Best Buy IS DESPERATE for sales... FINALLY!

I know that this thread starts with a very long story, but I assure you that it may help you, on your next big purchase at Best Buy.

DAY ONE
I fell in love with the Samsung LN52B750 the second I saw its demo at my nearest branch.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9298413&st=ln52b750&lp=1&type=product&cp=1&id=1218079342497
So I casually ask more info about its features (eventhough I already drooled over its specs online, before visiting the Best Buy store). I let the salesperson do his pitch & listen to him explain its 'superiority' over other brands.

Then I dropped the bomb on him: I asked him how he can stop me from buying the same brand at amazon.com, http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-LN52B750-52-Inch-1080p-Charcoal/dp/B001VKY7WU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1246256032&sr=8-1
which doesn't charge me shipping or tax, since buying it at Best Buy will set me back additional $200 (almost) in taxes alone. Without skipping a beat, the salesperson said he "can work something out."

He told me to follow him at the Magnolia section of the store, where he started playing with the numbers at a computer by the register. Long story short: He gave me the HDTV set for the advertised price, BUT GIVING THE 4YR EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR FREE! Besides the extra warranty, I got the white glove delivery, connection, & recycle of my old crt free of charge. Also, I get to pay in 36 monthly installments, FREE OF CREDIT CARD INTEREST. Total paid - $2451.73. Monthly credit card payment - $68.73. I went home happy & expects to see the HDTV within 3 days.

But I got home discovering more deals on retail stores selling at ebay (w/ the same HDTV model). One merchant was selling it for under $2000 US model BRAND NEW + Free Shipping!
http://cgi.ebay.com/SAMSUNG-LN52B750-52-1080P-LCD-TV-LN-52B750-240Hz-NEW_W0QQitemZ200350477201QQcmdZViewItemQQptZTelevisions?hash=item2ea5d1ab91&_trksid=p3286.m20.l1116
Consider that price + my 'ebay bucks' discount + my 'microsoft 8% cash back' discount... I'd only be paying $1760 for the same HDTV model. Suffice to say I was pissed as I stare at my Best Buy invoice FLARING a $2451 receipt in front of my face. Even if I added SquareTrade's 3yr warranty (which provides in-house repair for this large tv) from the ebay deal, I STILL SAVE OVER $400 against Best Buy! http://www.amazon.com/SquareTrade-Warranty-home-service-2000-2500/dp/B001RQ89S6/ref=pd_sim_e_2
So I hardly slept & planned another 'attack' on the matter the next day.

DAY TWO
I go directly to the Magnolia section of Best Buy & instructed the manager, sitting behind the register, to remove the $349 Extended Warranty from my purchase (which leaves the HDTV at $1899 on the receipt) & told them that I would buy SquareTrade's 3yr Extended Warranty instead. He paused for a second & I seriously thought he would give me that confused look & would tell me that he had never heard of such warranty, ever. Instead, he asked me if SquareTrade would force me to ship the 52-inch tv, should it need service. I told them it does EXACTLY the same service as Best Buy's extended warranty - In-House Service. I also told them that I can have a 3yr SquareTrade warranty for $149 (vs their 4yr-$349). After about 10 seconds of staring at my receipt, he pardoned himself and consulted another Best Buy employee, wearing a different colored uniform (which I assume, has a higher standing in the pyramid). He came back about a minute later and told me that he can shave off an additional $200 from my $2451, to prevent me from canceling their extended warranty charge, completely out of the deal. I accepted the deal & shook his hand. He excused himself again, for the 2nd time, to print a revised receipt.

At the end of the day, not only did Best Buy match amazon's sale price (by including their 4yr extended warranty), they also lowered it further, when I approached them about SquareTrade's better Extended Warranty. All these price reduction WITHOUT SHOWING THEM A SINGLE COMPETITOR AD, WEBSITE AD, NOR A SQUARETRADE AD!

Purchase price w/o my haggle, including taxes: $2511. Purchase price after a 2-day visit & price comparison (w/o any proof of paperwork): $2251 w/ white glove delivery, 4yr extended warranty, & monthly installment of $62 for 36 months zero interest.

Do I think they are desparate for sales? In my opinion, YES... but probably only on highly competitive items like HDTV sets. Will all Best Buy stores offer similar deals from my budget-conscious approach? Probably not, but the days of brick 'n mortar business, even if you're the ONLY store standing after your other competitors failed (Circuit City, Comp USA), selling similar brands - is not armor-proof against online business, ESPECIALLY RECESSION. So for those looking for a good deal on an HDTV set, now may be a good time to start looking the old fashion way: Walking to your retail store such as Best Buy... armed to the teeth with online sales comparison.

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[Post edited by xplaytendo on Jun 29, 2009 - CDT 1:20 AM]

Nice deal you got on the whole package. All I need is a new tv stand so I won't be getting any super deals on that.

