Sony Wega KV36-FS13 under $1000! Should I take it? (1 Viewer)

[Jaroslav Jelen]

I got sears people to price match $999.99 for the KV36-FS13. They don't even have it in stores until 6/10, but they would order it for me. They even lower the price to 959.99 because then they would add 40 for shipping. I would have to pay tax, but I can get no interest financing until January 2002.
Here is my question - is this a good deal (I am very new to any HIFI-TV things)? I only have regular cable coming into my apartment -- and the FS13 has 3 line filter, and somewhere I read I should try to get 3D filter for this stuff, so I could go with like KV27-FV27 which goes for less than a grand, then again - I can't resist this price...
I told the girl I am gonna come tomorrow, and she gave me her cell phone number - I want to get this done ASAP before she decides to talk to a manager (right now they have KV36-FS12 discounted on the floor for about $1300).
Anyway, please help?

 

[Chuck C]

holy crap!
Where did you get sucha great price match!? My buddy is considering the new 32" Wega (FS17), and the best we could find was $1,015!
I'd jump on that in a heartbeat!
------------------
Chuck
Chuckster's HT Equipment List

 

[Jaroslav Jelen]

Ok I just got back from Sears, and this is how it went:
Remember this is KV36FS13 - the lowest of the 36 inch 2001 Wega models.
Go to sony website: http://www.sonystyle.com/sonystyle/4...994.trans.html
I believe they have made an error pricing this TV - because it shows up as $999.99 You can't order it from them as Sony doesn't ship TVs over 24 inch I even called them up and said I wanted to order it, but they couldn't.
So I printed out the page (I suggest you do too before sony corrects it). I called my local Sears first, they told me they don't have the model in, but that they can order it. I asked if they pricematch, the girl said yes, I asked do they pricematch online sites, girl went to ask a manager and told me yes - bring in the printout.
So I went this afternoon, it was semi-busy but because the Sox-Cubs game was on it seemed like all the Sears employees were watching it there. I didn't want to risk it and get one of the managers, so I called the girl on her cell phone (she gave it to me the night before), and she then appeared and did the pricematch for me without a problem (she pricematched it as local retailer).
This is how my receipt looks like - I can't scan, since I don't have a scanner and the model number stops at KV36FS1 the last number wasn't printed:
TV KV36FS13 959.99
TV Stand SU36FD3 199.99
Sale Credit -60.00
Delivery Fee 40.00
Subtotal 1139.98
8.75% Tax 96.25
Total 1236.23
Right now they are giving $60 off any newstand when you buy a sony tv (or something like that I think), and I got the pricematch down to 959.99 to make up for the $40 delivery fee.
I put it all on my sears card and got 0% financing until 1/31/02.
I tried to get the new stand SU36FD4, but it showed backoredered unavailable for delivery and unable to order. I would have gotten that one with the $60 discount. So I asked the girl that if I get the FD3 stand and don't like it whether I can bring it back later when they have the FD4s and exchange it, she said definitely!!!
I went to local tweeter, they already have the FD4 stands in their warehouses, but of course for full $200. I hope Sears gets theirs in fast.
If you guys know of any deal how to get this stand sooner and cheaper than $200 please let me know. I hope some of you can get in on this deal!
------------------

 

[Ken Stuart]

I just bought an KV-32FS12 and I'm very happy with it. Anamorphic DVDs look quite close to HD (which I say having stared at HD a number of times while shopping for the set).
Regarding the stand, remember that the color has changed, so an FD3 will not match an FS13 TV. If it is possible, you could keep the FD3 in its box, and then trade it in. This would depend on whether you have something that can hold up a 200+ lb. TV temporarily, and whether you could then move the TV again when you later exchanged the FD3 for an FD4.
Also, the stand takes close to 2 hours to assemble (if you do it carefully). So, with that big and heavy a TV, it's almost essential to have the stand assembled and in place well before the TV arrives, and in fact, to have your VCRs, cables, etc. all set to go as well.

