Best time of year to buy TVs

Forums › Home Theatre (including HTPC and EPG Collector) › Best time of year to buy TVs

bobert

11 posts

Geek

#91719 19-Oct-2011 22:28

Whats the best time of year to buy TVs?
I've read that in America february & march is the best as new years model stock comes in at that time.
Is there a similar time of the year for NZ?

Ta

1 | 2

20164 posts

Uber Geek

#535380 19-Oct-2011 23:11

bobert: Whats the best time of year to buy TVs?
I've read that in America february & march is the best as new years model stock comes in at that time.
Is there a similar time of the year for NZ?

Ta

But often the price of those models drop over time. Now isn't a bad time if you can get 20% off in a sale, or the boxing day sales.

Dunnersfella

4086 posts

Uber Geek

#535475 20-Oct-2011 10:16

It's only a good deal if you get the right product...
The problem I've always had when buying at the end of the season, is that I'm instantly attracted (like a moth to a flame) to the brand new models. Nothing worse than buying something and thinking 'oooh that new one is sooo much shinier'!

E3xtc

773 posts

Ultimate Geek

#535512 20-Oct-2011 11:08

I agree with Dunnersfella; best time to buy technology is always going to be tommorrow - due to some new feature, design, etc. Just need to pickup both feet and jump straight in :)
Asides from that, in the current climate there will always be at least one retailer ready to drop their pants to sell you something :)

ilovemusic

1439 posts

Uber Geek

#535515 20-Oct-2011 11:12

These days so many products are so half-baked that the early buyer gets the bonus of running the company's in field testing.

lol

B1GGLZ

1961 posts

Uber Geek

#535523 20-Oct-2011 11:21

bobert: Whats the best time of year to buy TVs?

There's no best time of year IMO.
Just keep watching for the Sales and bargains and be prepared to do some hard negotiating for discounts for cash.
Holiday weekends are as good a time as any.
Also note that new models are about 20 - 25% or more cheaper after 6 - 9 months.
e.g. My Panasonic Blu Ray recorder was $2000 when released and I got it for $770 in April just before the new model appeared. The new model is already reduced in price after a few weeks.

sbiddle

30853 posts

Uber Geek

Retired Mod

Trusted

Biddle Corp

Lifetime subscriber

#535526 20-Oct-2011 11:24

Forget buying when there is a "deal" on, thsi simply means they're dropping prices to what they should be.

If you're not haggling with staff over any big ticket item you will get ripped off these days, and you'll potentially get better deals at times when it's quiet.

robjg63

4098 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#535528 20-Oct-2011 11:27

Honestly? Best time?

Next month ... in 6 months time etc - the price on these items doesnt seem to be going up.
The market seems pretty competitive so you just need to watch and wait. But you might well find its cheaper somewhere else later - you just have to live with that....

That said - Boxing day/Long weekends often cause the retailers to give some particularly good deals.

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler

Sharesies

Trade NZ and US shares and funds with Sharesies (affiliate link).

vexxxboy

4244 posts

Uber Geek

#535531 20-Oct-2011 11:40

also keep an eye on the NZ$, if it starts dropping dramatically then Electronics will start rising in price

Common sense is not as common as you think.

timmmay

20583 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#535534 20-Oct-2011 11:45

You usually get a good discount in the sales over long weekends, like this weekend.

clevedon

1059 posts

Uber Geek

#535544 20-Oct-2011 11:59

sbiddle: Forget buying when there is a "deal" on, thsi simply means they're dropping prices to what they should be.

If you're not haggling with staff over any big ticket item you will get ripped off these days, and you'll potentially get better deals at times when it's quiet.

I agree, I go big ticket item shopping with cash when it's slow in retail.

Regs

4066 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Snowflake

#535617 20-Oct-2011 14:30

last week DSE had 43" samsung full hd plasmas for $700 and sony bravia 40" full hd lcds for $800. seemed like as good a time as any to buy one.

in NZ our prices are heavily affected by the strength of the NZ dollar, and the price of oil. more so than end of line/end of season. you could wait till end of season, or model runout, but if the dollar moved a few cents against the US, then the price of a TV could go up by several percent.

the best time to buy a TV is, really, when you need one and when you can afford one....

Sales Engineer
Snowflake
www.snowflake.com

about.me/nzregs
Twitter: @nzregs

Dunnersfella

4086 posts

Uber Geek

#535898 20-Oct-2011 23:39

Um... Samsung don't make a full HD plasma TV...
From what I understand, most importers won't put themselves at the mercy of the US dollar to the extent that we think they do. Some will buy in Yen, and while ordering 3 months in advance, price rises / drops won't immediately follow international currency trends.

I guess, the biggest difference in prices would come around at the end of the month if the sales person is desperate to hit their target. Of course, if the sales person isn't good enough to hit their target, then maybe they're not good enough to help you get the best product / don't have a good rep?

bfginger

1269 posts

Uber Geek

#535911 21-Oct-2011 00:15

I think you meant to say Samsung don't make a Full HD plasma under 50". Only Panasonic do, and I think they might give up on making quality 42" plasmas next year with their push into LCDs.

timmmay

20583 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#535954 21-Oct-2011 08:08

Dunnersfella: Um... Samsung don't make a full HD plasma TV...
From what I understand, most importers won't put themselves at the mercy of the US dollar to the extent that we think they do. Some will buy in Yen, and while ordering 3 months in advance, price rises / drops won't immediately follow international currency trends.

I guess, the biggest difference in prices would come around at the end of the month if the sales person is desperate to hit their target. Of course, if the sales person isn't good enough to hit their target, then maybe they're not good enough to help you get the best product / don't have a good rep?

I had a 50" Samsung 3D full HD Plasma last year, until I exchanged it for an LCD.

Dunnersfella

4086 posts

Uber Geek

#536320 21-Oct-2011 23:04

Oooops - I did mean to say that Samsung don't make a sub-50" plasma that's full HD.
I do doubt Panasonic will concentrate on LCD technology in the near future. They've always said they're a plasma company through and through.

1 | 2