HP Changing models in Canada?

Has anyone been to hpshopping.ca lately? They only have one Compaq Laptop listed and 3 HP ones. Even Futureshop and Staples barely have any of HP's laptops listed. Could this be a model changeover or something else? Anyone ever seen something like this before?

 

Well I emailed them and unfortunately got a typical reply:

Thank you for contacting Hewlett-Packard, we appreciate your interest in
HP products.

HP does not currently offer the same options at hpshopping.ca that we do at hpshopping.com. I apologize for any inconvenience. HP depends on our resellers in Canada to provide our customers with all
of the options that HP has to provide. You can customize a notebook, or browse a large selection of notebooks through our resellers.

If you are interested in purchasing this product, or other products,
directly from Hewlett-Packard in Canada, please visit our web site at:

http://shopping.hp.ca


Original Message:

Hello, I am just wondering why there is such a small amount of
laptops available on www.hpshopping.ca in the HP Pavilion and Compaq
Presario sections. There is a total of only 4 notebooks available and a month ago there were many more. Is a product line change occuring or is there just lack of stock? Thank you


So it would certainly appear that they are either remaining tight lipped about it or that the rep that wrote that email just didn't read my message properly.

 

I think these company's just get so large all the different parts don't know what the others are doing. I wish companies would have the normal stuff like they do now for customers to view and then for the "tech people" give us the details that confuse others so we can make educated choices. Let us know estamated release dates, future projects, technologies.....whats really crazy about HP is when you call or write them wanting to know detailed info on your pc they can't tell you ex.(buffer size on hard drive) I know I can get a program to find it for me but if you call them they don't have that basic information. That is one thing dell can say they are better on, but thats all.

Compaq R3000T (CTO)
P4 Desktop 3.0GHz w/HT
1 X 512MB RAM
Radeon 9600 128MB
15.4 wide screen
WXGA (1280 X 800)
CD-RW,DVD+RW
60GB 5,400 RPM HD
Wireless b/g
Windows XP Home
12 Cell Battery
No mods/overclocking
AquaMark: 19,796
PCMark04: 3955
3DMark03: 2508

 

Mike,

The reason why HP Canada has such limited selections is because they stock the listed items. Therefore they get the most popular models (that's what they think) and hold them in inventory which then get posted on their webiste. Once sold out, they start disappearing from the site one by one until they get new models in. Since they don't manufacture the notebooks in Canada and they think it'll take too long to have it shipped from the US or where ever, they only have limited supply/selection.

I've heard rumors that HPShopping.ca may be considering switching their site so that they will be more like the US. But then again, this was just a rumor.

-Vb-

 

Well rumour is enough for me to wait a few more weeks. I was ready to buy a Dell 600m but maybe I'll wait and see if HP can get their site in shape since I'd rather deal with them. Thanks for the info.

 

Hey Mike,

Don't push it off too long, because it's just a rumor and knowing HP, it may never happen or may just take forever to happen. If find a good deal at Dell, I'd recommend getting that rather than holding off for the HP's on a rumor. It would be nice to have the ability to config your own systems and get the models that the US folk have been getting for the past year. I was considering the NX5000, but they come with crappy config's in Canada, but iin the US, it can be config'd to similar specs as the NC6000 (NX5000 based on this unit) for almost $1000 Canadian less. Hope this happens.

-Vb-

 

HP and Toshiba owners finally have something in common-Toshiba does the same thing to its Canadian customers for some reason.

 

Mail order and direct ordering have been a large part of how the US did/does buisness (from what I have seen). Canadian companies/divisions seem to be more geared to the retail stores. They've started moving towards more direct ordering, but are still behind the US. People are starting to demand more options and features for their computers. Just look at Dell, they're now in the Canadian market shipping CTO computers directly from the US. Canadians like the ease and a lot of the larger companies are starting to notice and starting to go that route. I just hope they don't take their sweet time, I want to get a CTO system! [ ]

-Vb-

 

No kidding! There's nothing quite like configuring a system to your exact specifications. Weeding out the junk you don't want while building the exact computer you do want, while saving money. But like you said, it looks like I may have to pass up the opportunity this time...I've still got about 3 weeks before I have to order, so we'll see what develops in that time.