# Beamecho/CPUSED gone out of business



## Cube Guy (Feb 1, 2004)

BeamEcho | Toronto's choice for Apple, iPod and personal audio

Found this out yesterday through inside source but Beamecho formerly known as CPUSED, has closed it's doors. I'm sure many on here will take opportunity to bash the once reputable Mac dealer but I think this is a shame. Once upon a time it was one of the best Mac retailers in town. Unfortunately, the owners lost touch with the pulse of what was going on and things went steadily in decline over the past few years. Too bad. A lot of good people worked there.


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## John Clay (Jun 25, 2006)

Can't say I'll miss their shoddy service department...


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## absolutetotalgeek (Sep 18, 2005)

beejacon .... Ya well if you treat people like sh%t, you'll end up in the crapper. C'Ya...!


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## kloan (Feb 22, 2002)

'bout time


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## milhaus (Jun 1, 2004)

Well, that explains the killer pricing they had on some stuff during their last sale. No really, it was good. That said, they did sell me a used Lacie 250GB D2 Ethernet Drive as new - at least it was cheap.


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## The G3 Man (Oct 7, 2008)

Interestingly I actually had good experience with them, They were supposed to fix my iBook and they broke it in the process. That said they replaced my Blueberry iBook 300mhz with an BB 366mhz, with a better hd then i payed for, not to mention a brand new battery...


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## John Clay (Jun 25, 2006)

The G3 Man said:


> Interestingly I actually had good experience with them, They were supposed to fix my iBook and they broke it in the process. That said they replaced my Blueberry iBook 300mhz with an BB 366mhz, with a better hd then i payed for, not to mention a brand new battery...


I'd hardly consider that a good experience, given that they were supposed to fix it, not damage it further.


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## EvanPitts (Mar 9, 2007)

I thought CPUsed was long gone already, just a big empty building at Dupont and Bathurst.

The same thing happened here two years ago, when the local dealer folded up shop, and the building has just been a sequence of penny ante stores that are never open and don't last. Oh well, the Reserve is still near enough, though they don't sell any used stuff. And I can't go to the US for stuff, until I get a pardon.

Somehow people do keep their PCs going, even though there isn't a computer store anywhere in this area, next to Future Slop and Worst Buy...


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## Macfury (Feb 3, 2006)

Never budge a penny, never match a price. No schadenfreude, but their departure from the scene is not surprising.


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## ScanMan (Sep 11, 2007)

It's a bit sad. Didn't ponder it much, but I never understood the rebranding and move to Yorkville. Beam Echo? A walk up Mac boutique, with no parking!? What the hell was that all about? You couldn't kill a business any better. 

Personally, I thought that as CPUsed, they had a good thing going there on Dupont. I've traded in a couple of old ones for Macs of newer vintage. Bit of grumbling about not getting what my machine was worth, and overpaying for the next model up...

But it served a niche. And to the outsider, it always appeared to be a going concern. You gotta wonder what they were smoking.


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## mrjimmy (Nov 8, 2003)

Funny, I phoned them on Monday for a quote and after it rang quite a few times someone picked up and hung up. The second time it rang the same amount of times and a women with a thick Eastern European accent picked up and said they were doing inventory and they would reopen tomorrow. For a moment I thought it odd doing inventory in the middle of a Monday but shrugged it off and promptly phoned Carbon.

The jackals had already descended on their prey.

Remember CPUsed when they were in that tiny storefront on the north side of Dupont east of Spadina? They had a 'Christmas tree' of old monitors as decoration out front.

Oh well. I'm sure the business made quite a few people rich. They were one of the first if not the first 'official' reseller. Guys like Ron of Carbon and Nick of Click On were operating out of their apartments.


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## Macfury (Feb 3, 2006)

I sure remember the Christmas tree--then briefly across the street in that place with the big glass plate windows. I used to give them a fair bit of business. I called on Sundy looking for an extremely small item and they appeared to be in full operation.

I liked that old Dupont building a lot, but found the new place awkwardly located, sterile and unconducive to browsing. And I never got used to that awful new name...


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## Macfury (Feb 3, 2006)

ScanMan said:


> A walk up Mac boutique...


No, that one was located on Toronto Street.


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## ehMax (Feb 17, 2000)

Through the grapevine, knew about this for a couple of days. 

Never happy to hear of an independent Apple Reseller closing its doors. I feel for the employees and owners who worked there, having gone through a Reseller closing its doors once myself.


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## satchmo (May 26, 2005)

Macfury said:


> I sure remember the Christmas tree--then briefly across the street in that place with the big glass plate windows. I used to give them a fair bit of business. I called on Sundy looking for an extremely small item and they appeared to be in full operation.
> 
> I liked that old Dupont building a lot, but found the new place awkwardly located, sterile and unconducive to browsing. And I never got used to that awful new name...


I actually recall one of the early days of CPUsed in that small building. Spoke to the original owner Jim, and his wife. She was quite thrilled that 'I got' the name of their business. 

Since then it's had it's ups and downs. That larger spot on Dupont use to be 'the place' to check our new Mac hardware after a MacWorld announcement. 

I feel for Apple dealers and resellers, with new Apple retail stores coming (especially in the GTA).


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## ScanMan (Sep 11, 2007)

satchmo said:


> She was quite thrilled that 'I got' the name of their business.


Seems she had a thing for names. Well, one out of two ain't bad.


