[JohnFen]

It would be a long list. I buy from local stores rather than online whenever I can. If I can't, then I buy directly from the manufacturer of whatever it is I'm interested in buying.

Except with electronic parts. For those, I typically go with Digikey. For electronic devices and computers, I go to a local recycler. They have what I need about 80% of the time.

I've never had a situation where Amazon was the only option, and rarely a situation where it was the best option.

[registeredcorn]

Thanks for the response! I generally try to shop locally myself, so I know what you mean.

I haven't heard of Digikey before. I'll have to give them a looksee.

For the recycler, have you had any issues or concerns with reused hard drives? I'm aware of how to securely wipe them and whatnot, but I feel like my nerves would still be on end to some degree, no matter how many times I reformatted or securely erased the data on it. Similarly, is it safe to assume that they have some kind of thorough physical cleanliness policy regarding hardware? I've listened to stories of computer repair techs who receive desktops that have literal cockroaches crawling out of them.

When I think of a recycling plant my immediate gut reaction is "dirty", but I feel like that reaction is unfair, if not unfounded. I've never been to that kind of place and am not really sure what to expect.

[JohnFen]

> For the recycler, have you had any issues or concerns with reused hard drives?

Do you mean buying used ones? I've never had an issue with them at all, no.

I never donate my old hard drives. I keep them forever, as a kind of last-ditch backup. I have a collection of them that goes back to late '80s.

> Similarly, is it safe to assume that they have some kind of thorough physical cleanliness policy regarding hardware?

At this place, everything they sell is as clean as if it were new, inside and out.