Whether your computer helps you run your shop in Baileys Harbor or your laptop is used for a lesson from Algoma High School, you will have to replace it sooner or later.  So is it better to shop online hoping to find good prices or to visit a local computer dealer?  Erin Helgeson, co-owner of Quantum PC in Sturgeon Bay says some computers offered online may be less expensive than those available at stores.  So she recommends finding a system online and visiting her store to make sure you're getting exactly what you need.

Helgeson says don't underestimate the tangible advantages to an in-store visit.

Helgeson says the most common problem Quantum PC sees and hears from customers is the machines are running slow.  She adds if the computer is over five-years-old it's probably showing signs of the end of its useful life.