I hate pricing things online... especially when Micro Center comes up in the search. EVERY TIME that happens, they have (by far typically) the best prices around. Issue is that you have to (Word deleted for Foul Language) pick up the part at one of their stores... and the closest one is about 80 miles north of me. 
 
This leads me to the following question... What is the deal with the place? I've never bought from them or have even been to one personally.

LOL, then it seems as though they offer everything I want as a "door buster" sale... every time I need to get whatever that may be.

About the only thing that draws me there is their cpu prices, but yes they do run some good deals on other items. Still they want you to buy other items, hence the requirement of in store only.

Sure is, I bought a i7 920, two i7 950's and a i5 760 from Micro Center. I even bought a few other things while I was there, so their strategy seems to work lol.

the rest of the stuff doesn't have to be cheap, just being able to actually see stuff close up that you usually can only see small pictures of while shopping online is incentive enough to buy there. I never thought i'd see a store with a whole isle dedicated to watercooling and another for case modding. And oddly enough two whole isles for blank cds and dvds(seriously who is still using those)

Yep, they do it for both loss leader and door buster reasons. They definitely aren't making money of the chips themselves. THey are most likely losing money on the deals. They are hoping you'll buy all the other relevant parts required there to complete your build. Frankly, I'd just go there and buy what they have cheapest and get the rest at Newegg and Monoprice.

When I got my 920 there, ( long time ago ) Not only was the 920 $200, but they threw in a 10% discount on anything on the same invoice. and let me choose my batch # out of what was available. Plus it's nice being able to take things back, or exchange same day in a BM store.

MrHaViK

the rest of the stuff doesn't have to be cheap, just being able to actually see stuff close up that you usually can only see small pictures of while shopping online is incentive enough to buy there. I never thought i'd see a store with a whole isle dedicated to watercooling and another for case modding. And oddly enough two whole isles for blank cds and dvds(seriously who is still using those)

Yep and I about fell over when I saw the graphics cards aisles. Mine has like 6 aisles for graphics cards and they sometimes have a big bulk stack for ones that are on sale (like Cosco!).

I live 4 miles from microcenter in cambridge ma, thay do have the best prices. the best part is that you can touch and see what you buy unlike buying from online and if you have a problem with anything thay will take it back with in 30 days. thay have most everything you need for a nice setup. Take the ride you will most likely get something else. 

I live in Microcenter's home town.  We only have one now.  We used to have 3.  Thanks to newegg we only have one now.  But, it is a superstore.  And, it is a frickin' awesome place to go for parts.  Microcenter recently adjusted their pricing to compete with newegg.  They were significantly more expensive then their online competitors.

the way micro center really makes the money is not as you may think. they simply sell you air or POM.
I have built many systems since x58 release and total price for full system and similar specs is always cheaper at micro center then newegg and tiger direct, yes this is including tax. they don't hassle you or get everyone but there key to success is selling peace of mind or extended warranty to atleast 10% of the customers. If you come in to buy a i7 950 and they just break even, but your at the store they can try to sell you the extended warranty so you wont have to deal with the manufacturers
 
ie: here is their pitch for example and keep in mind to get a cpu you don't just grab it off the shelf someone has to unlock a glass case and get it for you, so at that time they ask are you going to be overclocking? you may want to consider our extended warranty for $39.99 that way if you OC and the cpu goes bad you can just bring it back to us and we will replace it no waiting for intel and intel may tell you they will not replace it because it was over clocked.
 
it does not work on everyone but their goal is 10% extended warranty sales. trust me i have shopped their enough to hear the pitch and you would be surprised how many people get suckered in. now every extended warranty is 100% pure profit, and if the item goes bad and you exchange it they send it back to the manufacturer and lose no money in doing so.
 
2 out of 3 trips to my micro center i always see someone get suckered into buying the extended warranty, not just the extra gear like motherboards and ram etc...
basically you can be sold air or peace of mind and on average my micro center sales 40-60 cpu's a day 10% or 6-10 people pay for that policy and 10 x $40 = $400 and the best part is micro center doesn't have to pay taxs on extended warranty sales as a company to the government. 100% pure profit to those who are not used to dealing with rma through manufacturers or those that had a bad experience in doing so.
 
Why do you think so many people buy evga? easy rma compared to competition!
 
trust me this is where they make their money and the commission for sales reps is the highest paid for extended warranties then anything else in the store.
 
now factor in the guy who not only buys a cpu with extended warranty but a motherboard and graphics card also, my micro center alone makes about $20,000 a day from extended warranty sales for all items sold in the store.
ie:
 

happaflapp

I live in Microcenter's home town.  We only have one now.  We used to have 3.  Thanks to newegg we only have one now.  But, it is a superstore.  And, it is a frickin' awesome place to go for parts.  Microcenter recently adjusted their pricing to compete with newegg.  They were significantly more expensive then their online competitors.

 
I only know of the one on Lane that relocated to Bethel.
 
Where were the other two?

I will for sure stop by the one here in S Cal when I have other business in that area (visiting friends or what not)... however for the time being the distance means I am sticking to online and Fry's (which isn't too bad now that the ground stores will match online retailer prices).

bucyrus5000

just don't buy the over priced energy drinks from them.

 
LOL, I stock up on the billions of free ones they give out at E3 every year.

rjohnson11

It would be nice if they had one in Florida

+1. But RJ I thought you were in Europe?