buy an HDTV online or B&M?

[lowfatbaconboy]

Hey I'm in the market for a new TV and I was specifically looking at the toshiba 50" 50hp66 and I was wondering what you guys thought about buying them online at hundreds less or buying it in a local store. Also extended warranty...good idea or bad idea?

I live at 5,300 feet and plasmas seem to appear just fine in the stores around here. I've only seen one make the annoying humming noise.

edit: oh ya though I should mention I searched on the topic previously and only saw one thread with no real opinions or answers.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

For plasma, I think I'd buy online and wouldn't buy an extended warranty (with the caveat that I don't like plasma TVs and wouldn't buy one). For RPTVs, I feel it's worth buying locally, since it will generally be much easier to get warranty support - I wouldn't buy any RPTV without an extended warranty.

 

[Baked]

Costco. /thread

 

[Synth3t1c]

i know at least where i work (bestbuy) the mark up is high enough that you can sometimes talk the salesmen down. try doing that. if they say they cant, say its a shame and u really wanted the business. if u plan on getting the extended warranty (or service plan at bestbuy) let him/her know that before u start talking em down.

good luck!


oh and another vote for costco. return policy ++

 

[Fritzo]

I got mine off of Amazon. Worked really well, and the shippers brought it in and took it out of the box for me. (They professionally frieght TVs...no UPS crap here).

Any purchase over $400 I ALWAYS get the extended warranty. When you get into $1000's of $$$$, you'd be stupid not to.

 

[Fritzo]

Originally posted by: DonVito
For plasma, I think I'd buy online and wouldn't buy an extended warranty (with the caveat that I don't like plasma TVs and wouldn't buy one). For RPTVs, I feel it's worth buying locally, since it will generally be much easier to get warranty support - I wouldn't buy any RPTV without an extended warranty.

Are you kidding??? Plasma TV's are EXTREMELY fragile, and heavy as a...a....as a thing that's REALLY heavy (I suck at analogies). Like I said- anything over $400 get it. If anything, wait until the last month of the warranty, tell them there's something wrong with it, and see if they give you a new one. I've done that with MP3 players for years now

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Originally posted by: Fritzo

Are you kidding??? Plasma TV's are EXTREMELY fragile, and heavy as a...a....as a thing that's REALLY heavy (I suck at analogies). Like I said- anything over $400 get it. If anything, wait until the last month of the warranty, tell them there's something wrong with it, and see if they give you a new one. I've done that with MP3 players for years now

:disgust: You're bragging about committing fraud on a public forum and I'm the dope?

Plasma TVs, in spite of having what I consider a mediocre picture, have been quite reliable, and personally I wouldn't spring for an extended warranty. RPTVs have shown poorer reliability, and hence I would always get an extended warranty. I have only ever bought three extended warranties (for a laptop, an RPTV, and my XBox 360) - in general they are a complete waste of money IMO, and incredibly profitable for the seller.

 

[Staples]

I would find it very hard to buy something that heavy and expensive online.

If something is wrong, it would cost a lot and be too much trouble to ship it back.

 

[rh71]

I don't buy big items online because of the hassle it would be to return it... I would never.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Most DLP TVs have in-home warranty service, you might check the manufacturer sites for the plasmas to see if they do too.

Pay with a platinum CC and you'll double the warranty, for a plasma that might be good enough since it doesn't have the $200 bulbs that DLPs use.

You might also consider Amazon's $2,200 shipped Samsung HLS5087 (see GottaDeal or search amazon) since it's 1080p with 1080p HDMI inputs and excellent picture quality.

 

[Kelemvor]

For something that large, I'd get it frmo the store just in case there were problems with something. Also for something that expensive, I'd defintiely pop for the extra warranty. Guarantee you will have a working TV for at least 4 years for an extra couple hundred bucks? Sure.

 

[LtPage1]

My Dad bought his LCD hdtv online, for about $300 cheaper than it was listed anywhere locally.

 

[dnuggett]

If you'd save $100 or more I'd buy it online. Otherwise not worth it.

 

[lowfatbaconboy]

the toshiba plasma 50" 50hp66 is around 2,400 online and ~3,300 in best buy.
Pricegrabber for the toshiba

You might also consider Amazon's $2,200 shipped Samsung HLS5087 (see GottaDeal or search amazon) since it's 1080p with 1080p HDMI inputs and excellent picture quality.

I liked the look of the DLPs but the viewing angle on most of them wasn't that great. Plus im not sure I would ever really use 1080p.

If I got the toshiba from a local store thats ~900 dollars more...which is a big difference IMO.

 

[astrocase]

COSTCO!!!!!

 

[bdww00]

look at store and buy online sry i put in a vote for store but if they seell same on the internet for cheaper price than hell yeah get it off inter net