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## legioss (Jul 18, 2005)

I loved the small space on Dupont. I would look in the front window and think back to the days of when all those Mac SE's and Mac Plus systems were the latest things.


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## starcrafty (Jun 4, 2009)

Guys I don't know why you are bashing Beamecho / CPUsed. I've had nothing but good experiences with them. I'll admit i never bought a mac from them due to the fact that i am a uni student and that my first mac was bought during the imac g4 shortage (ordered the imac g5 the hour it came out) when i really really needed a computer and couldn't wait for the resellers to get.

However their service has been great. My imac g5 had a SLEW of problems from screen to logic board to power supply. The service techs at CPUsed fixed those right up and usually only took a day. 

my most memorable was when i had to get the power supply replaced. I was working on an assignment due on monday and this was like sunday or sat and my imac would jsut keep shutting down. the techs ripped out a power supply from a display model and got it in my imac within like 3 hours and called me to pick it up, albeit this was when they were at their dupont and bathurst location.

Since then ive trusted my laptop to the service techs at Beamecho and they have never disappointed. The turn around is always less than 3 days and the techs are always nice and great to chat to. 

I'll admit that their prices for external hdd and bags etc etc. may have been a bit overpriced but hell apple does the same damn thing. We do not shop at these stores for prices we shop at these small stores for the ppl who work there and send our computers to them because we trust them. well thats at least how i feel. Beamecho has been my go to place for all my mac repairs and the apple reseller I've reccomended to my friends for their apple needs. It is sad to see them go. My only regret is that i didnt support them. The apple education discount + ipod was too much of a perk and too tempting to miss out on. Farewell beamecho and may you rise from the ashes as CPUsed once again.


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## Macfury (Feb 3, 2006)

That BeamEcho name was a millstone around the company's neck. While I personally liked some of the staff, the place was going south in a big way. I have no doubt that some people must have received great service at times, but nobody ever extended themselves for me. When they started selling used equiment at prices higher than Apple refurb, I had pretty much had it with them. I used to think highly of the place, but felt, particularly in the last years, that they were counting on an uneducated consumer to line their pockets. I would have been afraid to leave any repair work with them, on concerns about price alone.


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## starcrafty (Jun 4, 2009)

Well all my repairs were covered under applecare so with the pricing etc. i would have no clue. But compared to the first time when i sent my computer to the computer system center on college and spadina CPUsed was about 100x better. Also I dunno if this sounds weird or not but i CPUSed because like there was a face there it was a small shop and not some faceless corporation / institution which was comforting when i was shopping like made it more personal. I am not a big fan of the apple stores although they are very nice looking i would never buy a mac from them. 

Just curious any one know of a nice apple reseller store in toronto that does repairs? I was thinking of checking out riverdale mac and carbon computing. Also i read in a previous post about a store named reserve?


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## kps (May 4, 2003)

Macfury said:


> No, that one was located on Toronto Street.


I don't think ScanMan was referring to *Microboutique* on Toronto St. Which was based out of Montreal and also went bye, bye quite a few years ago.

As far as CP/USED is concerned, I had very little dealings with them...actually I never bought anything from them as I found their prices laughable.


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## ScanMan (Sep 11, 2007)

kps said:


> I don't think ScanMan was referring to *Microboutique* on Toronto St...


Correct. But now there's a place I'd totally forgotten about.


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## kloan (Feb 22, 2002)

starcrafty said:


> Guys I don't know why you are bashing Beamecho / CPUsed. I've had nothing but good experiences with them. I'll admit i never bought a mac from


Because there's an overwhelming number of people who had bad experiences there. You're definitely in the minority.

I stopped going there because of the overpricing, bad service, the majority of staff that had bad attitudes and would always try to upsell me. I gave up on them a long time ago. From what I've read, I'm not alone in my experience.

There are no second chances in retail. Once you've established a bad reputation, people will stop going there. Especially with much better stores such as Carbon... and of course the Apple store.


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## Lawrence (Mar 11, 2003)

I bought and sold many computers from CPUsed,
Hard to believe they are gone completely now.



> THE LATEST BYTES
> Farewell
> Today we have closed our business.
> 
> ...


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## countryharvest (May 24, 2009)

*Good Experience*

I've personally bought a few computers from them and always found them helpful and curteous and really haven't had any 'bad' computers from them. Sad to see them go, thanks apple!


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## hhk (May 31, 2006)

Their prices were high but at least there was a place to buy Apple parts in the West End. Before the Apple Store in Sherway and Yorkdale. I'm sure it's the opening of the Apple Stores that put them out of business. Classic conflict with your dealer channel.


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## Niteshooter (Aug 8, 2008)

Sad, I guess inevitable given the onslaught of Apple stores though.

Never had any problems with CPUsed, bought many used Macs from them. Granted I didn't require their service dept either....

Never did check out their Yorkville store, parking always seemed to be the headache with CPUsed from store 1, though the one at Bathurst finally fixed that. 

Any of you folks ever check out what was in the backyard of the first store?

Was trying to recall who I originally bought new Macs from here in Toronto. Guess it was the Macboutique and a shop in Mississauga I which if I recall was called Newsnet or something along that line.

The Mac Store on Queen and the DVP had a short run going from mailorder to brick and mortar to gonesville.

I think Saved By Technology is still around, granted they were always a music store first and Macs were not their main business.

Don't remember what the shop on Elm at Bay was called.