The Only question I would ask is. Why bother with the Sevice warranty anways? Do you not trust the craftsman ship of the product? I have yet to purchase one of those service plans to date. Big hoax is what we use to call them. Those $400 warranties are pure profit for those stores. Realistically the guy could hve cut the warranty off all together and still made money. Oh well, who am I to judge. Nice TV though. Sorry to rain on the parade.

Reaggie a friend of mine was getting some piece of electronics fixed (I don't remember what it was) and while in there he noticed quite a few flat screens either waiting to be repaired or already repaired. He asked the technician why there was so many tv's and the guy told him that they seem to be made to last 3 yrs and then start having problems. Most of the time it's either dead pixels or in the case of LCD's the display just stays black, as if the light in the screen won't turn on.

So in my opinion, if they're gonna throw you a warranty on a $2000+ tv for free TAKE IT. If you're going to pay for it try and negotiate the price.

Granted MOST of the time these extended warranty are total BS and is just a way for the stores to make money.

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[Post edited by Falcon01 on Jun 29, 2009 - CDT 8:20 AM]

Quote:
The Only question I would ask is. Why bother with the Sevice warranty anways? Do you not trust the craftsman ship of the product? I have yet to purchase one of those service plans to date. Big hoax is what we use to call them.

I know what u mean. I bought extended service warranties for my hd camcorder & dslr from best buy, and I really doubt that I would use it in the future.

I only accepted the deal since my full payment of $2251, is still cheaper than amazon's $2299. Practically getting the extended warranty for free. Today is the day before the actual delivery, and I bought this item in such an impulsive state, that I may just go back there again, and advice them to get rid of the extended warranty completely. Should they refuse, I cancel the whole sale. I mean let's face it, what am I gonna do w/ the old 46-inch samsung already in my living room?

Part of me is saying to keep the deal since I pay cheap monthlies (w/o interest) even w/ the extended warranty included. Another part of me is saying: WTF R U THINKING. RECESSION. LAY OFFS. HELLO!!!?

BEST Buy has been very good with me this year. From them giving me a great deal on my LG 120Hz 42 inch TV (I got the TV and a FREE XBOX 60GB system-out the door for $1200/OK the deal here, was that I bought the arcade system a month prior, and they let me return the system for the deal)
Then they forgot to add my points for this purchase, so they gave me an extra 500 points towards my account.

Then my Lap Top that I purchased December from BB shit the bed last month, they took it, fixed and returned it to me in 2 weeks, free of charge.

So BB has stepped up to the plate for me, and I can see they are doing the same for others.

Quote:
Granted MOST of the time these extended warranty are total BS and is just a way for the stores to make money.

I talked about that with the guys that installed my TV. Luckily, they were around my age, so I felt this sense of these guys might know what they're talking about instead of advice from some snot-nosed kid.

They were telling me with sets made in the last three years (meaning the 1080 models), it's best to get the shortest warranty possible. Fred and Barny were saying, newer sets generally have problems within the first six months, but anything after that is very rare. However, they did say get longer warranties for DLP because that bulb going out is a dead-on guarantee.

My friend, Dale, had a bulb go out on him in just two-years, and he didn't bother to buy the warranty. It ended up costing him over $500 out of his own pocket. It's nice that we have the freedom to take a gamble and refuse to pay for a warranty, but if something does go wrong you'll wish you had it.

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[Post edited by Tim Raynor on Jun 29, 2009 - CDT 7:34 PM]

Speaking of extended warranties, which I never buy, the last time I bought a TV the young clerk insisted I needed the store's extended three-year warranty. I said it sounded like a pretty good deal, because it would give me four years of coverage on the set, one year's warranty from the manufacturer and three years beyond that. No, he said, it would be three years from purchase. "But what about the manufacturer's one-year warranty," I said. "You mean you're really only offering a two-year warranty, two years beyond the regular one-year warranty." "No," he said, "it was a three-year warranty." And we went around until I told him no.

John

John, a warranty that I bought from Office Depot started after the manufacturer's warranty expired..did you read the 'fine print'? Remember that most of the times people don't know half of what they're trying to sell us...

Xplay, I agree, Best Buy is stepping up to the challenge...they lower their prices for blu-ray, lower their prices for electronics...they are being hurt because of the economy. I also agree that they should have the same prices as online retailer, and I also think that it is UNFAIR for online retailers NOT to charge taxes...yes, we would pay more, but it is disadvantageous for the B&M stores over the online ones...

Also, that TV looks awesome! Congrats on your purchase! What's the first blu-ray that you popped in and how did it look?

Quote:
Also, that TV looks awesome! Congrats on your purchase! What's the first blu-ray that you popped in and how did it look?

Couldn't tell you. It's getting delivered & hooked up tomorrow. I'm off to rent the grainiest (in purpose) blu ray flick that I can find & see how the 240hz effect pans out: Frank Miller's "300".

Then I'll play some hidef samples from my HTPC, & see how it handles compressed HD formats.
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/musicandvideo/hdvideo/contentshowcase.aspx

I'll post some feedback & pictures when I can (I hope).