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General discussion

INTERNET PLASMA DEALERS !

Apr 6, 2005 5:16AM PDT

Hi,
I would like to know if it is safe to buy a plasma tv (pioneer pdp 5050hd) from one of the online dealers such as beachcamera.com, us1camera.com, or pricemad.com. I talked to Pioneer this morning and they said their warranty will be void if anyone buys Pioneer plasmas from UNAUTHORIZED internet dealers. Buying from an authorized dealer costs more ! Any advice....?

Discussion is locked

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Look out below.
Apr 6, 2005 6:19AM PDT

In this forum is a member that has a failure and the repair costs are over 1/2 the new product.

-> About the warranty. If you don't want it, then your choice. Just don't complain if it fails.

Bob

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thanks
Apr 7, 2005 12:14AM PDT

Thanks for your prompt response...but I am still amazed as to how many people buy plasmas from unauthorized dealers that they go out of stock in a day or two ! The reason I started this discussion is to know how people feel after their purchase of plasma knowing that they have taken some risk...

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They scream later.
Apr 7, 2005 12:21AM PDT

You'll only hear about it when the failure occurs.

And I'm starting to read more posts as time passes and these sets age and fail. Outside of warranty the repair costs are in a word "staggering". Where your average TV is now tossed and you head to wallymart for another, the service for your flatscreen is fixed in costs with just a few boards and the display itself that can be exchanged.

It may take some years for consumers to figure out that they should keep the unit under warranty for 5 years.

In fact, do you recall the stink over warranty of color TVs a few decades ago?

History does repeat itself.

Bob

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Two words to remember: Gray Market
Apr 7, 2005 5:34AM PDT

Very common with electronics. If you're shopping on the Internet, make sure the site explicitly states that the product is covered by a USA warranty. If it doesn't, move on. The few bucks you'll save may not be worth it.

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a lie ???
Apr 7, 2005 7:33AM PDT

Thanks guys...you make me feel comfortable buying my plasma through an authorized dealer and avoid buying it from an unauthorized one. I don't know about other companies but pioneer requires you to buy their plasmas from authorized dealers for any warranty to be valid.

Note that a lot of internet dealers also lied to me that they are pioneer AUTHORIZED dealers but later when I checked with pioneer, they were not !! So people, do not haste in making purchases like this...take your own time and think technology can only offer better...thanks guys.

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where do they get their tv's from?
Apr 9, 2005 1:55PM PDT

unauthorized dealers that is. thats what i want to know? does pioneeer not sell to them? pioneer sets the cost of there tv's correct?

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i'm not sure where they get them from ?
Apr 11, 2005 2:25AM PDT

I don't know where unauthorized dealers get their plasmas from...? Somebody told me that they get them from backdoors of stores like bestbuy, ckt city !! Difficult to believe but may be true since they order in bulk and since bestbuy and ckt city are what they call "brick and mortar" stores, they can't afford to sell plasmas as cheap as those unauthorized dealers...but they (bb,ckt city) must be making lot of money if they sell plasmas backdoor to unauthorized dealers...I am not sure what is the truth though...

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Gray market goods....
Apr 11, 2005 11:43PM PDT

....are items manufactured for sale outside the US. Unauthorized dealers buy them up and then sell them IN the US for less money than you'd pay for the US versions (the products may in fact be slightly different). The manufacturer's warranty only applies to the country or countries in which the item was intended to be sold, which means that if you buy a gray market plasma and it dies two months after you get it, you're SOL.

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where they come from
Jun 30, 2005 2:55PM PDT

Out of the country is only a part of the battle. The small dealers dump excess inventory. Refurbs and 2nds. USA warranty as a term means nothing. There is actually a company called USA Warranty, they sell coverage for gear. Pioneer does set a suggested price, they just don't want their gear dumped out there by anyone.

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Just Purchased on Internet
May 4, 2005 4:55AM PDT

After reviewing Pioneer's authorized dealers list I contacted 3 and asked for quotes on the DPD5050HDTV and DV558A DVD player. Two responded immediately with only one being able to supple a DVD player. The quote with free shipping was better than $2,000 off of Circuit City and Best Buy. After my order I was contacted by the dealer who said that the DV558A DVD recorder had been replaced by the DV588A-S player which cost more but he would absorb the increase. I offered to pay half the difference. I also purchased the 5 year extended warranty for what I think is a good price. So far I am pleased with the Pioneer authorized internet dealers, but I will let you know what happens after I receive the units if anyone is interested.

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Which online dealer did you get it from?
Jun 29, 2005 3:47PM PDT

Noney,

I am also interested in getting this. By any chance, can you let me know which store you got it from?

Thanks,
_rl_

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us1camera.com
Jul 9, 2005 1:24PM PDT

Make absolutely sure you don't buy from us1camera. I paid $8,000 for a 50" Pioneer Elite Plasma last year. It took weeks to arrive. After signing for it and sending the delivery guy on his way I opened the box. Guess what??? The main screen was shattered (the delivery box had no visible damage). When I called us1 camera they told me "it wasn't their problem." - What??? I fought with them for months. I called them repeatedly to no avail. To this day nothing has been resolved. I finally had to bite the bullet and buy another one from a local dealer. Does anyone want to buy a 50" Elite with a shattered screen for cheap. us1camera.com is a bad choice. Be very careful.