CSC, funny how folks complained about problems with service at CPUsed, IMHO CSC was a lot worse we have lots of horror stories to back it up literally.

Mac prices have always been high, I think in part due to the tight fisted pricing control that Apple exerts on their dealer network. Accessory sales were the money making part IMHO so I can see why folks would say that about those prices.

But Apple is about control, Jobs figured that part out after the clone fiasco so I'm sure we will see more independents fold which is sad.

Kevin


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## rampancy_fatalin. (Dec 17, 2004)

Niteshooter said:


> The Mac Store on Queen and the DVP had a short run going from mailorder to brick and mortar to gonesville.


My dad and I were *huge* fans of The Mac Store - I think what really attracted my dad to it was owner Peter J. Sever's very down-to-earth approach to dealing with customers (i.e. if you have a problem you don't have to talk to a subordinate: you can talk directly to me). That and my best friend and his family often went there for Mac stuff too. It was a great place to go, even if the area was a little sketchy...until Sever sold it off to MacWarehouse. When he left soon after, things went downhill fast. 



> Don't remember what the shop on Elm at Bay was called.


It used to be the Elm Street Computer Terminal (another really old store which was good for hard-to-find Mac stuff), and then they merged with Appland/Micro to become Elm Street/Appland, which then changed their name to Northstar Computer. I think they're still around but I'm not sure. 



> CSC, funny how folks complained about problems with service at CPUsed, IMHO CSC was a lot worse we have lots of horror stories to back it up literally.


I guess I lucked out. When I my G3 iBook died the first time from the GPU BGA problem, I went there to get it repaired. They were pretty quick about it, and they even gave me a new charger which didn't overheat as much, and a free upgrade to 10.4. 

In any case, I remember going to CPUsed because they really had a good game selection, but apart from that there wasn't much else because compared to all of the places I knew on College St., they were horrendously overpriced on RAM and hard drives, which was the main thing I needed for my Mac at the time.


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## Carbon Computing (Jan 7, 2003)

*Good bye to a good competitor.*

A ramble of nostalgia.

I purchased my first Mac luggable from CPUSED back in '92, as I could not afford a used Powerbook let alone a new one. The Mac Portables had a 12 hour battery (if you didn't have a backlit version) that allowed me to work continuously to complete a script breakdown over a trans-continental flight to a film set. The film career gave way to founding Carbon Computing the next year in my basement, but I have very fond memories of both the Portable and the store that sold it to me on Dupont Street. 

As a neighbour, both business and personally, I would bump into Jim and Margaret Hoskins at the local Loblaws and found them to be quite friendly and personable. Jim has a wickedly funny sense of humor. Although we were Apple authorized before they were, CPUsed was an inspiration to see how a small business could grow.

I would regularly meet Jim at various Apple events and found his perspective well thought out and quite insightful.

Jim was innovative and almost single handedly creating the used market in Canada as well as providing a viable solution for after market Mac upgrades and repairs. Many of his best business practices have become part of the fabric of Apple dealers throughout Canada. 

Through the dark years of Apple clients would not ask "Can I get it NOW!??" but rather "Is Apple going to be around tomorrow?" companies like CP Used supported and helped maintain the Mac market in Toronto. Whether Apple Canada recognizes it or not, they benefited greatly by CP Used offerings allowing clients to upgrade and sell their old machines to them as well as providing an entry level path to what used to be unaffordable computers.

When CP Used sold their building and rebranded as Beam Echo in Yorkville we watched with apprehension and admiration at the ballsiness of such a move. 

I think the verdict is still out as to whether or not it was brilliant or just mis-timed with this brutal economy we have found ourselves in. Or perhaps they just found this the right time to cash out.

I suppose it was inevitable that with 5 corporate Apple stores in the GTA that _something_ had to give. 

I am not happy to see CP Used / Beam Echo shut their doors as I firmly believe in independent businesses being sustainable and healthy for our cities and the country as a whole. Carbon Computing and CSC are now the only two remaining family run Apple dealers in Toronto of any size with support for the community and vested in the neighbourhoods our business live in. When we profit, local employment increases as do the local charities that we support.

Self serving as it is, it is up to the Mac community at large to support the local independent dealers or find themselves shopping in GAP like stores in malls with fewer product selections and reducing the deep Mac OS knowledge-base in Toronto, and Canada as a whole. At Carbon, like CSC we have employees that date back 10+ years and that knowledge cannot compare to a 2 month trained "genius" in a mall.

So, farewell Jim and Margaret, we here at Carbon and I personally wish you the best in your future endeavors.

Ron Paley
President, Carbon Computing.


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## Macfury (Feb 3, 2006)

Ron: I will back any independent who returns my loyalty, but if one abuses it time and again, I'm gone. Despite my opinions of the store, I always stopped in at BeamEcho's Dupont location to look at new Apple products and occasionally buy small items that came in at an acceptable price. Moving to Yorkville killed that entirely. I don't know if I'd call moving the store "ballsy." Suicidal seems more like it.

That said, I purchased a bum hard drive from an independent a couple of months ago and when I contacted the store they told me to take it up with the manufacturer. If I were that independent retailer, I would have exchanged the drive. When the treatment I receive from a local is no different than what I receive from an Apple outlet, why bother?


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## Niteshooter (Aug 8, 2008)

Thanks, it was Elm Street Computer terminal. Wonder what ever happened to Danny Chan, gave him one of my Lisa's.

