FREEBIES: retailers desperate to move LCD TVs

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David Neiger08 December 2008, 10:35 AM

And would you like a free notebook, Wii, second TV or holiday with your HDTV, sir?


In an effort to woo consumers to part with their Christmas cash, and as Mr Rudd would say, help save the Australian economy from going into recession, most of the major television manufacturers are offering some fairly good incentives to go to full HD.

The reason, according to industry sources, is that sales of full HD panels have dropped by 30% since the Beijing Olympics boom time. This is good news for purchasers because as well as the manufacturer’s incentives, retailers are prepared to reduce profit margins through discounts in order to make sales.

Craig Mackie, the General Manager of JB Hi-Fi told APC that “Full HD TV sales have slowed down since the largest sell in before the Olympics so to move inventory through the channel and focus on the full HD panel, a number of suppliers have offered incentive products to move the stock through.” Or to bluntly paraphrase, manufacturers are under the gun to convert TVs into cash.

According to Mackie, one of the best value propositions for purchasers is the Panasonic deal where you get a free Wii (worth around $400) with any Full HD Veira Plasma TV (which range in price from $2,549 to $12,999).

Not to be outdone, Samsung is offering an (almost) free BluRay player with selected models of their full HD LCD and Plasma TVs. Like many of these offers, the BDP-1500 is redeemed after you purchase your TV and pay the $30 administration and shipping fee. Full details are available here.

If neither a Wii nor a BluRay are your thing, how about a free TV? LG is offering a free 26” LCD TV (after you pay a $33 shipping and handling cost) with selected Scarlet and other LCD TVs. Based on LG’s previous performance with delivering free TVs, it could be a long wait to get your 26LG30D (non full HD) TV but then again a $33 TV may well be worth the wait. Full details are available Retravision catalogue), it would definitely pay to shop around.

Toshiba on the other hand are giving away a free Toshiba netbook with their Full HD TVs although based on APC reviews of the NB100 Toshiba may be stuck with warehouse of both TVs and NB100s. Full details are available here (PDF).

NEC obviously feel that their TVs are good enough to sell without much of an incentive so they are only giving away a free digital photo frame or DVD movies with their TVs. Details here.

Sony’s promotion however is potentially the most interesting although it takes some time to understand exactly what you are getting. Tying in with the James Bond film Quantum of Solace, we understand that you receive entries to a competition when you purchase a Sony product with the more expensive the product, the more entries you receive. The major prizes include one of seven 007 adventures (or $15,000 in cash to spend on your own adventure) as well as various daily prizes. We don’t fully understand but details are here.

According to Mackie, “Manufacturers are talking about price increases flowing through in the new year so pre-Christmas shopping will give you better value for your money.” Just in case you were thinking about a nice new Full HD TV for Christmas, these incentives may be just what you were waiting for.


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Raindog (Senior Forumologist):

"Wayne & Kev's Excellent Economic Experiment" - One day I'll understand how spending near half the nation's surplus, in a short lived, grab fest, of imported appliance purchase will be a revival for a stalled economy.

I'll wager a flat panel of any size that the $$$ will be all gone and the word recession will still be very much applicable post Christmas.

It's likely there will be a lot more purchase incentives attached to LCDs, Plasmas, cars and all manner of other, now hard to sell, consumer durables.




08 December 2008, 11:01 AM (11 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

McBanjo (User):

You obviously don't understand macroeconomics very well. If consumers aren't going to spend, then it's up to the government to spend. GDP is the sum of private investment, private consumption, government expenditure and net exports. So if private consumption goes down, along with investment, it's up to the government to balance the equation by spending to keep the GDP from falling. Doing this may also encourage private consumption and investment.

This is where an economically responsible government can prevent an occurrence like the Great Depression in the 1930s. There's no point in having a surplus if unemployment soars due to a lagging economy.

08 December 2008, 3:33 PM (11 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Raindog (Senior Forumologist):

Quoting McBanjo:
You obviously don't understand macroeconomics very well.

You obviously do not either know much about economics either, if you knew any less and you could call yourself an economist.

