OT: Buying a TV over the 'net

[sjbraun]

Its time to retire my 18 year old TV. I need something better for our annual Tour de France party.
The set I want is $900 at the big box stores, but just $650-700 with free shipping from some big mail order places like Broadway photo, Wild Digital and J&R Music World (Amazon.)

My only reservation is buying something as fragile as a TV and then shipping it via UPS from the Northeast to AZ.

Am I needlessly concerned?

Steve

[Peter P.]

That price difference is what covers peace of mind with LOCAL service, should you need it.

How much is that worth to you? Think hard.

[thejen12]

Maybe you could show your local stores that you can get it cheaper elsewhere, and ask them to come close to the internet price?

Jenn

[maunahaole]

I do not think that you are overly concerned. For a big bulky item such that can't easily be boxed up and returned, buy local. The new big screens do have occasional problems with dead and/or hot pixels, doa, etc. Nice to know you can take it back locally and get some satisfaction, especially when it is fresh out of the box.

[sjbraun]

I suspect there may be some July 4 specials in the paper tomorrow.

Best Buy and Circuit city say they don't price match on internet sales, but I don't know if the stores hold to that policy.

I also wonder if the big box stores like Best Buy or Circuit City can really be considered local. I doubt they handle repairs in house and everyone seems to offer the same 30 exchange policy.

Buying gray market items is a concern, but I doubt that Amazon lets its retail partners sell gray market stuff.

Steve

[Ken Robb]

I bought mine at Costco and they offer good customer service and free extended warranty. You can also order from them online.

[Pete Serotta]

The free extended warranty and 90 day return is what got me (as well as the price :cool: )


I bought mine at Costco and they offer good customer service and free extended warranty. You can also order from them online.

[chuckroast]

Just to give you another data point, I ordered a 30" Dell LCD over the net in 2005 because that was (at the time) the only way to buy them. It arrived UPS very well packed as you might expect. I plugged it in and have never had a lick of problem with it.

[rwl]

Hi Steve,
Likewise I wanted a particular model that wasn't going to be available for several months, so I bought from ABT in the midwest, based on their service reputation. Set arrived in perfect shape, no problems at all.
Rick

[false_Aest]

Monitors and computers have to get from the factory to the store somehow. That somehow is similar to how they get from the store to your house.

I've bought 2 macs, 3 monitors and various other fragile electronic gear over the internet and never had a problem.

However, if I had had a problem packing and shipping it back to the POP would've been a PITA.



Also if you come in with an ad for a lower price (internet store or not) most stores will require the product to be in stock for them to beat the advertised price.

[BoulderGeek]

FWIW, I loved my Syntax-Olevia 42" LCD. It came from California to Colorado double-boxed and perfectly intact.

Unfortunately, it died right after the 1+1 year warranty I had expired. Now, they won't even sell me a new motherboard for it. So it is junk in 26 months.

Don't buy a Syntax-Brillian product. But, the LG screen they use is lovely. Maybe I'd recommend a straight LG or Sharp Aquos.

Were i to do it again, i think it would pay for the Costco membership.

[Jeff N.]

I was similarly concerned when I bought a big ol' 1080i Sony 46" XBR (fantastic TV, by the way...) from E-Bay. It was shipped out of some warehouse in Brooklyn, supposedly. But the low price/no sales tax was the hook and I pulled the trigger. It arrived safely and resides on the wall of my living room. Been about a year now. But I sweated it, and although it worked out for me, I probably wouldn't do it again. I'd probably go with Costco or Best Buy. Jeff N.

[H1449-6]

Maybe you could show your local stores that you can get it cheaper elsewhere, and ask them to come close to the internet price?

Jenn

Independent dealers will often do this. Best Buy and the other corporate chains typically have pretty structured price match policies that exclude matching online prices.

BE CAREFUL and check resellerratings.com before you buy any kind of electronic goods online.

For video equipment including big TVs I've had good luck with onecall.com, Beach Camera and Amazon. In fact if you can find the TV you're looking at for a good price on Amazon that's probably the best place. No price match available, though.

[sc53]

My coworker bought a Sharp Aquos from the Broadway PHoto place you mention. It arrived in its own cargo truck, hand carried in by the delivery guys (two of them), unboxed and set up in his house. A week later he notices flickering and ghosts in the picture. He calls Broadway Photo, the delivery guys return, rebox the TV, and take it away. He then gets a new one about 2 days later from the same crew. The new one worked perfectly. So some online merchants are easier to deal with than others. Broadway Photo handled this transaction as if it were a local store. If you order from them, ask whether this is still their delivery process. They may be trying to do it cheaper now (this was over a year ago) and the personalized delivery and set up service may have gone by the wayside.

[csm]

I ordered one for in-store p/u a couple years ago with circuit city. It was the worst buying experience ever. the tv and other stuff I bought is fine and I am happy with it but those morons at circuit city, both at the store and the web cost them future purchases. they sent me a $24 gift card for my trouble. I gave it away rather than buy something else.

[davep]

I bought a plasma 8 or so years ago from an internet retailer (back then, thousands cheaper than local). No problems at all. About 5 years later it died, but the extended warranty paid for the replacement. When I opened the box, the new screen was cracked. Called the store, they issued a call tag for pick up and sent a new one, which is still in my family room. Yes, you may have damage, but probably not, and if you do a reputable internet retailer will make good.