Right, Peter Sever I can picture his face. 

Thanks for filling in the blanks.

Kevin


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## EvanPitts (Mar 9, 2007)

I used to trek into CPUsed in the old days. I liked it because they had lots of used equipment, and I bought a few machines from them that have served me well. I never had a problem with their service. It was convenient as well, since I go to other places in The Annex at various times, so it was not out of my way.

The first Apple place I recall was Computer Parts Galore, and they had a location in Hamilton for a while, until it burned down and they never reopened. I recall going there to buy parts for an IMSAI 8080, which was a clone of the famous Altair machine. They sold Apples the old school way, as kits, so one had lots of fun soldering everything onto the board, powering up, and doing everything one would expect out of an Apple II. There was another Apple dealer in Toronto, across from IBM when they were downtown, but it was so long ago I can't remember what it was called. 

Years later, I worked for a company that had bought out a number of computer places. That place was a real mix-mash, everything from DEC stuff (especially MicroVAXes), but also lots of Apple parts from two places they had gobbled up. The 80's was the best time to be in computers, there was tons of stuff to do, and lots of hackish opportunities.

But I stray from what I was saying. For a number of years, CPUsed was a destination, to check out new stuff like the Lampshade iMac which was and still is ubercool, as well as having lots of older machines which were, and still are, unavailablee in this area. They declined when they stopped having the older stuff, and started pushing PCs. That was one thing that was cool, Macs were at front, while the PCs were relegated to the back corner. When they changed that, it was so much more about overpriced / underpowered PCs - and less about Apple. Then one time I was up in the area, I saw the building was closed, so I figured they folded. Which wouldn't surprise me because I have seen so many computer places fold here in Hamilton, including three places that I worked for at one time or another.

I agree with MF, the BeamEcho name was dumb, though maybe they needed to do something since they really weren't concentrating on the USED part of CPUsed in the last year or so of their existence.


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## Macfury (Feb 3, 2006)

Niteshooter said:


> Right, Peter Sever I can picture his face.


When you called and were waiting for someone to pick up the phone, there was a recorded message from Mr. Sever!



EvanPitts said:


> I agree with MF, the BeamEcho name was dumb, though maybe they needed to do something since they really weren't concentrating on the USED part of CPUsed in the last year or so of their existence.


That was the rationale, although they were still selling used computers until their final day. Choosing the name of a defunct Icelandic electronics retailer to replace a name that was well-recognized seemed counter-productive.


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## ehMax (Feb 17, 2000)

Macfury said:


> That said, I purchased a bum hard drive from an independent a couple of months ago and when I contacted the store they told me to take it up with the manufacturer.


The problem is that every manufacturer has a different return / warranty policy. Further complicated is that retailers (Big box and small retailed included) buy many products from distributors rather than directly from the manufacturer, where the distributor has their own return period / warranty policy. 

So for example on a drive, say somebody had it for a year and a half, and it has a 3 year warranty. After a certain period of time, the drive might only have a end-user warranty. Meaning, you bring drive to retailer, and the retailer would have to eat the entire cost of a drive. However, customer contacts manufacturer, and they cover the cost of a replacement drive. 

Most drive manufacturers like Seagate make it extremely easy for an end user to get a replacement drive through their website in its warranty period. However, if the drive is well over 30 days old, it can be a nightmare for the retailer to get a replacement, and in many cases not even possible. 

I've actually had a problem with a Seagate drive I owned in the past, and through their website, replacement was shipped overnight. I think it was $10 for shipping. Took less than 10 minutes. 

I think for myself in Retail sales, and probably a lot of other people, nothing brings greater joy than being able to say, "Come on over, we'll take care of that for you!", but with computer accessories, razor thin margins, and just how warranties work with some non-Apple products, in some cases the end user needs to contact the manufacturer. 

In many cases, a retailer can be flexible and work something out. (When an older lady was having problems with a company getting warranty, I called the company pretending to be the lady's son )


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## ehMax (Feb 17, 2000)

Macfury said:


> When you called and were waiting for someone to pick up the phone, there was a recorded message from Mr. Sever!
> 
> 
> 
> That was the rationale, although they were still selling used computers until their final day. Choosing the name of a defunct Icelandic electronics retailer to replace a name that was well-recognized seemed counter-productive.


I remember that! Used to get message from him... "Hi, this is Peter Cever. Welcome to voicemail hell."  Also remember calling Peter and asking him... Peter, what is "Ethernet". 

Bought a Syquest drive with cartridges from there for $800 and a 32MB Ram stick for around the same price.


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## ScanMan (Sep 11, 2007)

Niteshooter said:


> Was trying to recall who I originally bought new Macs from here in Toronto.


For me, it was Berkeley Computer Group on the street by that name. The owner was Randall Steiben. A relaxed, soft spoken guy who always appeared to be looking down at your shoes.

Anybody else drop in here?


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## iMatt (Dec 3, 2004)

Niteshooter said:


> But Apple is about control, Jobs figured that part out after the clone fiasco so I'm sure we will see more independents fold which is sad.


Apple is about selling product and making money.

I don't like to see a local, independent retailer go under in any business, but in the big picture there's no denying that Apple is able to sell a whole lot more using its own stores than it was through a network of resellers.

In the long run, the resellers that survive will out-Apple Apple in their customer service, store environments and the like. And they should benefit from a growing Apple pie. Let's not forget that if it hadn't been for Jobs and his control-freak ways, there quite possibly would be no Apple products for anyone to sell by now.


