All About Plasma Televisions: A Buyer's Guide
Where should you go to buy your plasma or flat screen
TV?
If you go with a traditional, "brick and
mortar" retailer, remember to shop around-not just
for the best prices but also for the best equipment.
While established retailers are almost always authorized
dealers of what they sell (which ensures the manufacturer's
warranty will be upheld) and have more lenient return
policies (restocking charges notwithstanding), they
usually have a vested interest in which brand of TV
they sell you. Many of the chain stores like Best Buy
and Circuit City tend to push one manufacturer's products
over another's based on issues totally unrelated to
the merits of the products themselves. Some manufacturers
offer incentives, or threaten to withhold merchandise,
to achieve higher sales volumes. All of which means
the big retailers do pretty much what the manufacturers
tell them to do with-and say about-their products.
There are essentially two types of retailers selling
high-end television sets. They differ in terms of price
structure and technical know-how.
On the one hand, you have the "big box" retailer,
which are the ones with the best prices and the worst
service. Their employees are poorly qualified and poorly
compensated. These retailers generally appeal to price-driven
consumers.
The smaller home theater stores and middle-sized specialty
chains, on the other hand, tend to be long on know-how
and short on price-breaks. Their salespeople know the
products they sell fairly well-sometimes really well.
You'll typically find a bit better equipment at these
stores as well as more diversity in makes and models
of TVs. But, all this comes with a price: You'll probably
pay more for your plasma display at these stores. Just
know that you're paying more for merchandise that will
last and comes recommended by someone who knows something
about it.
Regardless of which type of retailer you go with,
the principle advantage of going with a traditional
retailer is this: You get a chance to see-and watch-what
you're buying before you actually buy
it.
If you go with an online dealer, expect to
pay MUCH less for your TV-and to do some pretty extensive
homework beforehand. We have all heard tales
of online transactions gone wrong, where unsuspecting
customers get stuck with defective, damaged, or otherwise
sub par merchandise. If they are left with anything
at all, that is.
There is a wide range of quality and professionalism
among the electronics dealers you'll find online, so
you need to check them out before you even think about
doing business with them. Looks can be deceiving. A
professional-looking website is a good sign, but it's
no real insurance against an eventual case of buyer's
remorse. Nor is paying with a credit card. Credit card
companies can only protect you to a point. Ultimately,
you are bound to the dealer's sales and returns policies.
Generally, you're looking for an established, specialized
electronics vendor that can give you a good price and
good service/support.
When buying your plasma display from an online dealer,
be sure to get someone on the phone so that you can
do some investigating.
- Find out if the company you're dealing with
is an Authorized Dealer of the TV you're thinking
about purchasing. Most Internet e-tailers
are not authorized, which makes ones that are stand
way out from the rest of the pack. Getting authorization
to sell a given manufacturer's products is no easy
process. Dealers have to meet some fairly stringent
standards. Manufacturers usually require their dealers
to offer technical support through a service center
of some sort. In almost all instances, they will also
require dealers to have a showroom for the product
and a warehouse for the stock.
Internet companies that are not authorized
retailers of the electronics they sell normally do
nothing more than drop ship those products from distributors
or other dealers. All of which means they have no
way of replacing defective merchandise, getting spare
parts, or handling returns. Nor can such dealers guarantee
that the TV you get will be new, unopened, or unused.
- Ask, "What if...?" Imagine
everything that could go wrong, and then ask a sales
representative how his or her company would handle
the situation. What if the unit you receive is defective?
What if your display goes bad after six moths? How
can he or she guarantee you that your television will
be repaired?
- Find out where they're located.
Check the physical address of the company, and exclude
those listing P.O. boxes or foreign countries as their
addresses. You should also verify any address information
with the Better Business Bureau (if the BBB insignia
is posted on the website). Why? Because, if a dispute
should arise, you need to be able to contact the company
in writing.
- Determine whether they stock the products
they sell. Many companies will claim to have
a physical location, when they are really home- or
apartment-based operations with little or no control
over what happens once the transaction has been made.
Always try to purchase from a dealer that buys direct
from the manufacturer and stocks inventory.
- Ask whether they have corporate clients.
If a vendor services other businesses, chances are,
they're legitimate. You might also consider phoning
some of these clients to confirm their references.
- Ask some technical questions about the products
they sell. Make sure these people are competent
enough to give you some after-purchase technical assistance
should you need it.
- Get the low-down on the warranty.
Inquire into the specifics of the dealer's return
policy. It should give you one month's time to have
any defective unit replaced at the seller's expense
(shipping charges included).
You should also expect to pay some reasonable
shipping fees. "Super saver" shipping
is fine for books. But shipping a plasma television
via the cheapest method possible will almost certainly
turn into a major hassle down the road. In most cases,
the costs of shipping are offset by the money you save
by not having to pay sales tax on the purchase price
of your plasma unit.
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