On 3/28, the LA Times published a story about now being the “primte time” to buy a television. Sadly, they’re wrong. It’s true that newer televisions are being made available but the sales being offered on televisions just aren’t as good as they used to be.

For a moment, let’s think that HDTVs are more like cars.  When the 2010 cars start showing up on the dealer lots, people think that’s the best time to buy but the prices will get better.  Since the new product has the improved features, they are what get shown to customers looking to purchase.  All the while, the older product is just sitting.  At some point, the manufacturer makes a decision to cut prices on the older models because they can’t have their so much old inventory still available for sale when they’re trying to push the new product.

Over the course of this week, new televisions just started becoming available with other televisions shipping in early and mid April.  This means that it will take until Memorial Day before the really good deals show on the shelves.  A lot could change over the next six weeks but after looking at the trends it appears that you’d be better off waiting until the weekend before Memorial Day.

Right now, the pricing between older HDTVs and new ones are too close.  Soon enough prices at Big Lots, BrandsMart, and other retailers will look a lot like the way they were around the Super Bowl

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