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## Niteshooter (Aug 8, 2008)

iMatt said:


> Apple is about selling product and making money.
> 
> I don't like to see a local, independent retailer go under in any business, but in the big picture there's no denying that Apple is able to sell a whole lot more using its own stores than it was through a network of resellers.
> 
> In the long run, the resellers that survive will out-Apple Apple in their customer service, store environments and the like. And they should benefit from a growing Apple pie. Let's not forget that if it hadn't been for Jobs and his control-freak ways, there quite possibly would be no Apple products for anyone to sell by now.


Actually any business is about making money....

My gut feeling is that Apple can sell more through their outlets because they probably put priority on restocking THEIR outlets faster than the independents. Lets just say a little 'birdie' once told me this....

Yup agree with you on the resellers being able to provide better service, frankly I don't like shopping in the Apple stores. Yeah they are nice and big, bright, packed with all the latest toys and understaffed... Always wondered what the hype was all about personally (sorry Brian if you are lurking) and just never felt inclined to buy anything in one though have been in a few both here and in the States.

K


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## satchmo (May 26, 2005)

Since we're going down memory lane of GTA Mac dealers, how about the grand daddy of them all...Arkon on Queen Street. 

I also bough used gear at ComputerWorld (I think that was the name) out around the East Mall or Etobicoke. It was in a strip mall. I picked up my Mac IIci there.


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## Digital_Gary (Sep 18, 2003)

ScanMan said:


> For me, it was Berkeley Computer Group on the street by that name. The owner was Randall Steiben. A relaxed, soft spoken guy who always appeared to be looking down at your shoes.
> 
> Anybody else drop in here?


Berkeley was before my time but I know Randy through an old friend. He's an interesting fellow for sure. Not sure I'd use the term relaxed for him though


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## ScanMan (Sep 11, 2007)

Digital_Gary said:


> ... I know Randy through an old friend. He's an interesting fellow for sure. Not sure I'd use the term relaxed for him though


Didn't get to know him well – perhaps I just caught him after a yoga class. 

The Berkeley environment was quite subdued. A couple of skylit display benches, glass walled computer classroom. A converted, open-concept downtown semi, in muted grey tones. He always had the hottest receptionists....

Frankly, walking in there you'd think you'd stepped into one of those cosmetic surgery suites.


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## iMatt (Dec 3, 2004)

Niteshooter said:


> Yup agree with you on the resellers being able to provide better service,


That's not what I said.

The defunct resellers I was familiar with had service anywhere from terrible to great -- it was really inconsistent, which is bad for Apple. The common denominator was that most were not doing much to recruit new users. They catered first and foremost to us diehards.

Recruiting and supporting new customers is the basic function of the Apple Stores. They are not ideal for us diehards; they're designed to cater to the masses.

You're probably right that Apple gives resellers the shaft. From what I've heard, that was true before Apple had its own stores. 

But I don't think there's much doubt that squeezing out resellers is a side-effect of the stores, not the primary goal. The goal is to make Apple truly mainstream. All the evidence says that it works *and* that this is something few resellers are able to do. 

I know some resellers can survive alongside the Apple stores, even by catering to people like us. (Though I've noticed a much more mainstream image in the surviving resellers around here.) That was what I was saying about resellers with superior service.


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## Macfury (Feb 3, 2006)

ehMax said:


> The problem is that every manufacturer has a different return / warranty policy... in some cases the end user needs to contact the manufacturer.


That explanation makes some sense, thanks.

I bought that same $800 Syquest package from Peter Cever!

Also, DOOM II!


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## ehMax (Feb 17, 2000)

Macfury said:


> That explanation makes some sense, thanks.
> 
> I bought that same $800 Syquest package from Peter Cever!
> 
> Also, DOOM II!


I bought Marathon... much better.  

Re: Return policy... etc.. The old adage holds true: People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care.


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## lara (Mar 15, 2009)

Did they have a going-out-of-business sale? (Sorry, but the vulture in me gotta know.)

L


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## Macfury (Feb 3, 2006)

lara: They had some sales but no "going-out-of-business" sale. When they moved, they sold off a lot of legacy equipment in their formerly vast storehouses, but this was mostly legacy modems and computer equipment of G3 vintage and earlier.


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## Digital_Gary (Sep 18, 2003)

ScanMan said:


> He always had the hottest receptionists....



I'll let her know you liked her


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## rampancy_fatalin. (Dec 17, 2004)

Niteshooter said:


> My gut feeling is that Apple can sell more through their outlets because they probably put priority on restocking THEIR outlets faster than the independents. Lets just say a little 'birdie' once told me this....


I thought it was a well-known fact; I mean, the rumors have been going around for a while, but logically, it does sort of mesh with how Apple at times likes to play things a little dirty. That and I'm almost offended at how little the people working the floor know. 



satchmo said:


> Since we're going down memory lane of GTA Mac dealers, how about the grand daddy of them all...Arkon on Queen Street.


Yes! That's what it was. I remember reading about their location burning down in _Toronto Computes!_ (wow, anyone remember that?!) - sadly we never had the chance to visit that place. Microboutique was an interesting place too. I still regret not nagging my dad to buy me that copy of Crystal Quest I saw on sale there.


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## Niteshooter (Aug 8, 2008)

ehMax said:


> I bought Marathon... much better.
> 
> Re: Return policy... etc.. The old adage holds true: People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care.


