New DoIT Tech Store celebrates grand opening

UW-Madison’s retail source for technology hardware, software, supplies and information is celebrating its grand opening.

From May 5-7, the DoIT Tech Store will mark the renovation of its spacious new facility at 1210 W. Dayton St. with three days of promotions and special events, starting with a ribbon-cutting at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, May 5.

During the grand opening, the UW–Madison community can take advantage of special prices, explore the new space, enjoy free snacks, and register to win an iPod Touch, MacBook, iPad, Dell laptop, or an external hard drive. Other giveaways include backpacks, headphones and other gear.

The new Tech Store provides a more open design than the old store, which opened in the mid-1990s.

“Our customers told us that they wanted a shopping experience that was comparable to what they saw at mainstream retail stores,” says DoIT Tech Store manager Edward Hoover. “We think we’ve delivered that with a state-of-the-art facility that offers better access to a greater array of products.”

“This is an environment where students, faculty and staff can explore technology,” says John Krogman, chief operating officer for the Division of Information Technology. “In the new Tech Store, people have the freedom to try out new tools, ask questions of the experts, and make confident purchasing decisions. We’re happy that we can now offer that kind of essential resource to the campus.”

In 2009, the Tech Store processed almost 33,000 orders for more than  14,000 different customers.

With 2,700 square feet of retail space and more than 30 full-time and student staff, the DoIT Tech Store sells almost 1,000 different products, including laptop and desktop computers from Apple and Dell; printers from HP and Epson; and monitors by Apple, Dell, and ViewSonic.

Other products available include calculators, headphones, music players, webcams, cables, and storage devices. Tech Store staff do not work on a commission basis, so customers can sort through their choices with confidence, knowing that the expert advice they get is without bias.

“In the new Tech Store, we can offer a better mix of products more in line with what our customers want,” Hoover added. “We’ve refined our list to focus more on what’s popular.”

The project, which was internally funded by DoIT, lasted four months.

“At many of UW–Madison’s peer universities, the technology stores have a basic presence, at best,” Hoover said. “The DoIT Tech Store is a full-service operation on a grander scale than many other college computer stores.”

UW ID holders may also purchase from the Tech Store online.