The truth about internet e-tailers! (1 Viewer)

[Phil Mays]

Patrick,

Does the $2,000 saved include shipping. If you are buying speakers for this price range then I imagine the shipping will be very high. If you purchase seperatly item-by-item shipping will "eat you alive". I could see your savings being cut by 25% to 33% quickly. Also if something goes wrong and you have to ship it back then there goes more of your savings.

I have always been a fan of B & M small store with personal service and a liberal return and trade-up policy.

However I do buy something on-line, just not the higher doller electronics (Dell not included).

 

[Benjamin.C]

Here is the solution to yours and others buying dilema, American express Best Value gurantee program. Buy a widget from a B&M and find a advertised price on the very same item anywhere within 60 days of purchase, print/cut the add out and file a claim w/A.E. for up to $250. They will then issue a check less the tax as well as extend the manufactureres warranty by 1 year.You can only file four claims per year and some items are not covered.

This is a great deal.

 

[PatrickKing]

Phil - To answer your question, that does not include shipping. I had figured approximately 300-500 at the most for shipping, still leaving me with an 'extra' 1500.00 in hand.
I personally support the idea of using the expertise of professionals in B&M stores. The problem is, I have yet to talk to anyone (in the small handful of places I've visited) that know any more tahn I do about the products I'm inquiring about. Anyone can read from a brochure, you know?! In one hi-end store I visited, I was apparently speaking the wrong language; Sony not Meridian! Anyway, after explaining my wants and my budget, they kept trying to peddle equipment to me (receiver that cost my entire budget!)that I specifically said I was not prepared for.
I did put Ultimate to the test. I found a salesman that I had talked to a few times and sat with him at one of the financing desks. I told him that if he could get competitive with some of the internet pricing I had found on receiver, TV, DVD carousel, towers, surrounds, center channel, interconnects, furniture, etc... (I'm getting my sub from SVS!)I would buy the items right then. He replied with the typical "authorized retailer...service...professional advice..." In short, he did not seem interested enough to even make me an offer. I knew right then that I would have to buy from an e-tailer, although my biggest apprehension is with the TV (50XBR800).

 

[PatrickKing]

Oh - in regards to the shipping question, I can buy the receiver, DVD player, and television through a group buy at another forum site and not pay any s&h or taxes. I would be on my own for speakers only, and I'm sure I could get a 7.1 system home for less tahn 500.00

 

[PatrickKing]

Phil - To answer your question, that does not include shipping. I had figured approximately 300-500 at the most for shipping, still leaving me with an 'extra' 1500.00 in hand.
I personally support the idea of using the expertise of professionals in B&M stores. The problem is, I have yet to talk to anyone (in the small handful of places I've visited) that know any more tahn I do about the products I'm inquiring about. Anyone can read from a brochure, you know?! In one hi-end store I visited, I was apparently speaking the wrong language; Sony not Meridian! Anyway, after explaining my wants and my budget, they kept trying to peddle equipment to me (receiver that cost my entire budget!)that I specifically said I was not prepared for.
I did put Ultimate to the test. I found a salesman that I had talked to a few times and sat with him at one of the financing desks. I told him that if he could get competitive with some of the internet pricing I had found on receiver, TV, DVD carousel, towers, surrounds, center channel, interconnects, furniture, etc... (I'm getting my sub from SVS!)I would buy the items right then. He replied with the typical "authorized retailer...service...professional advice..." In short, he did not seem interested enough to even make me an offer. I knew right then that I would have to buy from an e-tailer, although my biggest apprehension is with the TV (50XBR800).

 

[Jonathan_D]

Do not buy your TV over the Internet. While I buy everything over the Internet I did not buy my TV and wouldn't trust the shipping to get one to me without seriously screwing it up. Plus, if something's wrong no internet retailer I know of will do anything with a TV other than refer you to a local authorized service shop. Find the lowest price you can on the unit you want and go to Sears. Sears will price match (though not always off the Internet) and they will make right anything that goes wrong.

Note - I don't work for Sears but once got a $2000 outdoor shed free because they wanted to make my disatisfaction with it right.

 

[Neal_C]

Patrick,
Try working with different people at Ultimate. I have used them to get my Denon 1600 (10% off MAP), Def. Tech BP2X's (12% off MAP), and Monster HTS 3600 (30% off MAP).
On the Monster 3600, I took in a price from shopping.yahoo.com and told them I would order it online if they couldn't make a reasonable offer. The price I had online was $345 plus shipping and Ultimate sold it to me for $350+ tax and I got 12 months no interest financing.
Try working with some different people until you find someone that is willing to haggle to make a sale. The people down here would bend over backwards if I was in the market for $6500 worth of stuff.

Neal

 

[Kevin_Kr]

Patrick
Again like I said email me I know people where you are looking and can help you

 

[Erik_C]

I just bought a new digital camera. (Sony F717, which is just so cool) If I bought locally, it would've been $1160 with tax. I bought it online instead, at J & R, an authorized Sony e-tailer, for $910 delivered. I even called the local shop and asked if they'd meet me halfway bewteen their price and the J&R price. They said no. With an attitude like that, screw 'em.
-Erik

 

[Kevin_Kr]

"Patrick,
Try working with different people at Ultimate. I have used them to get my Denon 1600 (10% off MAP), Def. Tech BP2X's (12% off MAP), and Monster HTS 3600 (30% off MAP).
On the Monster 3600, I took in a price from shopping.yahoo.com and told them I would order it online if they couldn't make a reasonable offer. The price I had online was $345 plus shipping and Ultimate sold it to me for $350+ tax and I got 12 months no interest financing.
Try working with some different people until you find someone that is willing to haggle to make a sale. The people down here would bend over backwards if I was in the market for $6500 worth of stuff. "



I personally think that is the wrong thing to do, take up one persons time that they are paid for by having them educate you, and then finding someone else to keep negotiating with. To me this is bad business practice.

Now if you meant different stores yes but not different people at the same store.

 

[Neal_C]

Kevin,

IF I had taken up someones time, then I could see your point. However, I do all my research before I go out looking and very rarely do I need any questions answered. With maybe a couple exceptions, I know more about the product I am after than the employee does. Why waste my own time having the salesperson scramble for a manual or asking a manager my question when I can just look it up on the internet beforehand?

 

[Iver]

I can buy the receiver, DVD player, and television through a group buy at another forum site and not pay any s&h or taxes.

Just curious, do you know if you will be getting discounts off list price on the items and, if so, what percentage?

From the experience you describe on visiting dealers, it seems like you could probably find better ones in your area.

Try going to the Paradigm Web site (or that of any other mid-fi manufacturer) and looking up dealers where you live.

 

[Rich Chiavaroli]

I just had a similar expierenece tonight. I've been in the market for various HT components and I decided to pull the trigger on a RPTV this weekend. Anyway, total cost out of my pocket, 2 different local retailers wouldn't get any closer than $200 more than onecall. They actually wouldn't even move from their advertised price.

Now I've spent a bunch of time in one of these stores checking out TV's and I thought I owed it to them to give them the opportunity to make the sale. I'm trying to do my part to support B&M's, but I'm not going to give them chairity.

I'm going to give 2 more local retialers a chance to earn my business tomorrow. If they don't come close, I'll be spending my money online.

 

[PatrickKing]

Iver- I haven't done the math yet, but it appears as if the group buy prices are only 12-15% off of RETAIL prices. This doesn't get the purchase as cheap as if I were to buy directly from a discount vendor, but when all is said and done, the shipping, handling and taxes would probably even the score. I will DEFINITELY make the calls to compare before I decide. I'm still undecided about display and speakers.