E-tailer offering up Asus' Eee PC for pre-ordering

We'll be straight with you: we wouldn't send a dime to this place just yet, but a strange e-tailer appears to be offering up three different Eee PC models for pre-order, with availability showing "1 to 2 weeks." A little digging has revealed that this webstore opened up shop this May, is registered to a Canadian address, and has very few reviews (positive or negative) from shoppers across the web. Of course, all signs thus far are pointing to shady, but the price points listed are actually right in line with rumors we heard just days ago. Ah well, hopefully this means that Asus' wee PC is headed our way sooner rather than later, but we'd certainly wait it out just a bit longer before taking the bait.

[Thanks, Mike]

UPDATE: Thanks to a few Canucks tuning in, we've learned that the master site -- NCIX.com -- is actually a "very reputable retailer in Canada." Fine by us, maybe this sign is more legitimate than previously assumed.

[NCIX is fine @ Aug 24th 2007 11:40AM]

NCIX has been a long standing Canadian online retailer for many years, I and many of my friends have dealt with them with no issues on many different transactions. If I had the money I would pre-order one from their Canadian website today with no hesitation.(www.ncix.com)

[Pattmyn @ Aug 24th 2007 11:39AM]

That site is actually NCIX.com which is one of the biggest online retailers for PC components in Canada based out of British Colombia. Their US division is much less advertised compared to the Canadian one, which might be why it's a tad strange to the Engadget crew

[gfar @ Aug 24th 2007 11:49AM]

NCIX is awesome, I get everything from them, and would give them my money without question.

[Canadian Bacon @ Aug 24th 2007 11:39AM]

Actually, NCIX is a very reputable retailer in Canada. I would actually compare them to Newegg here in the US. I've always bought my components from them (mostly because they have a great price-matching system) and I don't know of anyone who has had a problem with them. The US branch of their business however I don't have any experience with so it could be different but it is linked from their main site, NCIX.com.

[DrNik @ Aug 24th 2007 11:41AM]

NCIX (not NCIXUS) has been doing business in Canada for quite some time and usually gets ranked very well for customer satisfaction. As long as the 'US' version is indeed from the same vendor, I'd tend to trust them.

[Cale @ Aug 24th 2007 12:13PM]

Ohh boy oh boy I'm excited. Just ordered a whole quad core setup from NCIX, and now it looks like I'll be pouring more coin into them for one of these babies...

[Billy Fiul @ Aug 24th 2007 1:54PM]

Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy... I want one too!

[Mark @ Aug 24th 2007 12:23PM]

Actually... NCIX is a great Canadian e-tailer (basically the only decent one we've got) based in British Columbia. I buy all my PC parts from them. Also, it was founded in 1996, not in May.

[spam_from_engadget @ Aug 24th 2007 12:56PM]

It claims "ETA End of September 07". So, it could still hit the shelves before the Foleo....

[Joey @ Aug 24th 2007 1:02PM]

When I was building my new rig early this year, I pretty much got all the parts from NCIX, ordering the parts online and then picking them up at the store to avoid the shipping fees. Great service and good prices. Looks like they've been trying to expand a little bit in Britsh Columbia now too...they just opened up a new location and they have ads on the radio and on the buses here.

[stewart @ Aug 24th 2007 2:31PM]

NICX has some bricks 'n' mortar stores as well, so they're not just an online retailer.

I just ordered one of the EEE PCs and NCIX has already charged my credit card though I haven't received a shipping note. So, one mark against them... some other retailers won't bill you until the item ships.

[Xavier Gill @ Aug 24th 2007 2:02PM]

Whatever happened to that Medison Celebrity $150 laptop? Shouldnt it have shipped by now?

[NewJohnny @ Aug 24th 2007 2:17PM]

NCIX has a Samsung dealership and carries most if not all of their laptops and other bits of hardware.

[NewJohnny @ Aug 24th 2007 2:19PM]

...And another thing, whatever happened to $199 for the 4gb model? That came straight from the top of Samsung too.