Marathon was good, I kind of like Spectre better even though graphically it was pretty basic. 

K


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## Niteshooter (Aug 8, 2008)

rampancy_fatalin. said:


> I thought it was a well-known fact; I mean, the rumors have been going around for a while, but logically, it does sort of mesh with how Apple at times likes to play things a little dirty. That and I'm almost offended at how little the people working the floor know.


Guess I lead a sheltered life? 

Apple was always tight with product even before Apple stores as someone else mentioned I remember hearing this from more than a few dealers back then.

The overhead in those stores must be tremendous.

K


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## ehMax (Feb 17, 2000)

Niteshooter said:


> Guess I lead a sheltered life?
> 
> Apple was always tight with product even before Apple stores as someone else mentioned I remember hearing this from more than a few dealers back then.
> 
> ...


Sometimes (not all the time) when a product gets announced, the Apple store gets to play first for a day or two, but typically this isn't a problem. Especially when Apple announced a new product, they tend to brush off the old stuff right away. I find some of the best deals are models that have just been reduced in price and are being cleared out. Often independent dealers like Carbon have that stuff in stock for longer. 

I'm typing on my previous generation high end MacBook Pro which took a HUGE price drop when the new MacBook Pro's came out.


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## Niteshooter (Aug 8, 2008)

ehMax said:


> I'm typing on my previous generation high end MacBook Pro which took a HUGE price drop when the new MacBook Pro's came out.


Good point, at work we order in brand new gear direct but my personal Macs are all used or previous generation as well for that very reason.

Granted I'm typing this on a 'rebuilt' G4 667 that cost me $35 cdn for the bottom complete with ram and optical drive and $50 cdn for a blown 550 which gave me the screen and a pair of good batteries....


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## jimbotelecom (May 29, 2009)

I left Toronto for Ottawa in 2000. I knew Margaret very well from her days at UofT.

I assumed that when they rebranded that JIm and Margaret sold their piece of the business. 

This is sad news.


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## Puccasaurus (Dec 28, 2003)

Ah, this explains why I didn't get a quote on selling my iMac...
I went to the Bathurst/Dupont location a few times and thought it was a pretty cool little store. This was before the Apple stores; I bought my Macs at U of T's Bookstore because of the educational pricing but I liked to visit CPUsed for the software.

Sorry to see a small business go under


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## cosmicrepairdude (Nov 7, 2007)

I'm sorry they moved and I'm sorry they're gone.
I bought 2 used macs and a used scanner at CPUsed, all at much better prices than the equivalent at Carbon or Clickon. Over a long period of time, their used Mac prices were always better, at least in the categories I was looking at.
I bought my current Mac, used, from Macdoc, who, if he has what you're looking for, generally has lower prices.
Here's a long (I apologize) story that illustrates their customer service:
Last year I had a problem with kernel panics in my G4 agp tower. At first I thought it was heat related as it first occurred during a heat wave when I had no a/c. After I had eliminated heat as the problem but still finding it only occurring when the case was closed, I figured it must be a cable issue, most likely the ribbon to the hard drive because it flexes every time you open the cabinet, which I had been doing frequently as I had replaced one HD and then installed a 2nd. I called 4 Mac stores with my problem and my suggested solution.
I got 4 different responses (quoted from an email to a Mac buddy at the time):
"Computer Systems Centre ('cause they're in the College St. "ghetto") told me to bring in my serial number and they'd either order the part or suggest I buy a generic one at one of their neighbours.
Clickon said they had them in stock for $20.
Carbon told me (get this) that they won't sell parts, I'd have to bring it in and pay for a repair.
BeamEcho/cpused told me they had some they pulled out of computers and I could have one for $5. The guy there (Byron) talked to me about it at length. He thought my diagnosis was reasonable considering I've had it crash within seconds of closing the case.
I figured an exact replacement for $5, even used, is a reasonable gamble.
Don't think I'll be calling Carbon again any time soon.
I'll install it tonight and see how it works."
As it turned out, it was the power cable to the HD, not the ribbon, and I just needed to use one of the extra power cables inside the cabinet. But thanks to Beamecho, I was only out $5 for an extra cable.
Over the years I also found several bargains at Dupont on discontinued parts, speakers, etc.
I didn't like the name change either, but figured they'd survive it, but when they moved to Yorkville, it seemed to me like a death wish.


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## MACinist (Nov 17, 2003)

ehMax said:


> The problem is that every manufacturer has a different return / warranty policy. Further complicated is that retailers (Big box and small retailed included) buy many products from distributors rather than directly from the manufacturer, where the distributor has their own return period / warranty policy.


Being from a disty, there is another kink in the return process. A lot of the big box stores get "special" return privileges; most manufacturers allow a certain percentage of open box/defective returns directly from the store or from the distributor for that store. Most manufacturers see this as a cost of doing business in that store. Whereas, most independent stores get the generic and usually much more strict return policy. The manufactures make this an uneven playing field. I think this is the biggest disadvantage that the independent guys get IMHO aside from priority allocation of new/constrained stock. 

As far as the Apple stores, they do take a chunk of the retail market, however, they have yet to demonstrate an ability to support a corporate/smb/pro customer. I do however find that the Genius bar is fantastic and much more flexible and forgiving for out of policy issues then an independent (for obvious reasons).


