amazing all the bullsh** out there!

So we've been saving money to buy a new tv for about 2 yrs now. we've had the money several times but right when we were about to go forward with the purchase something else came up that we had to spend the money on. so now it FINALLY looks like it is really going to happen. therefore we started seriously trying to pinpoint the exact TV and the accessories we would need.

this is when I learned how badly the average consumer is getting screwed everyday by the bigbox stores and by corporate america in general. this is just another example of the bullshi** out there that is totally unregulated and no oversight. ALL in the name of capitalism and free market economy. in the past I would have not really cared b/c it is not my business or my money but I realize that now I DO care and I hate knowing that so money people are fooled into wasting their hard-earned cash.

where do I begin??

the prices for all new tv's are quite variable and there are so many brands-so how do you know which is the best deal? Bill & I decided to take a multifactorial approach to this. we looked in the consumer reports magazine and on cnet and pcworld and epinions and asked friends and family. the consensus was that tried and true name brands are best for reliability and also you probably want to buy brands that have had several generations of plasma or lcd tv's in the market.

OK that is easy enough now things get irritating. so then we asked-should we buy from local store or internet?? this choice was pretty when it came to prices-the internet! on average the prices on the web ranged from $200-600 less than circuit city or best buy or even Sam's AND if you buy online then you pay NO TAXES and many places like tigerdirect offer FREE SHIPPING and this saves alot more money b/c sales taxes on $1K+ item are pricey. of course the big stores don't tell you this b/c they want you to think it is safer and easier to pay more to buy from them.

then the big stores will tell you to buy their installation services to mount your TV and program your remote and this is like $400-700. I'm not kidding. IT IS laughable! they claim that if you mount the tv on the wall yourself then you will void the warranty. THIS IS TOTAL CRAP! a lie to get you to pay the install fees. this is part of how those big stores make their money. a total fear-mongering scam. check out this link for some people's advice and experiences with this.

also all places that sell these expensive TV's also offer extended warranties (online or bigbox stores) and these are anywhere from $150-700 for an additional year or 2 beyond the manu warranty. if it is not too expensive and the warranty actually covers a bunch of stuff then it is probably a good idea. but if it is like $500 you would want to make sure the warranty is not prorated and it comes from a company that is likey to still be in business in a few years (probabl NOT an online store).
overall these extended warranties are just another example of how big box stores make money off other people's anxieties (they even offer these warranties for a $30 coffee maker!! hahah). sometime "insurance" is a good idea or a necessity. in this case it is probably a waste of $. first of all, almost all NEW LCD TV's come with a 1 yr manufacturers warranty. then if you buy the TV with your credit card then you can be covered by your credit card company's additional 1 yr warranty that most credit cards offer (eg we have Capital One). so now you have 24 mo warranty (FREE). NO store, online or in person is going to mention this to you-you have to figure this out on your own. this is one of the ways all stores that sell high tech equipment make money. in addition, most of the reputable brands of LCD TV's have less than a 1-3% chance of repair in the first 3 yrs. it is probably a better deal to use the money you would have spent on the extended warranty to buy an expesnive surge protector or something like that for the TV. or put the money in the bank or in stocks and by the time your TV breaks you will have earned enough in interest to pay for the repairs.
obviously some peopel think these warranties are a good idea. so here are some links to different opinions.
pros/cons

opinion article
another opinion
good article

lastly the stupid cables!!!! the bigbox stores will try to sell you "monster" HDMI cables for like $50-300 each! what a joke. check out this link to see how this is totally pricegouging. the EXACT same cable can be found at radioshack or online for like $10-30. and there really is not difference. this is just another way that these big stores make their money using fear-mongering off unassuming customers. first of all for digital signals, the size and quality of your cable does not matter at all!!! digital signals either get thru or they don't and that is it! for analog, cable quality does matter but not enough to rationalize buyign a $200 cable!!! good god!.

so basically I was able to come to these conclusions with the help of my friend the internet. if I did not have the time or access to the internet or if I did not know how to search for information I would definitely get screwed on buying my new TV and would spend more money than necessary. I am always surprised how many people are really bad at info gathering and searching. i always try to teach my friends and family how to use the internet better to find info but I never know if it really helps or not.