eColeco

[Tron Unit]

Has anybody had success ordering from eColeco? Looks like their website hasn't been updated since 2010 so I'm hesitant to order anything.

[ColecoDan]

I know I was trying to look them over in 2009 and even though it shows on their site they hardly have any coleco stuff. Some people say they have bought adam stuff from them. I would say you email them and if they never reply you have your answer.

[jblenkle]

I just ordered two side expansion port doors for my ADAMs on Friday to replace broken ones. They were shipped the next day.

 

If you have any questions or concerns, just email Terry from the email link found on the web page.

 

Has anybody had success ordering from eColeco? Looks like their website hasn't been updated since 2010 so I'm hesitant to order anything.

[Milli V]

I have a ton of stuff for the adam - most of it not listed on my store (http://retrosystemrescue.com/) yet if you cant find what you are looking for.

[Bmack36]

What were you looking for?

[NIAD]

eColeco's website is not constantly updated, but they are still in operation. Just email them (Terry Fowler) with what you are looking for to make sure it is still available before ordering... especially for shipping info and prices.

[Master Phruby]

I hate retro sellers with their Retro web sites that haven't been updated to ten plus years. Guys, just spend a little money and put up a square space site and update your inventory. It's really not that hard. It sure would be better than these html sites with questionable check out security.

[jblenkle]

Considering the type of stuff eColeco sells, what has been produced in the last 10 years for the ColecoVision or ADAM that would need updating?

 

He's actually pretty good about listing items as in stock or out of stock, but the overall inventory doesn't change because there's nothing new to add.

 

If you're looking for parts that you can't find elsewhere, he probably has them. If you're looking for CVs, ADAMs, disk drives, etc. ...probably not.

 

I hate retro sellers with their Retro web sites that haven't been updated to ten plus years. Guys, just spend a little money and put up a square space site and update your inventory. It's really not that hard. It sure would be better than these html sites with questionable check out security.

[Downland1983]

Yes, I have had success ordering from eColeco. I was looking to order a particular item on the eColeco site last month. I sent an e-mail to confirm if it was in-stock or not. I received a reply the same day confirming that it was available. I completed the order process on the website immediately after and received the item within 3 days. Just be sure to e-mail them first to confirm they have the item you are looking for in stock.

[Tron Unit]

Thanks for the reassurance guys. I just wanted to make sure they were still legit and my payment isn't going to disappear into vaporware. I'll email them first to verify stock.

[Master Phruby]

Considering the type of stuff eColeco sells, what has been produced in the last 10 years for the ColecoVision or ADAM that would need updating?

 

He's actually pretty good about listing items as in stock or out of stock, but the overall inventory doesn't change because there's nothing new to add.

 

If you're looking for parts that you can't find elsewhere, he probably has them. If you're looking for CVs, ADAMs, disk drives, etc. ...probably not.

 

It's the presentation. The place looks like a dead site. It's the equivalent of a crack house in a neighborhood. Sure it might be alive and legit but I bet most sites that look like that are dead and gone and god knows where your payment goes and good luck getting it back. Would you put your credit card number in a site like that?

[SiLic0ne t0aD]

He's alright to deal with, although I haven't bought any games from them, just a couple CV parts.. cart edge connectors that I paid entirely too much for.

Grips found a couple other significantly cheaper sources, Digikey, etc. I wish eColeco still produced some of those old protos, those would be cool to own.

[NIAD]

It's the presentation. The place looks like a dead site. It's the equivalent of a crack house in a neighborhood. Sure it might be alive and legit but I bet most sites that look like that are dead and gone and god knows where your payment goes and good luck getting it back. Would you put your credit card number in a site like that?

Terry is as retro in the CV&ADAM scene as retro can be since he's been at it since the late 80s (started as Adam's House), so the old website style doesn't surprise me. Heck, I'd probably be the same way if I had kept NIAD going instead of closing shop in '94... right when the Internet was starting to take off.

 

BTW, he can send you a PayPal Invoice if you ask. Much better to go this route.

[jblenkle]

Haven't ordered anything from him for quite a while, but I'll have to say I'm impressed. I ordered two ADAM side expansion port doors on Friday. They were shipped on Saturday, and I got them today (Monday).

 

When I went looking on his web page I didn't see them listed so I asked if he had any. He responded the same day and even added a listing for them on his web page that same night.

 

Terry is as retro in the CV&ADAM scene as retro can be since he's been at it since the late 80s (started as Adam's House), so the old website style doesn't surprise me. Heck, I'd probably be the same way if I had kept NIAD going instead of closing shop in '94... right when the Internet was starting to take off.

BTW, he can send you a PayPal Invoice if you ask. Much better to go this route.

