1) Buying a television that’s too small – Sometimes we get blinded by a low price and end up picking up a television which ends up being too small for our space. When you’re trying to watch the big game and the players look like ants, you’ll only be sitting there wishing you bought the size you should have gotten in the first place.
2) Thinking warranties are all shams – If you buy a HDTV from a big brand like Sony, Panasonic, or Samsung you should be fine if you have any issues with the television. Parts are usually readily available, and technicians are versed in the brand making repairs faster and easier. Smaller budget brands don’t always have parts available and may require you to send the television to them or bring it to one of their authorized service centers.
3) Buying expensive cables – Spending $70 on a 6 ft. HDMI cable is insanity. Salespeople at retail stores make their money from these kinds of accessories. You may hear stories about gold plating making the quality better but you can usually save a lot by picking up cables from stores like Monoprice.com or Amazon.com
4) Forgetting to consider the future – If you’re the kind of person to hold onto their stuff for a while, don’t think that you’re better off just getting by. By buying a television with the features you want and think you’ll want later you’ll save having to compromise on other features. Also many television are available to be upgraded via firmware software updates. Other things like being 3D ready, or being able to upgrade from 720p to 1080p can’t be upgraded through software. By spending a little extra up front you save yourself some headache later.
5) Being unwilling to walk away from a store – Consider buying your HDTV to be the same kind of process you’d use if you wanted to buy a car. If you don’t like the store, their policies or the employee helping you. Walk out. This is a big ticket purchase and if you aren’t happy while you’re there you don’t have a good chance of satisfaction if you ever run into any problems.
6) Forgetting to pricematch – While most stores have a pricematching policy against their competitors, the same policy also holds true for their own store and website. Once you’ve bought your teleivision check out the circulars for your local stores to make sure you don’t pass up on an opportunity to save. By following this rule I was able to save $200 on a television purchase.
7) Not haggling – Everything is negotiable. While it’s true that salespeople at Best Buy may not be paid a commission that doesn’t mean that other stores are like that. Also, if you’re buying a lot at the same time don’t be ashamed to ask if there’s an opportunity to save more because you’re buying your HDTV and accessories together. Stores would gladly take $15 off to make you feel like you got a deal and hope that you don’t come back looking for a pricematch or just return everything altogether.
By using these tips, you can make sure that you’re not just buying a television, but you’ll ensure that you’re investing in your entertainment.
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