Ginstar Computers -- Atlanta Area

Dyre Straits · Feb 21, 2006, 11:24 PM

I won't even darken the door of this outfit anymore. I used to go in there quite often and have even had good dealings with them in the past. However, a recent episode has made me avoid them like the worst plague!

I had someone with a computer that wouldn't boot up. The system was outdated and using Pentium III Slot 1 technology. I determined after many attempts that the motherboard had gone to motherboard heaven....or hell....whichever.

Anyway, finding a replacement mobo brought me to Ginstar where they carry several legacy components. I bought a board from them and took it home. Lo, and behold, it was bad, too.

So, I returned the board the very next day and they would NOT honor any kind of warranty ... not even a 30 day warranty. On top of that, they would NOT refund the full price but insisted on charging me a 15% restocking fee......on a BAD component!

So, I do my business elsewhere these days and haven't been back.

(And it was the OWNER I dealt with or I might have gone back long enough to take the issue to the top dog. But he IS the top dog.)

Dyre Straits · Jun 7, 2006, 02:12 AM

UPDATED:

My avoidance of Ginstar has been justified as of a News Report printed on Tuesday, June 6, 2006:

According to the report, 5 computer retailers in the Metro Atlanta area have been sued by Microsoft for selling pirated copies of software...including Windows.

Ginstar's particular alleged crime was detailed as using illegal peel-off labels to denote authorized copies of software. According the the report, these labels were illegally printed and obtained. (They're the labels that are seen on new computers that come with software installed and are applied to the computer case.)

Ginstar's owner stated that the store has the invoices proving that all labels were properly purchased.

However, Microsoft has been using 'secret shoppers' in its effort to root out and expose piracy.

Stay tuned......

EDIT: Here's the full article from the Atlanta Journal/Constitution:

Microsoft sues local retailers over licensing

By BILL HUSTED

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 06/06/06

Microsoft filed civil suits Monday in U.S. District Court in Atlanta against five metro area computer firms, alleging copyright and trademark infringement.

The software giant acknowledged the suits are intended to attract publicity that may discourage potential pirating of its software.

In four of the cases, Microsoft claims the firms sold unauthorized versions of its software, including Windows. In the fifth case, the suit alleges the retailer sold peel-off "certificate of authenticity" stickers put on computers to show they contain a properly licensed copy of Windows.

The firms that could be reached on Monday denied wrongdoing.

Microsoft lawyer Mary Jo Schrade of Alpharetta said the lawsuits are part of a new strategy by the software giant.

"We keep filing lawsuits and [taking] somewhat disjointed actions," she said. "We decided to focus on some metro areas ... an action you take in a big city gets more attention."

Similar lawsuits were to be filed in Chicago.

Microsoft alleges that some of the companies sold computers with unlicensed copies of Windows installed. Instead of paying the license fee for each copy, the retailers were using "leaked or stolen volume license keys," said Schrade. Avoiding the cost of licensed software allows companies to sell computers at a lower price, she said. Consumers are usually unaware that the software is not a licensed copy.

Tips from consumers along with investigative work by what Schrade called a "secret shopper" led to the suits. Some consumers were alerted to the fact that the software was unlicensed when they tried to download updates from Microsoft. A new Microsoft technology flags unlicensed software and gives the consumer a chance to fill in a form saying where they got the program.

Firms named in the lawsuits are Ginstar Computers, of Marietta; Ruby's Community Computer Stores, of East Point; TechUSA Store, of Buckhead; Computer Haven, of Lithonia; and AMart Electronics, of Norcross.

Ginstar is accused of distributing "illicit Microsoft certificates of authenticity labels" but not unlicensed software. David Fu, manager of the store, said his company uses legitimate certificates of authenticity.

"We can show invoices for all of them," he said.

The other four companies were all accused of selling PCs with unauthorized software of some type. A man who answered the phone at Ruby's Community Computer Stores said the store only sells used equipment with the software it had. Representatives of the other firms either could not be reached or declined to comment.

The civil suits will ask for up to $150,000 for each copyright infringement and up to $1 million for each trademark infringement.

Schrade said each sale counts as one copyright or trademark infringement.

She said retailers will be asked to provide invoices showing how many copies of software they had purchased, along with sales records showing how many copies had been sold.

CDsDontBurn · Jun 7, 2006, 03:39 AM

sucks to hear about what had happened to you back in feb. but seriously, what happened to them is totally carma!

you should go back there now and tell the owner he's been pwn3d! lol

SexPistoL · Jun 7, 2006, 01:41 PM

"Ginstar"
In Britain the make pies and pasties...........not very well either

Dyre Straits · Jun 7, 2006, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SexPistoL

"Ginstar"
In Britain the make pies and pasties...........not very well either

After this lawsuit, maybe this place can make pies and pastries....if they're lucky.

SexPistoL · Jun 9, 2006, 03:53 PM

Hehe, good call

StarWreck · Feb 16, 2007, 02:42 AM

I'm working in a server room alone with nothing to do until something explodes and I came accross this thread. I signed up for this forum just to reply to this thread!

Another reason to not shop at Ginstar is because they purchase the vast majority of their inventory at other computer shops, all open to the public, that are nearby.

