Mag: Best Buy, Amazon Tops For HDTV Shoppers

tvpredictions.com ^ | May 24, 2010 | Philip Swann

[Las Vegas Dave]

Best Buy and Amazon.com are the best places to buy a new High-Definition TV, according to a new report from PC World magazine.

The publication analyzed 10 retailers who sell HDTVs: Amazon.com, Best Buy, CDW, Newegg, RadioShack, Sears, Staples, Target, TigerDirect.com, and Walmart.

PC World said Best Buy was the highest-ranked national retailer because of a wide range of available models and well informed salespeople.

Amazon.com was the top online-only retailer in PC World's analysis, "thanks in large part ot having the best, most diverse selection of models and manufacturers."

The publication also said Amazon's web site is "easy to use," although it said consumers must take note that Amazon's third party sellers may have different sales policies.

PC World also writes that "Target and Walmart are best left to consumers who seek smaller sets (32 inches and under) and aren't looking for answers to tech questions."

[Las Vegas Dave]

For more detailed information from PCWorld, copy and paste the following: http://www.pcworld.com/article/196707/hdtvs_best_places_to_buy.html?loomia_ow=t0:s0:a38:g26:r12:c0.004012:b34264328:z0

[Las Vegas Dave]

Pinging the HDTV list..

HDTV pings!

[South40]

I like Best Buy. I bought a 32” Sony for the guest bedroom there just last Sunday. Reward Points are cool also.

[2aberro]

I buy nothing retail,,,,used stuff off CraigsList or online newspaper. No Taxes!

I'm moving to Florida for the same reason, no tax on groceries. I refuse to support the communist in the W.H.~

[Fresh Wind]

PC World said Best Buy was the highest-ranked national retailer because of a wide range of available models and well informed salespeople.

How much did Best Buy pay PC World for that rating?

[Future Snake Eater]

No kidding. The last HDTV I bought was from BB, and I had to convince the idiot salesman to sell me a $2k TV. I worked in electronics retails for six years (CC and BB), and I NEVER would’ve had to be convinced to sell something like that to a customer!

[Neidermeyer]

Best Buy had to buy that ranking ,, those people take their customers for morons ,, try to sell you a HDMI cable for $80 or more when you can get them for $2 each at meritline or monoprice ,, same for the wall mounts ,, $200 plus vs. about $25 delivered.. That and Best Buy still plays the game where they have the manufacturer make one insignificant change to the unit (lets say bezel color) just so they can have a new model number just for themselves ... the only reason for which is to deny your claim when you try to get a price match.

[Neidermeyer]

OH , for anyone that thinks there's a difference between a $2 and an $80 HDMI cable ,,, THERE IS ,,, IT's THE PRICE , THE THICKNESS OF THE PLASTIC INSULATION (insignificant) AND THE FANCY PACKAGING AND MARKETING ,, it's a digital signal and the cables are made to the specs required for certification ... it's a 1 or a 0 coming down the pipe.. not an analog signal where slightly better wire can make a difference.

http://www.amazon.com/Hdmi-Feet-Super-Resolution-Cable/dp/B0002L5R78

[Fresh Wind]

The last time I bought anything at a Pest Buy, I was helping a friend with an HDTV installation, and he needed an HDMI cable and he wanted it right away. The “Monster Cables” they had on display weren’t long enough for his layout, so I asked a salesdrone if they had any longer ones. He went in the back and came out with a no-name cable of the right length at a fraction of the Monster price. The only thing monster about Monster Cables is the size of the rip-off.

More than anything else, I hate the throbbing aural assault of Hip-Hop “music” you experience when you walk in.

[Future Snake Eater]

Yeah, the cables thing is pretty ridiculous. But, to be honest, that’s pushed hard by management for the high margin. The moment I heard about Monoprice, I was done buying cables at the store!

I wanted to buy a 1080p 67” Samsung, a PS3 with a game and a remote, and a few Blu-Ray movies. This was a huge purchase, and would have gone a long way towards meeting their daily goals. The only Samsung they had left was the floor model and no one else in town had one. I told him I would just take the floor model with the requisite discount. He hemmed and hawed for a good 20 minutes before finally getting his dumb @$$ over there with a lift to pull it down and get it ready for shipping.

In hindsight, I should have just bought it somewhere else, or at least demanded a manager or another salesman. From my time working at BB I know there are some great folks and some real tools. Naturally I found one of the latter...

[Fresh Wind]

http://consumerist.com/2008/02/monster-cables-monster-ripoff-80-markups.html

[Jmouse007]

One of the very best places to go for any kind of HT cables is MONOPRICE.COM

http://www.monoprice.com/home/index.asp

EXCEPTIONAL cables and accessorits at very, very reasonable prices. One example: I needed a 35 foot 1.3 HDMI cable for a 1080p front projector run

MONOPRICE = less than $36 delivered

Monster Cable (Monster rip off) = $199 ($160 on Amazon plus shipping)

MC is for suckers, but hey their marketing is cool.

[Fresh Wind]

Bookmarked. Thanks!

[Jmouse007]

You are welcome, I have to thank home theater enthusiast over at the AVS (AV Science)web site for turning me ot to them.

MONOPRICE is outstanding and their business philosophy appears to be this =

We sell high quality cables at extremely reasonable prices; we have a SMALL mark up and make up the difference by selling tons of product. This way EVERY ONE WINS!

[ProtectOurFreedom]

I spent about $5,000 at Best Buy and Magnolia (their captive high-end store-in-a-store) for a plasma TV, complete sound system, cables and power supply. Among my purchases was a $100 roll of flat wire to feed the rear speakers (it applies to the wall and is covered by paint). I instead fished wires through the attic, crawl space and walls and didn't need the roll of wire. By the time I finished my project, I was about 60 days from the purchase date of the wire. The bastards at Best Buy would not take it back. The young store manager was a Grade-A jerk and pointed out repeatedly that the return policy was on the back of the receipt. I still have the roll of wire (in case you are interested). Would I shop at BB again after this experience? No way in hell. Their failure to treat me well over a measly $100 has soured me forever on them.

[vox_freedom]

B&H usually has the lowest prices, often free shipping, and no taxes.
J&R is also a big favorite. Both have excellent customer service, and fast/safe shipping.

[freekitty]

I have to agree with you. Best Buy has a no like customer.

I go to a small local business now for camera stuff.