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## bing12345 (Feb 2, 2006)

*A sad day indeed*

I've been out of Ontario for 10 years now, but I bought my first powerbook (a powerbook 140) from them, getting me back in the mac game for $300 in about '97 - I'd been fighting with a PC at that point and getting out of Dos hell was well worth it. I wouldn't be too surprised if that machine still worked - it was a great computer!

I've been looking for a store like them in Alberta for years (and in the five years I lived in BC, I looked there too) - it just isn't the same knowing that they aren't there anymore . . .


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## Gustav (Sep 1, 2009)

I am a writer so I very rarely buy a new computer. Writing is re-writing, so buying a computer is buying a used computer. Beam Me CPUsed is the only shop I have ever purchased a computer at so I have no contrasting experience to offer. But during the past 15 years and maybe a dozen purchases and half as many emergency repair freak-outs (computers always seem to crash when you must type really, really fast on deadline) the staff at -that shop- were always good to me. I saved a lot of money (I believe) by buying used. I enjoyed the online price pages, too. It was great to have a shop where one could buy a used computer and then work it like a draught horse until it died, pop all your data over onto the next nag, and so on...

I hope someone will fill in the gap. Cuz for me a new computer is basically a hellish waste of money.


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## JohnnyL (Nov 5, 2009)

Niteshooter said:


> Sad, I guess inevitable given the onslaught of Apple stores though.
> 
> Never did check out their Yorkville store, parking always seemed to be the headache with CPUsed from store 1, though the one at Bathurst finally fixed that.
> 
> Any of you folks ever check out what was in the backyard of the first store?


I will take part credit for that graveyard of stripped out Mac Plus's and SE's, thank you very much! Inception of the idea came natural, however it took quite a bit of time to gut out all those toaster boxes and salvage and repair those then-somewhat commonly malfunctioning Mac Plus analogy power supply boards.

I worked for Jim and Margaret from 1991 through 2001 and saw the evolution of CPUsed from the original address at 264 Dupont St. (later turned GAP Adventures and more recently a veggie restaurant which I caught the renovation and expansion on a TV program on Food TV!), to the converted garage at 365 (we ate quite a bit of fumes coming from next door!), and the much more familiar store at 488 Dupont St. at Bathurst.

Regrettably, since moving on, I have lost touch with the Hoskins and family, so I only discovered the closing of Beam Echo/CPUsed just a couple of days ago. I am saddened that such an institution has turned the last page of its final chapter. My experience with BeamEcho, while brief, involved a visit in early Spring which allowed me to see an old familiar face: Reuben! I did not see Jim at the time.

Whatever may be the reason for the closing, seemingly rhetorical (i.e. location, Apple Store network) or not, only Jim and Margaret knows and the rest of us can only speculate. I wish them, and the staff, the very best.

If anyone happens to come by either of them, please send them my warmest regards, or better yet, please pass along a message to me as to how I can get in touch with them. Thanks kindly!

Sincerely,
Johnny

P.S. I still remember the conversation I had with a client who lamented over whether they should bother hanging onto their shares in Apple seeing how they had fallen to around $20. This was long before Apple's two 2:1 stock splits since then. I hope that client hung onto them and is a very rich person today.


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## Bryce (Dec 26, 2007)

*In Reserve, eh?*



EvanPitts said:


> I thought CPUsed was long gone already, just a big empty building at Dupont and Bathurst.
> 
> The same thing happened here two years ago, when the local dealer folded up shop, and the building has just been a sequence of penny ante stores that are never open and don't last. Oh well, the Reserve is still near enough, though they don't sell any used stuff. And I can't go to the US for stuff, until I get a pardon.
> 
> Somehow people do keep their PCs going, even though there isn't a computer store anywhere in this area, next to Future Slop and Worst Buy...


Tried Creative Technology on Fairview Street in Burlington???


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## Gustav (Sep 1, 2009)

Bryce said:


> Tried Creative Technology on Fairview Street in Burlington???


Burlington is more than a bike ride away~!


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## sprocket999 (Aug 3, 2005)

Wow. This news is shocking and saddening all in the same breath, as I used to buy a fair bit of used gear from CPUsed.

I ran into this thread as I have been considering buying a used 15" PPC G4 PowerBook, and I have always had extraordinary experiences with CPUsed. I remember buying an old 520 (greyscale) for my wife from the 'garage' location and gave it to her for a Christmas gift in 1998. It died about a week or so later, so after a phone call to them, I took it back and they gave me another. No questions asked. I understand that 520 is STILL in use today by a writer who my wife sold it to about 8 or so years ago.

I bought my NEW G3 Wallstreet PowerBook at CPUsed at the Bathurst & Dupont location and a used PB 3400c (which is STILL working) as I write this. I found the service to be civil, knowledgeable, and I recommended them to scores of people who happily went down with me to buy their first Mac . . . often a used one. 

I really am going to miss the 'used Mac' part of that operation. Now where will I go in Toronto?


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## rampancy_fatalin. (Dec 17, 2004)

sprocket999 said:


> I really am going to miss the 'used Mac' part of that operation. Now where will I go in Toronto?


There are still plenty of places to go for used Macs (though the dubiousness of their pricing is left to you to decide for yourself): off the top of my head, in the East End, there's ClickOnMacs and Carbon Computing, and downtown there's iUpgrade. I think Northstar Computers on Elm Street deals in used Macs too.


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## monokitty (Jan 26, 2002)

rampancy_fatalin. said:


> I think Northstar Computers on Elm Street deals in used Macs too.