The wife of the owner of Ginstar goes into Fry's Electronics on a daily basis (she's really really hot for a slightly older asian woman and ALWAYS wears a pink shirt) and buys up at least 20 of any Airlink product thats on sale (Fry's Electronics sales on Airlink products are published daily in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and are posted near the entranceway of the store). Then she'll try to buy any ECS Motherboard and CPU combo, any RAM that is on sale, and any Hard-Drives that are a really good deal that she can get, then moves on and buys whatever "GQ" PC is on sale for around $100 and whatever "GQ" Laptop is on sale for around $300. They also often have their other employees go in to get extras since there are limits on the sale items. When sales at Fry's Electronics are especially good Ginstar will even hire day laborers from the Roswell Road exit off I-285 (near the Shell gas station) to buy more items which I've seen personally before (around 12 day laborers). This is bordering on the ridiculous, isn't it?

The Ginstar on Jimmy Carter Blvd is 6 miles away from the Fry's Electronics in Duluth and the Ginstar in Alpharetta is 0.1 miles away from the Fry's Electronics in Alpharetta. I honestly don't know how shoppers at Ginstar don't notice that the products they buy came from Fry's Electronics accross the street.

CDsDontBurn · Feb 16, 2007, 04:29 AM

lol, you signed up just for this one thread

. that's cool!

Dyre Straits · Feb 17, 2007, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StarWreck

I'm working in a server room alone with nothing to do until something explodes and I came accross this thread. I signed up for this forum just to reply to this thread!

Another reason to not shop at Ginstar is because they purchase the vast majority of their inventory at other computer shops, all open to the public, that are nearby.

The wife of the owner of Ginstar goes into Fry's Electronics on a daily basis (she's really really hot for a slightly older asian woman and ALWAYS wears a pink shirt) and buys up at least 20 of any Airlink product thats on sale (Fry's Electronics sales on Airlink products are published daily in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and are posted near the entranceway of the store). Then she'll try to buy any ECS Motherboard and CPU combo, any RAM that is on sale, and any Hard-Drives that are a really good deal that she can get, then moves on and buys whatever "GQ" PC is on sale for around $100 and whatever "GQ" Laptop is on sale for around $300. They also often have their other employees go in to get extras since there are limits on the sale items. When sales at Fry's Electronics are especially good Ginstar will even hire day laborers from the Roswell Road exit off I-285 (near the Shell gas station) to buy more items which I've seen personally before (around 12 day laborers). This is bordering on the ridiculous, isn't it?

The Ginstar on Jimmy Carter Blvd is 6 miles away from the Fry's Electronics in Duluth and the Ginstar in Alpharetta is 0.1 miles away from the Fry's Electronics in Alpharetta. I honestly don't know how shoppers at Ginstar don't notice that the products they buy came from Fry's Electronics accross the street.

Howdy, neighbor!

I've been suspicious that there are other outfits that do the same thing. I like visiting Fry's myself -- especially since they opened the new one in Alpharetta and it's closer to me.

I've seen a lot of merchandise at the other 'mom and pop' stores that looked a lot like what I'd seen at Fry's. Now I'm pretty certain is was.

Thanks for taking the time to post and stick around, it could be fun.

OldBuzzard · Feb 18, 2007, 02:27 AM

It woud be interesting to see if they are violating any laws by buying at retail, and then re-selling like that.

If nothing else, I'd be inclined to let Fry's mgt. know what they are doing. While it's not hurting Fry's sales on those particular items, if they are buying ALL the items, and leaving nothing for other customers it could be hurting Fry's on other purchases that the customer might make if he could buy what these weasels took ALL of.

CDsDontBurn · Feb 22, 2007, 07:11 PM

wtf? a spammer in this thread? typically they start a whole new thread!

@ Old buzzard: some mom-pop type style stores have a reseller's account at larger stores for such practices. If they cannot get a particular product in by a certain time frame, they would go to a chain store, such as fry's, to purchase their merchandise

Dyre Straits · Feb 23, 2007, 04:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CDsDontBurn

wtf? a spammer in this thread? typically they start a whole new thread!

@ Old buzzard: some mom-pop type style stores have a reseller's account at larger stores for such practices. If they cannot get a particular product in by a certain time frame, they would go to a chain store, such as fry's, to purchase their merchandise

I don't think I'd be inclined to call Ginstar a 'mom and pop' store since they have multiple locations about town.

CDsDontBurn · Feb 23, 2007, 10:51 AM

hmm, if that's the case, then yea. i'd be trying to find some way of calling them out on purchasing some of that equipment.

Rent-A-Geek · Mar 7, 2008, 08:08 AM

Well, I am yet another poor schulb who registered on this site just to reply on this thread. I want you folks to know that Karmic justice is possible, and I am the catalyst.

I used to work for IBM in the helpdesk for the Thinkpad line. One night I got a call from someone who identified himself as _____ from Ginstar. He was trying to get a warranty replacement for a laptop, and could not provide ample documentation of their warranty status, which was not in our records. Make a long story short, I was finally able to turn the table on them, by letting them know there warranty was invalid due to a technicality.

Then I did a victory lap around cubicle farm, getting high-fives from all the other techs who had been burnt by Ginstar.