Rip Off - Best Buy, Circuit City etc.

[HSK]

Read a little, and you’ll figure out how to save a huge chunk off your bottom line.

Its a little trick I used last week, albeit it only saved me an additional $50 on a camera.

It’s not full proof, but a patient consumer can save bundles of cash.

When asked if you want the insurance, the five-year plan or the two-year plan, ask about the five-year. I know that can seem like the opposite of what we want to accomplish here, which is to save money. But when the electronics rep delivers his pitch on how fantastically thorough the five-year plan is, detailing the useless protections against this and that, tell him that sounds like the plan you need. Actually, go ahead and ask if there is an even longer, more expensive plan.

At this point, you’ll need to ask the price of such a fantastic plan, which turns out, is fantastically expensive. Here’s where we launch a counterattack of craftiness against this salesperson’s pitch. What he can’t do is lower the price of the store’s insurance policy. What he can do is lower the price of the television set. Yep. You read right. Salespeople can and will lower the price on inventory at places like Circuit City and Best Buy as long as it pleases management. This is called illegal bundling and it happens all the time. And yet the pressure of gaining ‘cheese’ from in-store warranties is great enough to trickle all the way down the standard operating platform. A supervisor is wide open to lowering the price of a product on one condition only. You get the extended warranty.

Well that’s nice, you say. But I don’t want the insurance, what about saving money?

Hopefully by this time you have talked either the rep or his supervisor into lowering the price substantially on the product itself. The bigger the service plan you want, the more ‘cheese’ for them, and the bigger the discount for you. When the rep wheels out your brand new big screen, they’ll carry out a carbon copy form. This is the insurance plan for you to fill out at the front desk. That’s right, not right then and there in front of the sales rep, but at the front desk, where a line of other customers stand.

We’re going to have a quick change of heart when we get to that cashier at that register. Simply tell the cashier handling your purchase, “You know, I think I’m going to hold off on the ten-year plan for now. Could I purchase it later if I decide to?” To which they’ll reply, “Of course. You have thirty days to change your mind.”

And there you have it: A major discount, should you suddenly change your mind about the warranty.

Link = HugeDomains.com

You can also chose to return the warranty within 30 days.

[PakistaniAbroad]

Re: Rip Off - Best Buy, Circuit City etc.

actually it's better to get the plan and then cancel it later on. otherwise some manager could object that the discount goes with the purchase of the plan etc etc.. IF you CAN get a lower price.. do it and cancel the warranty later at your liesure.

[smooth_guy]

Re: Rip Off - Best Buy, Circuit City etc.

I just purchased a LCD TV from Best Buy. I wanted to ask whether to go with the 4 year warrentee or not. I have got it for $300 with some discount, but does it really required with LCD TVs from big brands? Have you heard about any LCD 40"+ breaking down?

[PakistaniAbroad]

Re: Rip Off - Best Buy, Circuit City etc.

it's Electronics.. it does go bad.. but it will do so within the first few months if at all.. and most manufacturers have at least a three month labor and one year parts warranty

[TofiBaba]

Re: Rip Off - Best Buy, Circuit City etc.

Go with Vizio if u can, they have a 1 yr on-site warranty doesn't matter what happens. But I think they're only available at Costco.

[_MuNiYa]

Re: Rip Off - Best Buy, Circuit City etc.

thats so coniving though.

:(

[Spock]

Re: Rip Off - Best Buy, Circuit City etc.

@PakistaniAbroad

it's Electronics.. it does go bad.. but it will do so within the first few months if at all.. and most manufacturers have at least a three month labor and one year parts warranty

Thats a very generalized statement, trust me... They can go bad, anytime, it all depends the way the circuitory is designed. Most big shots, panasonic, sony etc are amazing when it comes to designing their power supplies, its an art really, and theres adequate protection, which is why their products are very realiable, so s_g, if you have a good brand, you can save money, but then again if its not much, just get the warranty, it gives u peace of mind too.