 

[Dan B]

Heck yeah that's a good deal!!!
-Dan

 

[Andre F]

Sounds like a hell of a deal. I'd go for it!
-Andre F
------------------
-= Take your stinking paws off me you damn dirty ape! =-

 

[Jaroslav Jelen]

I have actually bought the new stand (su36fd4) today from ABt Electronics (their website http://www.abtelectronics.com shows it as 139.99, in store price is $144.99, but they gave it to me for $139).
(For Chicago Area people) They are located on Wuakeegan and Dempster (I think the address is 9000 Wuakeegan Rd, I forgot which city is it in -- one of the near north suburbs).
I will either return the old stand to Sears -- or it would even be greater if they would already have the new stands in - then I could pricematch at $139, and still get the $60 off --> so I would have the stand for $79 -- which would make this deal heavenly...
But let me tell you - just carrying this stand into my apartment on the fourth floor was absolute pain - the box is about 100 lbs, I carried it alone. I will assemble it and definitely make the delivery guys unwrap the TV and put it on this stand once they come - noway in hell I am subjecting my friends to this...
------------------

 

[Lucas Hale]

I just tried to get a price match on this from Sears, and after calling Sony and being on the phone for nearly 30 minutes, Sears told me they cannot price match it because it is not able to be purchased from the website!

Looks like I'm taking this one up with Sony!

 

[Perry Jonkheer]

Lucas,
Just outta curiosity... What do you plan on saying to Sony?? I am going to Sears on Wednesday to try the price match.
Thanks.

 

[Lucas Hale]

I just wrote their online tech support and told them that their website was not price-matchable by Sears. I asked them why this was so. Depending on what they say I'll either have a new TV or I'll bluff legal action...we'll see.

 

[Lucas Hale]

Update:
Called Sony's number and talked to a bunch of people. Basically, they say that their legal mumbo jumbo attached to the page absolves them of all responsibility. So, basically, they aren't willing to admit a mistake or pay for it. Is there anything I can do about this? I'm going to talk to the Better Business Bureau, but is there anything else I could do to bring this issue to light? If not, what prevents a company from advertising "buy one get one free televisions"...and then pull out on the customer?

 

[Jaroslav Jelen]

Lucas,
I'm not trying to be rude or anything but you're really going at it a wrong way!
What in the world are you calling sony for? How the heck are they liable. Sears pricematches whatever they want - and believe me sony website is not on their price match list. Sony doesn't sell anything bigger than 24 inch from their website so no you can't add it to the cart, and no you can't order it on the phone.
The only thing you'll acomplish by calling/emailing them, is for them to eventually realize that they are showing this tv at a wrong price. On their other electrinic pages price for this tv shows $1499.
So the essence of this deal is getting the sears people to price match. If they don't want to or can't, than that's it - try other sears, try different rep on a different day, or just look for other deals. Don't kill it for other people who are trying it.
Just my 2 cents.
And FYI - these sony pages are more of an info for models, and even if they had that TV for $500, but you couldn't buy it, yes there is no justification, but at the same time they're not required to sell it. It would be different if their common practice was selling TVs over the net, and having lets say weekly ads... Remember - SONY is the manufacturer, not the store in this case. Think about it before you act.

 

[Perry Jonkheer]

Hey guys...
I'm proud to say I just got my local Sears to sell me the WEGA for $999. However, I wasn't quite as lucky as Jaroslav who got it for $959 plus $40 shipping. Oh well, I'm not going to complain about it... Lucas, my advice is to try another Sears or a different salesman on a different day. Jaroslav made some solid points.

 

[Lucas Hale]

Touche, I take your points as valid, Jaroslav. It just seems interesting to me that all of this "price dodging" is valid. Seems like somewhere along the line someone should be accountable. Oh well, you win some and you lose some. I've moved my focus now from the Wegas to the Tosh 36A40, which Sears can give me with a TV stand for $700. Not bad, and I save $300 over the Wega, assuming I could get it price matched. And I don't really feel right going to the same store and trying to find a different sales rep (it's a no-no on my ethics checklist). I'd feel like a schmuck, and it's not Sears' fault this happened (just Sony's misleading webpage). In my mind, Sears is not the one to burn for this error. So, I guess you can say that everything worked out for the best. Sorry if I caused anybody ill feelings...just trying to cut the puppeteer strings so many manufacturers have attached to us.

 

[Ken Stuart]

I think that you should compare both TVs to see whether perhaps the Wega might be worth the extra $300...

 

[Lucas Hale]

I did compare both TVs. I agree, the Wega does produce a nicer picture, but since I'll be purchasing a projector in ~1 year and relegating this TV to bedroom duty, I don't see it as that much of an issue. The Wega does definitely produce a nicer picture than the Toshiba, though.

 

[ReidT]

Sony apparently got the hint - the web site referenced in the 3rd post above now shows the list price as $1299.99

I guess I need to start reading these posts every day!
-- Reid
------------------