Could Dell be the best deal on TVs and electronics?
If you haven’t thought about Dell for your electronics purchases, you should. You probably knew they offered electronics, but didn’t think they would compete on price. I was in the market for a Samsung TV and found out their prices are pretty much controlled for all authorized dealers. Dell advertises the same regular or controlled sales price, but will kick in eGift cards to give you an effective deal others can’t match. These are gift cards you can only use at Dell and there is a 90 day expiration. It isn’t as if you are getting a cash discount, but if you are able to use the card, it is a significant savings over the competition and you aren’t paying any more for the TV. You can save anywhere from $50 to $400 in future Dell purchases.
Last November I was able to purchase a 60” Samsung HD TV. I paid the same sale price ($700) that Best Buy and others were advertising, but received $200 in a Dell eGift card. The card came in a couple of weeks and I was able to purchase a Dell mini PC with my gift card. I thought these deals would end after the Christmas sales did, but Dell has kept them going. Dell is currently selling a few Samsung TVs at prices nearly the same as Amazon, BestBuy and other retail and On-line merchants, but with a $100 to $150 bonus. Dell offers other brands as well. Take a look at a couple of current eGift Card deals to see for yourself.
Samsung 32” 5205 – $249 plus $100 Dell eGift Card
LG 60” UF7690 – $1299 plus $400 Dell eGift Card
Dell doesn’t advertise these promo deals very well. Even after I found the TV that I was searching for, I had to add it to my cart before I saw that it did in fact come with the eGift card included.
Not Just Electronics
Dell offers competitive prices on other electronics, video games and more. DSLR, Video and Point and Shoot cameras are similarly priced to Amazon and others and Dell does offer a price matching on most categories on the Web site.
Dell’s eGift Cards are not exclusive to TVs either. Right now you can get $200 toward a future Dell purchase on an Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 3600e home theater projector. The Epson PowerLite lists for the same price on Amazon, but doesn’t come with the extra eGift Card.
Video game pre-orders at Dell, in most cases, cost the same as they do on Amazon too, but those deals are often sweetened with $25 gift cards on a $60 game. It isn’t always easy to find these deals on the Dell Web site. I knew the video game special with the gift cards was available, but it took me a while to navigate to where they are on the site. This will hurt Dell’s attempt to compete with bigger electronics competitors with more nimble navigation, but these deals will be worth the effort if you get used to using the site.
More Dell Bonuses – Dell Advantage Rewards
After every purchase Dell Advantage customers (registration is free) can receive 5% back on a future purchase at Dell.com similar to the eGift card above, but it comes in the form of a promo code you will get in an email. This promo code will arrive in 10-20 days after the purchase, similar to the eGift card. Remember that TV I purchased for $700 back in November? In addition to the $200 eGift card I was able to get 5% more back from Dell.
You will get free 3 to 5 days shipping with no minimum purchase. Dell Advantage also makes returns easier, offering a 30-day return period from your invoice date. They even cover the cost of return shipping. Television returns may incur restocking fees.
Wrap it up in a nice bow – shop with your Discover Card
Discover Card gives cash back on purchases with certain On-line merchants. We wrote a post about the Discover Deals Cashback program that tells you just how good it is. Good news – Dell is one of those merchants. Normally a Discover Card holder will earn an extra 5% in Discover Cashback with Dell. During the holiday season Dell usually increases that to 10%. Yes, you are not starting to see how these extra Dell incentives can really add up to big savings. My $1000 TV was on sale for $700. I received $200 in a Dell eGift Card, 5% ($35) in Dell Advantage Rewards and another 10% ($70) from Discover from using their credit card. You will need to pay sales tax when purchasing from Dell, so I had to kick in my 6%. Sales tax was about the only downside in my ultimate purchase.
The only other drawback was the shipping. Dell contracted out shipping to a local delivery company. While it got close to me in a matter of days, getting it to my home took several days longer. Bottom line – my total price for my $1000 TV was only $437 if you factor in my use of the Dell gift cards. What a deal! I will certainly be checking out Dell’s site to pounce on similar deals in the future.