North Star is no more.


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## Macfury (Feb 3, 2006)

sprocket999 said:


> I really am going to miss the 'used Mac' part of that operation. Now where will I go in Toronto?


Experiences vary. I never had such a marvelous one there.

But I believe that craigslist and Apple itself has really helped to squelch the market for used Apple merchandise at a retail level.

Often, Apple refurb sells at prices lower than what is offered by the used retailers. Craigslist, on the other hand, provides enough supply to determine more of a market-based price for used Apple stuff, instead of the more fanciful figures suggested by used retailers.


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## Guest (Dec 11, 2009)

Macfury said:


> Experiences vary. I never had such a marvelous one there.
> 
> But I believe that craigslist and Apple itself has really helped to squelch the market for used Apple merchandise at a retail level.
> 
> Often, Apple refurb sells at prices lower than what is offered by the used retailers. Craigslist, on the other hand, provides enough supply to determine more of a market-based price for used Apple stuff, instead of the more fanciful figures suggested by used retailers.


Much the same here MacFury. A lot of people swore by them, I tended to more often swear AT them hehe. Craigslist and kijiji can be a real mixed bag with used machines. I prefer to deal with a store where possible, then at least (if they are reputable) you'll get at least a minimal warranty in case it's DOA. I just deal with a DOA apple refurb ... well it wasn't dead on arrival, but it didn't last 24 hours before dying. It was a PITA but at least I got a replacement machine. Had that been a Craigslist or kijiji machine I would be out the $$ and the machine and very very unhappy.


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## Macfury (Feb 3, 2006)

mguertin said:


> I just deal with a DOA apple refurb ... well it wasn't dead on arrival, but it didn't last 24 hours before dying. It was a PITA but at least I got a replacement machine. Had that been a Craigslist or kijiji machine I would be out the $$ and the machine and very very unhappy.


I realize that Craigslist poses that risk, but I usually buy at a sweet spot, around less than half of original price. The chances of a processor or logic board dying within 30 days of buying from anyone are pretty minimal and I haven't had bad luck yet. But I do buy Apple refurb when available. I bought my 30-inch refurb Apple monitor at less than the used price offered by Beam Echo shortly before they disappeared from view.


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## sprocket999 (Aug 3, 2005)

rampancy_fatalin. said:


> There are still plenty of places to go for used Macs (though the dubiousness of their pricing is left to you to decide for yourself): off the top of my head, in the East End, there's ClickOnMacs and Carbon Computing, and downtown there's iUpgrade. I think Northstar Computers on Elm Street deals in used Macs too.


I thank you for that insight, as I have been 'out of the Mac-buying' loop for a while, and was taken by surprise about the old Beamecho/CPUsed demise.

North Star is kaput too, eh? Geeeez . . .


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## sprocket999 (Aug 3, 2005)

mguertin said:


> Much the same here MacFury. A lot of people swore by them, I tended to more often swear AT them hehe. Craigslist and kijiji can be a real mixed bag with used machines. I prefer to deal with a store where possible, then at least (if they are reputable) you'll get at least a minimal warranty in case it's DOA. I just deal with a DOA apple refurb ... well it wasn't dead on arrival, but it didn't last 24 hours before dying. It was a PITA but at least I got a replacement machine. Had that been a Craigslist or kijiji machine I would be out the $$ and the machine and very very unhappy.


Yes -- I feel more comfortable with that too, as that is why I always bought my used stuff from CPUsed.


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## Guest (Dec 15, 2009)

sprocket999 said:


> I thank you for that insight, as I have been 'out of the Mac-buying' loop for a while, and was taken by surprise about the old Beamecho/CPUsed demise.
> 
> North Star is kaput too, eh? Geeeez . . .


Don't get me started with North Star either  They used to be the only Mac dealer in Sudbury. The funniest thing I ever saw there was when I walked in and all the "techs" were passing around a Powerbook 540c and sniffing it saying "Hmm I don't think you did too much damage, it doesn't smell _that_ burnt ..." When they saw me they all proceeded to rush off into the back room with it and make me wait a few minutes before anyone came out again to ask if I needed some help (maybe in hopes that I would leave) .. or their North Bay 'store' -- which was run out of a very messy spare bedroom in an old house on the main street by a guy that was only interested in working for them for the discount in buying macs so he could run all the cool role-playing games (he was not your typical role-player, was in his 50's and bald!) He was really bummed when he spent all the $$ on the DOS card for his powermac 6100 and then found out it only supported 16 colours so none of his dos games worked because the needed 256!

Ahh the good old days ... my how the Mac marketplace has changed!


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## lara (Mar 15, 2009)

mguertin said:


> Don't get me started with North Star either  They used to be the only Mac dealer in Sudbury.


I think Lars was referring to the North Star in Toronto. Used to be at Elm and Bay then moved to Elm and University then kaput.

L


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## Guest (Dec 15, 2009)

lara said:


> I think Lars was referring to the North Star in Toronto. Used to be at Elm and Bay then moved to Elm and University then kaput.
> 
> L


It was all the same chain from what I remember -- the Sudbury and North Bay offices were branches.


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## lara (Mar 15, 2009)

mguertin said:


> It was all the same chain from what I remember -- the Sudbury and North Bay offices were branches.


Didn't know that. From the look of their Toronto "branch", hard to imagine them sustaining 2 other branches.

L


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