Ok – you’re walking through Best Buy (minding your own business) when suddenly, something out of the corner of your eye catches your attention. You stop walking (directly in front of another person and cause them to have to stop and walk around as they glare at you), pick up the eye-catching device, and start reading the package. (For the purposes of this story – it’s a high speed wireless USB network adapter with Wi-Fi finder.)

All of a sudden, you’re thinking about all of the possibilities this adapter can provide for you. You’ll finally be able to use your wireless router on your ancient desktop computer! This is going to be $30.00 well spent!

You get home – install the software – plug in the device AND… it doesn’t work?! Why not? The package said it would find wireless networks in range. Why isn’t it working? I installed the software like it said. (Your forehead crinkles as you sit there reading the quick install guide over and over.) Then you pick up the phone and call the customer service number.

For the next hour you are battling with a customer service representative (likely someone with a heavy accent that makes it increasingly difficult to understand what they’re asking you to do) over what you did and what they’re asking you to do. (The lines, “Yes I did restart my computer”, “I already did that”, “I’m sorry can you repeat that” come to mind.) After you hang up – you’re even more confused than when you started!

STOP – this next part is crucial. Here’s where the customer went wrong:

  1. At no time did he check the original router to find out if the adapter and the router were compatible.
  2. If the computer is ancient – chances are the system requirements don’t match what the device needs to operate.
  3. He purchased something off the cuff without having done the proper research (i.e. reviews, compatibility, requirements, etc.) – instead he saw something fancy and bought it.
  4. He let himself be marketed to by fancy claims and fancy packaging.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with buying a piece of technology without fully understanding it. In fact, that’s my favorite way to go – just so I can learn more about it by being “hands on”. The fact is, if you don’t understand what you are buying the greater the chance you’ll have to shell out more cash for additional things just to get the first thing to work!

It’s been my experience that it’s not always good to just hop in the car, head down to Best Buy (or wherever), and take a look at a piece of new technology. It’s nice to be able to see it in a fancy, colorful package but my time is better spent researching the product to find out if it’s worth it in the end.

Don’t make the same mistake as this customer. If you want to buy something you don’t know much about – take a tech geek with you. At least he/she will be able to ask the questions necessary before you invest the money on the item (and possibly additional money afterward).

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