Spending for spending sake is not a healthy or credible way to prime an economy. Buying crud that someone other nation produces never made any nation wealthy or secure. How long before all those dollars vanish overseas forever?


Quoting McBanjo:
There's no point in having a surplus if unemployment soars due to a lagging economy.

And when you have a deficit and high unemployment and wonder where the surplus went, what then. We are in for at least least two years of recession at the very minimum, is a December spend fest going to cure that. Wayne & Kev's big clearance sale isn't going to achieve a thing.

Random handouts while stifling business is economically responsible government in your book, its clear you know nothing of economics in any form.




08 December 2008, 4:28 PM (11 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

McBanjo (User):

True, a lot of the money will go overseas. This is definitely taken into account by the government. But theoretically, over the long term, a nations exports equal its imports. The purpose of exports, generally, is to earn income to pay for imports. Read Adam Smith's "Wealth of Nations."

You also have to take into account that every item imported from overseas has the cost of Australia's retail attached to it. The labour, marketing and resources needed to sell goods locally are significant.

Then the idea that everyone will spend all their money only on imported goods is false. People will go on domestic holidays, buy locally made cars, pay for their kids' education etc. But what may be more significant is that people will do things like pay off their credit card debts. They'll start having the mentality that they aren't broke, and that they can spend their money on things again, raising consumer confidence and spending.

16 December 2008, 9:03 PM (11 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Your Average Joe (Senior member):

Whatever the motives and outcomes, it is a great time for consumers if you have ready cash. Getting my Honda Civic in 3 weeks at $6000 cheaper than it was 2 months ago ........ That's gotta put a smile on your dial :)

08 December 2008, 4:25 PM (11 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Raindog (Senior Forumologist):

Quoting Your Average Joe:
Getting my Honda Civic in 3 weeks at $6000 cheaper than it was 2 months ago ..

What was second prize? two Honda Civics? :P And yes I often smile at Honda Civics glad that I don't have to contemplate such compromises. :)


But you are right it's a good time for consumers, those with cash in hand at least. It usually is a good time for consumers when many have pulled out of the consumption race.

It's not such a great time to look for credit though. Enjoy it while it lasts, there is going to be a lot more closed signs appearing and the good buys will dry up with them.


08 December 2008, 4:40 PM (11 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

beersalot (New user):

i have to agree with you Mcbanjo and like normal Raindog completly misses the point

08 December 2008, 7:39 PM (11 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Raindog (Senior Forumologist):

Quoting beersalot:
i have to agree with you Mcbanjo and like normal

Your quite entitled to be wrong too. Perhaps a wager?


08 December 2008, 7:50 PM (11 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

beersalot (New user):

i wasnt wrong about internode and im not wrong about this, and please keep it on topic :)

08 December 2008, 8:08 PM (11 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Raindog (Senior Forumologist):

Quoting beersalot:
i wasnt wrong about internode

many would would disagree with you as would official statistics? Internode should have a capitalised "I" as the first letter by the way.



Quoting beersalot:
and im not wrong about this,

But I think you are? quite wrong. more to the point if you do not agree with a comment where is your reasoning for disagreement?


Quoting beersalot:
and please keep it on topic

Says the guy introducing Internode to a thread about prospective sales of consumer durables and the use of gifts as a buying motive. The only thing off topic is your introduction of sulking from another thread.


08 December 2008, 8:22 PM (11 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

beersalot (New user):

There is no need to have a cry,

paragraph this:

paragraph that:

paragraph and one for good measure:

i do like the way you put everything into little paragraphs

08 December 2008, 8:28 PM (11 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Raindog (Senior Forumologist):

Quoting beersalot:
There is no need to have a cry,

Indeed and also off topic?



Quoting beersalot:
i do like the way you put everything into little paragraphs

Glad you approve, now back to the topic at hand.


08 December 2008, 8:38 PM (11 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

katt (New user):

Well, Christmas is the best time for bargains. I always check Lasoo.com.au to check for instore bargains and for online coupons and bargains I go to http://www.TheBargainAvenue.com.au to keep me updated on daily bargains.. I am still waiting for Christmas 25th hoping for much bigger bargains..letsc

16 December 2008, 6:52 PM (11 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

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