Why no Synology or QNAP at Fry's and the like?

[stevech]

I see some bad NASes (my opinion) in Fry's and maybe Best Buy. Like IoCell and the old klunky Netgear non-samba ones.

So is it simply that Synology/QNAP think Fry's and the like are a PITA to deal with, e.g., returns, margins, buying shelf space, etc? Or maybe those retailers just don't move decent quantities of these specialty items against WHS?

 

[thiggins]

In general, you don't see many NASes in brick-and-mortar retailers. Only companies with (relatively) deep marketing pockets and existing shelf-space like WD and Seagate will even bother to try retail.

It costs big $ to buy shelf space and vendors do have to buy it.

 

[claykin]

Don't forget that most NAS products look easy to setup and administer, but the average BB shopper becomes easily overwhelmed and returns things they cannot easily figure out.

 

[stevech]

But there are a few NASes on Fry's shelves.
I noted these

Drobo
Netgear
IOmega
IOcell (bleah)
Buffalo
LG
PogoPlug (bleah)

and a couple of no-names.
Lotta variability among these.

 

[claykin]

But there are a few NASes on Fry's shelves.
I noted these

Drobo
Netgear
IOmega
IOcell (bleah)
Buffalo
LG
PogoPlug (bleah)

and a couple of no-names.
Lotta variability among these.

I live East Coast so no Fry's here. I did visit the Manhattan Beach store last year and noticed they do carry some atypical retail store items. Some I actually quite liked. Like a Radio Shack on steroids for the electronic hobbyist.

Stores like BB are purely for end users. Fry's seems to cater to end users and hobbyists. i.e. at Fry's you can build a desktop PC from parts. Try doing that in BB. Not a motherboard or boxed CPU to be found in a BB store.

We have CompUSA (Tiger owned now) here. For PC components they are kinda similar to Fry's. I've seen the Seagate, Iomega, Dlink and Netgear Stora/Duo NAS models there. I also often find some random stuff on the shelves there including a smattering of discontinued items that are often quite dated...

 

[stevech]

Nothing equivalent to Fry's east of the Rockies? Yikes!

Newegg is slamming Fry's, to the point that Fry's begs you to let them price-match "internet sellers". It's amazing how Newegg grew from $0 to several $B in a brief time.

Newegg's main warehouse is 60 miles from me so my orders are almost always 24 hours' delivery!

Tiger Direct (et al) don't get my orders; they are not trustworthy IMO, esp. in returns/exchanges.
---------

But it is curious that QNAP/Synology have not gotten into Fry's and Drobo and Netgear have. But as said above, perhaps NAS enthusiasts know where to buy (like Newegg).

 

[claykin]

Which Netgear models have you seen on the shelf at Fry's?

Can't say I disagree with your assessment of Tiger. Never bought from them prior to them purchasing the skeleton of CompUSA. So far haven't had any issues, but I have real people to deal with now....

 

[stevech]

Which Netgear models have you seen on the shelf at Fry's?

Can't say I disagree with your assessment of Tiger. Never bought from them prior to them purchasing the skeleton of CompUSA. So far haven't had any issues, but I have real people to deal with now....

Can't recall on Netgear: one of the ReadyNAS models that's $500 or so. Netgear is right up there with fried liver, for me.

 

[Chocula]

QNAP is now selling at Fry's

I notice that QNAP is starting to sell in Fry's. There is 3 different models.

http://www.frys.com/search?search_t...string=qnap&submit.x=-410&submit.y=-151&cat=0