[Simon @ Aug 24th 2007 4:01PM]

NCIX is authorized ASUS reseller in west.

Go from ASUS's website -> Where to buy then you will see it.

[Bob @ Aug 24th 2007 5:04PM]

NCIX is one of the MAJOR players in Canada for online
IT retailing, to the degree that reps from manufacturers
post on their boards. I have found them a reliable vendor
for years.

Your update:

"Fine by us, maybe this sign is more legitimate than previously assumed."

is almost as insulting to them as the original post.

[Jeff Lewis @ Aug 24th 2007 6:36PM]

Well, I'm not quite as gushy about NCIX as some of the posters here, but yeah, they're a well known computer retailor and have been around for a long time. They're more in the chopshop class of store though. They do have actual stores - but they're more pickup locations than actual stores.

Still, I've dealt with them and have no real complaints other than their physical stores look like someone's garage, their staff is often confused and they don't answer their phones.

Which makes them a lot like Frys in Renton. :)

[Anders @ Aug 25th 2007 9:56AM]

You haven't been in an NCIX store lately - they've done renos on all of their locations; while they're not totally the most user-friendly place for buying equipment (their online business, which ships country-wide probably accounts for 75% of their sales), they're a fantastic place to hit up for deals - I've gotten stuff like 500 GB Seagates for $120 CAD and G7s for $50 CAD (on special).

[Marko @ Aug 25th 2007 11:08AM]

This is shoddy. It was supposed to have 8gb of flash, 512mb ram and cost 200$. It now has 2gb flash (which makes it next to useless), 256mb ram (again, not much use with xp) and costs much more!

And I was going to buy one! Not any more, though!

[Evilsmurfs. @ Aug 25th 2007 5:54PM]

NICX is a good etailer you article is corasponding to NCIXUS that was just opened in may NCIX has been around for a lot longer than that. Get your facts straight engadget.

[bainne @ Aug 25th 2007 6:50PM]

Ai again another one on the record for saying NCIX.com is not just some shady retailer.
I suspect their USA branch is managed out of the Canadian warehouse so they are anything but shady.
They are easly the largest reseller for computer hardware in Western Canada and one of the top few in all of Canada, there is no arguement with that. They have specialties in high end NX Fusion systems that are somewhat like the Alienware and Vodoo PC's of old and while the phone service may be lacking in some case, that is only becuase the business is bursting at the seems it is so big.

I would advise to maybe update your comments on the unit to reflect the validity of the store rather than characterizing it as just a random place.

[Alan King @ Aug 26th 2007 3:15PM]

Retailers who charge your card before shipping goods are not to be trusted. I ask if this is the practise b4 placing an order. If everyone did this the practice would stop.

[MMD @ Aug 30th 2007 2:14PM]

It seems to have been taken down from both the US and Canadian NCIX sites. Why is that?

[Augie @ Aug 31st 2007 8:46PM]

It was temporarily removed by ncix because of a date mixup. They have a NDA with asus and it wasnt allowed to be on sale this early with the sku's up. all pre-orders made will still be honored and it will be up very soon.

[david @ Sep 3rd 2007 12:17PM]

Am, when it should be available and for what price? Right now as I can see it costs 400-700$ for pre-order? I would like to buy one for max 250$ till this month's end. Is it possible?

[Sonny @ Sep 4th 2007 3:01AM]

The EeePC will not be out on sale so soon. Engineering models have only now been distributed. Sorry to dissapoint guys.

[Terry @ Sep 5th 2007 4:41PM]

citrusmicro.com is actually taking pre-orders for three different model. They give details about each model and a price point. They are not charging for pre-orders. I've bought Asus products from them in the past, they were very good.

[wahsai1 @ Nov 24th 2007 12:06PM]

Qbitonline.com's got international shipping for the 4G 701 model and black 4G surf model now.

I got mine, the white 4G 701!