Buying TV's online..... is it safe and whos done it?

[Old_School]

In in the market of buying a 40" LCD Samsung TV and went to Best Buy, Circuit City, and the like. The cost was a little too much for what I wanted to pay for a tV. So I went online and found them a ton cheaper. But I'm kinda gun shy after reading some of the reviews. I kept reading "bait and switch" and item was never shipped. Has anyone bought a tv online from a reputable dealer? If so what was the site. Thanks. This is my first flat panel I ever bought. I still have the old school tube style tvs. -Mark

[UncleRico]

I need to hook you up with my man "Ashy Larry".

Shakes is a guy who comes around the neighborhood. He's got previously owned merchandise, name brand...and for some strange reason..everything he sells is the same price...$20.00


I bought a blender for $20.00, a microwave for $20.00, and a 60" Sony Vega with High Def for $20.00

And they all work great.

The other place you can check for a good price on a TV is that Barber Shop on MLK. They always have good deals...plus all the latest BOOTLEG DVD's to go along with it.

[Loven It]

Old_School  -

I do this for a living. I work in freight forwarding and 2 of my accounts are TV's. I do the shipping part of it. I used to ship mostly 40" and bigger Plasmas, LCD, FLat Screen. The company we used to ship for is PCMall.com and Ecost.com they are strictly internet companies and usually have a pretty good deal. They also have a bit of re-furbished sets cheaper. No one ever complained about the quality on the refurbs. Their warehouse is located in Memphis, TN. Once you place an order with them it is processed the next day for shipping. It is guaranteed to make it to you in 7 days from the day it ships. As far as I know (we don't do any work with them anymore) they are still using major trucking companies not UPS,Fed-ex. They are shipped out via Forward Air (plane if you didn't know) to the closest major metroploitian city. Florida either being Orlando (MCO) or Tampa (TPA). Once it is recieved at the airport you will be notifed no later than 3 days to set up for delivery. They do not provide unpacking services last I knew so that the trucking agent was not responsible for damages, but we always waited on site to make sure there were no damages. In the 700 orders I processed for them 5 of them made it to the customer damaged, which resulted in a turn around of about 14 days before the product was received.

Sorry this was so long, I wanted to give you all sides and how the process works. Hope this helps! If I can help ya any more let me know.

http://www.ecost.com/ecost/ecsplash/default_new.asp
http://www.pcmall.com/

One last thing...thier customer service reps are not the best to deal with, but for the most part it is all over the internet.

[cheropride]

Be VERY CAREFULL ON-LINE.  Follow your gut....  Sometimes it's just a matter of getting your credit card number and basically your done.

Check out your discount/local stores, like K-Mart, WalMart, Target.  I bought my son's Flat Panel 20" (awesome TV), $40.00 at K-Mart, it was the last floor model.  Great TV no Problems and Awesome Price.  Shop around.  Good luck.

Sounds like too, people here can find you some great deals too.

[Old_School]

Thanks all. I am skeptic in giving my credit card to them. While I was reading some of the reviews a lot of them said that they are disputing it with the credit card company. They're main lie was that it's in stock and that it has shipped. But if those prices are legit it almost seems worth the risk. I tried Walmart, Target, Sears, Best Buy, Circuit City, and Costco. I wanted a 40" LCD flat panel under 1700$ which I don't think is gonna happen and if I do find it I fear the quality is gonna be in the chitter. 

Loven it- I'm gonna go on those sites you mentioned. Thanks. -Mark

[cheropride]

Hey Mark,

Just curious, whats the website? 

Also do they accept paypal?

Look to see what state they are and see if there are any complaints with the BBB Better Business Bureau....

Good luck..

Remember what your mama always said, if sounds to good to be true, it is....

[Old_School]

Cheropride- you're probably right. All the killer deals are all coming from Brooklyn, NY or somewhere in NY.  I checked the BBB and alot of the sites fall under one main internet site. But the bad thing is that alot of them had complaints filed on the BBB. I was looking and found a few TV's on ebay that were good brands at a reasonable price. I feel safer going through fleabay that going through some website. It's funny the one I want Best Buys has it for 2700$ and on the internet it goes for 1700$. WTF?
-Mark

[Loven It]

Hey Mark -

Did you look at Ecost and PCMall. I know their website says something different about wether it is in stock or not, but I know for a fact they are not and are in Memphis as I explained in my first post.

After contact due to my job with the owners of  both the companies I mentioned the reason the same set that goes for $2800.00 that you find on line for $1700.00 is because they are refurbished. Most of the companies DO NOT ADVERTISE to the customer that they are refurbished and people think you get an awsome deal because you don't know they are refurbished. Ebay is famous for that espically if it claims it is new. I spent several months working with the 2 companies I recommened, that is why I am suggesting them. If I were purchasing what you are looking for I would use them either one of them. Espically since I talked to the customers on a daily basis to set up deliveries and called to confirm what they received was ok and they were happy with the product.

Pm me if you decide to use one of the ones I mentioned...

[cheropride]

Have you also checked www.overstock.com, I would imagine they are legit, see them advertise on TV all the time.  Click on the link below, saw some TV - looks like some pretty good deals.  check out, also try Lovenit's info.

http://overstock.com/cgi-bin/d2.cgi?PAGE=CATLIST&PRO_SUB_CAT=2171&PRO_SSUB_CAT=999

Goodluck-Becky

lol - great - I don't even need a TV, but now you got me looking, thinking to myself, wow - that's pretty good deal.....

PS - Like Lovenit said some are New and some Reconditioned.  See bottom.  If you get a Reconditioned, perhaps get the extended warranty. Just my advise.  Now I'm going to go and see what else I can find on this site - lol

[Loven It]

I don't know why I forgot about this. You can go to all the rental centers and get one. Every time they rent one out and have to go pick it back up for non payment, what the customer has already paid is deducted off the total buy cost. Heres an example. After Super bowl (I know its kinda far away) but they rent most of thier big screens out and they rent for the entire weekend. Well once it goes back if it was like 300 for the weekend plus it has been rented previously say for 1yr and they paid 900.00 into it thats already 1200.00 someone else has paid into it and you owe whats left. Sometimes you can find really good deals. When we picked one up there was already roughly 1000.00 paid into it and we just owed what was left. Check that option out too, plus they have an extended warranty. When ours broke - forgot what happend, they had someone come get the part and bring it back the next day.

So thats an option too and you can get it cheaper than the stores!

[Paul_S]

Here Dude try this link.

They are only selling these tv's today: http://www.woot.com/