Where do you buy tablets anyway?!

[Ionait]

I searched around and couldn't find a thread about this, though I am sure there have been discussions over this. I am in need of a new tablet. Mine is older than my children and, I think, finally died today. Sad day. It started a while ago when it decided it hated Windows 7 and no longer wanted to do that whole pressure sensitive bit anymore. Again, sad day.

So I am looking for tablets. I do not need recommendations, thank you, but I am wondering how do you buy these in real life?! All I can ever find are online retailers. Does anyone know of a brick and mortar store that sells tablets? I happen to be in the US but any others are fine if anyone else needs the knowledge.

I always would rather see what I am buying in person (even if I will end up at Amazon.com for the final purchase) and as tablets are somewhat expensive, I am taking this purchase seriously. Why do PC stores not carry these?! Bestbuy and Walmart carry just the pens for some reason?? @_@ So weird.

[Destiny]

Nope, most stores don't have some.

Maybe some manga shops or shops for designers, but they are barely sold so also barely stored.
I once drove to half germany to find one. I did find one but it was broken because it was a extremly "well used" exhibit model.
I finally gave up and went to a online store (wacom in my case).

Designers need those though, maybe you have ashop there for designers?
But I promise you, that will get expensive...

EDIT:
Oh yeah, reasons.
I guess, because they get scratches fast and scratches make the price fall.
Mine isn't even see through anymore after around three years of use. But a exhibition model will also be soon worn out. And most people will not even buy it but just test it because it is fun (like with those pen testers or perfume testers). So they throw away a lot of money for exhibition models just to sell around 2.
Seriously, would you consider this as a shop?
I mean, I have a blue netbook. No shop in 300 km around my hometome sold those in a shop, because almost no one would buy one in blue but rather in red, black or silver.
They think economic, as painful as that is for the few costumers that would die for a tablet or blue netbook or whatever.

[Nuxill]

The only place I've seen them for sale is Staples, but they only sell the different types of Bamboo tablets. :/

[Kingv]

All in all it really depends on where you live. I'm in the US as well and live in a pretty big city so more stores tend to carry them. But the prices are better online.The BestBuy near my house always has a few tablets for sale, usually Wacom ones. I suppose you could also try going to Frys' http://www.frys.com if there's one near you. They have a pretty good selection of tablets. I haven't really looked for any at BrandsMart http://www.brandsmartusa.com/ but I suppose it wouldn't hurt to check them out as well.

[Sapphi]

I always would rather see what I am buying in person (even if I will end up at Amazon.com for the final purchase) and as tablets are somewhat expensive, I am taking this purchase seriously. Why do PC stores not carry these?! Bestbuy and Walmart carry just the pens for some reason?? @_@ So weird.

That's weird... the Best Buy near me has a few Wacoms...

[Sharm]

So does mine. They're over by the camera stuff.

[Roiya]

i bought my bamboo on amazon

[LVUER]

I bought mine at the official distributor store. Not the official Wacom store, they're different. At where I bought it, it's cheaper than the official Wacom one and even cheaper compared to any random store that sold Wacom. It also gives more bonus, more warranty, and more smile than official Wacom store... so I can say I'm lucky I (accidentally) found such store (when randomly browsing forums).

The store is at different city, but they cover all the shipping fee too.

[Yakkety]

I bought my Wacom Bamboo tablet at the Mediamarkt...

Owait, you guys don't have that in America



Yeah but in all srsnss, you can't buy them at the computer stores in America? That's interesting, here in Holland (and probably also the rest of Europe) you cn buy tablets in any electronics store...

[Destiny]

Yeah but in all srsnss, you can't buy them at the computer stores in America? That's interesting, here in Holland (and probably also the rest of Europe) you cn buy tablets in any electronics store...

Mediamarkt? A random computer store?
Jeez, I should have asked my dad to get me a tablet from Belgium since he lives there (or at least stop by in the netherlands). Because Germany is definitly a country in europe where most people don't even know what a graphic tablet is and where you can only get one online at manga utensil stores or tablet stores ôo

[Tetiel]

Best Buy does have them in both the States and Canada. In the US you can even find them in Walmart! The problem is, they're actually pretty difficult to find in stores because of the strange sections. You'll need to ask an employee most times. They should be around the section that they keep mice, but I've often found them near monitors. Oh, and you probably won't find the high end tablets since nobody really buys often enough to keep them in stock.

[Ionait]

I love my BestBuy but they do not carry them. I mean, they carry "tablets" but not the ones for drawing. I will double check some of my local stores and give it another shot, asking for some assistance next time I visit. Maybe I missed them? Our Walmart is really disorganized so that's possible.

We used to have a lot of stores where I live (Colorado btw) but they close down a lot. No more Fry's, or Circuit City, or even a Staples that I have seen. Might have a Staples somewhere, but nowhere nearby.

I never thought to ask around in manga/comic book stores but that might be worthwhile to look around for.

Thank you for all of the replies! I will definitely double check BestBuy and see if I am just blind.

[Destiny]

I never thought to ask around in manga/comic book stores but that might be worthwhile to look around for.

They have them sometimes.
But when, then they are in a package together with an art program (like DELETER CG illust or Corel or or or).
So I would still consider the price, even though they are damn cheap for a tablet AND a program. But I guess, you just want the tablet.So better look at walmart, BestBuy and whatever

(Geez, I'm so jealous that those stuff seems to be for sale in every second store world wide except for my country of course...)

[Ionait]

I am a dork. My two local BestBuy stores DO have tablets, and the ones I want. The prices actually aren't that bad. I'm considering not ordering from Amazon for once. *shock* Oh, found this out by checking the website and checking store availability. Once I actually get to the store, I will find out where they HIDE THEM.

[Tetiel]

LOL good to know I'm not the only one that has difficulty! I swear it's like they don't ever want you to buy them so they put them in an obscure corner of the store.