It could appear at first glance to be a hot deal but it is not in my opinion. Why not? I was at 2 local Costco's earlier today to look at TVs, and guess what? Neither Costco I went to near by had any of these online only TV deals they keep offering for the last few months in stock or even a display only TV for customers to view. If I can not see it in the store and at least compare it with other models, why would I then want some online only deal and risk having to lug it back to the store for a refund if I am not satisfied? If you happen to be one of the few who finds one of these online only models in a store to compare or buy, lucky you.
The over hyped extra year warranty is also just another membership marketing ploy, too, and not really a great deal at all. A lot of charge cards, which they convieniently do not take, add additional warranties to purchases. So they are actually screwing you out of using another credit card for an added warranty in the first place. Additionally, you can get longer extended warranties that cover 3 to 5 years online starting at only $150 or so, depending on how much you decide to spend on the TV. So for the amount they charge you for shipping, like 100 bucks average, you can spend a few dollars more and turn that into a much longer bought warranty than the 2 years they offer, if you can get a free shipping deal elsewhere. And as far as having 90 days to return it, even Walmart offers the same deal, and no membership fees.
Also, as noted above, Costco will not take any charge card unless it is their private Costco charge card or an AMEX card. I guess that exclusive AMEX deal Costco has and offers to members actually costs members more than if they just took anyones charge cards, like Discover, Visa, or Mastercard. What a scam. I got a wallet full of charge cards Costco will refuse to take on any purchase. If they are too stupid to take my credit, I will not buy there. And I refuse to pay Costco or AMEX a yearly service fee on their credit, too. Just another scam. None of the charge cards I have charge a yearly or annual "service fee" for their use.
And let's not forget the sales tax thing, which if your state has one, may make you end up spending hundreds more on the so-called great price they offer you online. In my state, Amazon charges no sales tax, for instance.
Also, I saw a lot of items at Costco were actually higher than Walmart on comparable items, especially food. Even Sam's club had many items, from DVDs to food priced higher than Walmart. Like I am going to spend $50 for a membership to buy in bulk and be charged more at Sam's club or Costco than for the same items at Walmart with no membership fee. I guess the corporate buyers at Sams's club do not bother checking prices at Walmart before they scam members out of their cash on nearly every item I saw.
And not to mention the added joy of having some shipping company dump a broken TV at your door, then having to either lug it back to Costco or send it back with the shipper for a replacement, since you can not find these online special TVs in most stores.
Oh, yea, one more thing. Neither Costco I went to offered any Scepter TV what so ever of any model in store. What does that tell you about Scepter if they offer none of them in the store? It is not exactly a highly regarded brand from the various reviews I have read. Well, at least you got that extra year warranty for the $50 membership. You will likely need it.
That so-called $300 savings on this TV is now actually not looking so much like $300 dollars off all the sudden, is it?
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