- In this report
- Overview
- Installation options
ELECTRONICS FORUMS  Get real-world advice from others about choosing a new TV, digital camera, computer or cell phone. |
March 2007
Get the best deal
Illustration by Roy Scott
With prices down sharply from last year, this is a great time to buy an HDTV. Here are some strategies to help you get the
best deal possible.
Use shopping bots. Many Internet shopping sites are one-stop-shops where you can check prices for specific TVs at hundreds of retailers. You can sort the listings by price, including tax and shipping, and check reader reviews of products and retailers. Some sites to consider: BizRate (and its affiliate, Shopzilla), Buy.com, DealTime, Froogle, MySimon, PriceGrabber, Shopping.com (and affiliate DealTime), and Yahoo.
Set price alerts. Some bots will send price alerts via e-mail. Indicate your target price or range for a model, and the site will e-mail you when it finds a store selling at that price. Retailers such as Crutchfield.com will send alerts too. If you’re not in a hurry, just sit back and wait for your price.
Try negotiating. You might be able to talk your way to a better price, especially for higher-priced TVs. Once you’ve chosen a set, try to get a break on installation or delivery costs, or ask for free HDMI or component-video cables (see "Installation options").
Shop where you’ll get a price guarantee. Many retailers will match or beat a lower price from a local competitor, so go to the store with those prices in hand. Even after the sale, some stores promise a refund if they reduce the price of your TV within 30 days or if you find the set selling elsewhere for less. There are usually restrictions, so check the details. Best Buy recently extended its price guarantee on HDTVs to 60 days. Save your receipt and keep checking the ads even after you buy.
Skip the warranty. It’s not worth the money to buy an extended warranty for an LCD or plasma TV. Our survey data from thousands of TV buyers show that both types have had a very low rate of repairs for the first two years of use, and most repairs cost less than $200. A warranty often costs just as much if not more than that.
You might want to consider a warranty for a rear-projection microdisplay, though. Those have needed repairs about three times as often as flat-panel TVs. (Some incidents have been related to replacing bulbs.) A bulb costs about $200 to $350 and is fairly easy to replace on your own. If a warranty would give you peace of mind, try to pay no more than 15 percent of the TV’s cost or the cost of a bulb.
Of course, reliability can vary by brand and may differ by model within brands. If you’re considering an off-brand, note that service can be hard to come by if the company doesn’t have extensive parts-and-service organizations behind it.
There are no long-term reliability data for any of these newer technologies, but the trends for flat-panel LCD and plasma TVs are encouraging.
Use shopping bots. Many Internet shopping sites are one-stop-shops where you can check prices for specific TVs at hundreds of retailers. You can sort the listings by price, including tax and shipping, and check reader reviews of products and retailers. Some sites to consider: BizRate (and its affiliate, Shopzilla), Buy.com, DealTime, Froogle, MySimon, PriceGrabber, Shopping.com (and affiliate DealTime), and Yahoo.
Set price alerts. Some bots will send price alerts via e-mail. Indicate your target price or range for a model, and the site will e-mail you when it finds a store selling at that price. Retailers such as Crutchfield.com will send alerts too. If you’re not in a hurry, just sit back and wait for your price.
Try negotiating. You might be able to talk your way to a better price, especially for higher-priced TVs. Once you’ve chosen a set, try to get a break on installation or delivery costs, or ask for free HDMI or component-video cables (see "Installation options").
Shop where you’ll get a price guarantee. Many retailers will match or beat a lower price from a local competitor, so go to the store with those prices in hand. Even after the sale, some stores promise a refund if they reduce the price of your TV within 30 days or if you find the set selling elsewhere for less. There are usually restrictions, so check the details. Best Buy recently extended its price guarantee on HDTVs to 60 days. Save your receipt and keep checking the ads even after you buy.
Skip the warranty. It’s not worth the money to buy an extended warranty for an LCD or plasma TV. Our survey data from thousands of TV buyers show that both types have had a very low rate of repairs for the first two years of use, and most repairs cost less than $200. A warranty often costs just as much if not more than that.
You might want to consider a warranty for a rear-projection microdisplay, though. Those have needed repairs about three times as often as flat-panel TVs. (Some incidents have been related to replacing bulbs.) A bulb costs about $200 to $350 and is fairly easy to replace on your own. If a warranty would give you peace of mind, try to pay no more than 15 percent of the TV’s cost or the cost of a bulb.
Of course, reliability can vary by brand and may differ by model within brands. If you’re considering an off-brand, note that service can be hard to come by if the company doesn’t have extensive parts-and-service organizations behind it.
There are no long-term reliability data for any of these newer technologies, but the trends for flat-panel LCD and plasma TVs are encouraging.
