border fees. let's split the difference. so, that's $79.28. it's still cheap, but that $45 list price is pretty misleading.

the price at best buy for a 500 gb wd laptop drive is $70. adding taxes, 70*1.13 = $79.10.

but, i get a lot more by being able to hold the store accountable. so, i'll do that here, too.

i don't know where to buy new ram in windsor. that's part two for the vista laptop...