[ValkerieSilk]

Hey the site was created and is hosted on an Adam server .. Ok not really ... But it could be a deliberate pre-internet look, and to me that just screams retro ... Ok not really ... but I am pretty sure you can order crack too... Ok not really

It's the presentation. The place looks like a dead site. It's the equivalent of a crack house in a neighborhood. Sure it might be alive and legit but I bet most sites that look like that are dead and gone and god knows where your payment goes and good luck getting it back. Would you put your credit card number in a site like that?

[Tron Unit]

It's the presentation. The place looks like a dead site. It's the equivalent of a crack house in a neighborhood. Sure it might be alive and legit but I bet most sites that look like that are dead and gone and god knows where your payment goes and good luck getting it back. Would you put your credit card number in a site like that?

 

You are absolutely right. It's the presentation. It looks like an ancient relic site leftover from the 90's compuserve days. An update would probably really help boost business and not scare away potential customers such as myself writing it off as an unsafe abandoned site.

[jblenkle]

Well, everyone...people in the KNOW, know this is a legit site. It shouldn't matter what it looks like. If you want to complain about a site, go to Best Electronics for the Atari... http://www.best-electronics-ca.com/

 

It receives much the same criticism that eColeco is receiving.

 

I just don't see the problem. Terry Fowler has been at this since the 80s. The ADAM market has dried up to a trickle of what it used to be and I doubt Terry makes beer money off sales anymore. There is little incentive for him to modernize his web page.

 

 

You are absolutely right. It's the presentation. It looks like an ancient relic site leftover from the 90's compuserve days. An update would probably really help boost business and not scare away potential customers such as myself writing it off as an unsafe abandoned site.

[Tron Unit]

I have actually bought from Best Electronics MANY MANY times and yes it's just as outdated BUT at least they UPDATE info on their main page regularly. eColeco has not, after great searching to find the page info, last updated in 2010 almost SEVEN YEARS AGO! And NO not everyone is IN THE KNOW which is an elitist mentality to take and very alienating towards new customers who are discovering it themselves. I don't know who Terry Fowler is but I'm glad you guys IN-THE-KNOW KNOW and can confirm that he is reputable to buy from which was what I was asking.

[toiletunes]

...and now that you KNOW, you're IN THE KNOW.

[jblenkle]

Sorry if I offended...I have dealt with ADAM's House (eColeco) since the 80s and even as an occasional (once every few years) buyer I don't have a problem with his web page, finding things on it, or anything else. It is what it is. If I have a question, I email him and he gets right back to me.

 

Terry Fowler, the owner of eColeco, used to have a user's group and newsletter. Here's a link to one of his catalogs found on my web page: http://www.sacnews.net/adamcomputer/newsletters/adam's%20house%20-%2041.pdf

 

It's really interesting to look back on all the items that used to be available.

 

When Coleco discontinued the ADAM, Terry bought many hundreds of thousands of dollars of hardware and software from Coleco, Honeywell (who serviced the ADAMs) and American Design Components. He even took over Coleco's 800 number help line.

 

Considering 30 years have gone by it's a wonder that an ADAM vendor like him - who has been around from the beginning - still exists!!!

 

I have actually bought from Best Electronics MANY MANY times and yes it's just as outdated BUT at least they UPDATE info on their main page regularly. eColeco has not, after great searching to find the page info, last updated in 2010 almost SEVEN YEARS AGO! And NO not everyone is IN THE KNOW which is an elitist mentality to take and very alienating towards new customers who are discovering it themselves. I don't know who Terry Fowler is but I'm glad you guys IN-THE-KNOW KNOW and can confirm that he is reputable to buy from which was what I was asking.

Edited August 3, 2016 by jblenkle

[NIAD]

I can respect and do completely understand everyone's feeling re. eColeco's website, but what does become bothersome is when people get "huffy" over the sites style or lack or updates. So what, it takes a little extra time to search through the listings of items and "Oh my God", you mean I have to send an email to check on the status of things. Seems to me that everyone loves to email and text message now-a-days.

 

The site is what it is unless someone wants to volunteer their time to update it for Terry because it's obviously not worth the effort for him to do so... he'd probably be lucky to buy a beer with the profits he makes from selling anything that is listed on his site.

[8bitretro]

I just ordered a 7 pin to rca video cable from ecoleco. Tracking shows that it should be delivered tomorrow. I can also vouch for retrosystemrescue. I just bought my Adam from them via ebay, and he has been exceptionally helpful answering questions. I have a 50% off coupon there, and plan to place an order directly with them soon. I haven't ordered anything from there, but anne.hollowdreams.com has been very helpful answering my questions as well.