Discount Electronics: Keeping Austin Up to Date on Technology

When you first open the front page of an Austin Chronicle, it is impossible to miss the full page ad for Discount Electronics. After water damage to my old laptop, it was one of those very ads that first enticed me to go to Discount Electronics.  I knew I wanted a reliable machine that wouldn’t break the bank.

After looking at some of the prices on laptops or computer devices at other retailers, I couldn’t believe some of the deals listed at Discount Electronics. The deals are real. The reason Discount Electronics can offer such great prices is because they use refurbished Dell laptops, computers, parts, and accessories. Discount Electronics is able to offer Dell batteries for as low as $39 and laptops starting at $199. In fact, a Dell Latitude D620 or D630 is priced at $299 at Discount Electronics while the same machine retails for $1299 new.

Sometimes a good deal isn’t necessarily enough though. If you’re like me and not necessarily a computer expert, it is nice to have someone walk you through the products to find something to match your needs. The staff at Discount Electronics is so friendly and more than willing to answer any question.

In fact, I was able to ask CEO Rick Culleton more questions about Discount Electronics.

Q: If someone came into the store that was not very tech savvy, is there any particular model of laptop or computer you would recommend?

A: Our most popular laptop is the Dell Latitude D620. It sells for $299 and will do just about anything ask of it.

Q: What are some of the more popular items?

A: The above mentioned laptop and the Dell Optiplex GX620 computer are our two most popular items company wide. We also sell a great deal of cables ranging from USB to HDMI. Our cable prices are often 80 to 90% lower than the chain stores.

Q: Does Discount Electronics offer any Apple products?

A: We do not sell iPhones, iPods or iPads, but we do offer a large variety of accessories for Android and Apple devices.

Q: What is Discount Electronics’ policy on warranties?

A: Everything we sell includes a Discount Electronics warranty. The length of the warranty for a particular laptop or computer depends on the price and can be as long as a year. Warranties are included in the purchase price and are not additional.

Q: I actually bought my last laptop from the Anderson location. A few days after, I had a question and called and got a lot of help just over the phone. Is that something typical for Discount Electronics?

A: Service after the sale is what we are known for. All of the sales associates have enough knowledge to troubleshoot basic issues for customers. If the problem is beyond their ability, we have six full time technicians spread among the Austin stores.

Q: How much of your success relies on customer service versus having a good product?

A: Dell does make a great product and that has certainly contributed to our success. What separates us from other computer retailers is our focus on the customer. Customer service is everything in this industry. Our computers are no longer just toys. We depend on them daily. Most people cannot leave their PC in the repair shop for a week or put it in a box and send it off to some service center. We realize this and do everything we can to complete warranty and non-warranty repairs quickly and at an affordable price.

Q: What was your first location and when did it first open?

A: Our first location was in an office building in NW Austin. It opened in 1997. Shortly there after, we opened a retail store on Lamar. In 2001 we purchased the first location on Anderson Lane. Since then, that store has moved twice. We purchased the current location in 2005.

Q: What was the inspiration for first starting Discount Electronics?

A: Before Discount Electronics I had a telecommunications company. As part of our programming of pagers and cellphones, we required many computers. In the mid to late 90s, used computers were difficult to come by. So I began soliciting larger companies for PCs that they might be discarding. I found so much computer equipment that we were able to sell PCs to other communications companies. Before long, the computer business was bigger than the pager and cellphone business and certainly had a better trajectory. So I sold Intouch Telecom to an employee and concentrated on Discount Electronics.

Q: Are any new locations in the works?

A: I am presently considering a larger store (10,000+ sf) in a bigger city. Dallas seems like a good place to start.

Rick Culleton, CEO of Discount Electronics

Dallas does seem like a great place to start, and they are lucky to have such a unique brand coming to their city! I, for one, am grateful places like Discount Electronics are around to offer such quality products at an affordable price. Without this store and the assistance of the staff, I would not have the superior laptop I have today.

Discount Electronics has two locations in north and south Austin and one location in Round Rock.Or, visit them online at www.discountelectronics.com.

Posted by Lucy Kinney

Lucy Kinney has published 143 posts.

Lucy is a writer and publicist in Austin, Texas working in both the state and private sector. Lucy is a native to Austin and enjoys running on Town Lake, yoga, and exploring the hill country when she's not busy working. Lucy is married to local builder, Eden Kinney. She graduated from the University of Texas in 2010 with a B.S. in Public Relations and a Business Foundations Certificate. Her new travel blog can be found at http://lucysdistinctdestinations.wordpress.com/