I Stole a Deal

21st August. I bought my first LCD-LED 40” TV. I was happy. 27th Sept. I made a deal of my life. I was as happy as ever would be. So what was the deal? For that, I need to start from the beginning…waaaaaay back!!

It was 21st August and I decided that enough was enough. The rear projection TV wasn’t enhancing my television experience anymore and I set about in search for a shop that would sell me the TV that I had decided for a good bargain. Wandering around some consumer goods stores in my neighborhood, I found that the price for UA40D6000SR Samsung SMART TV was about 71000 rs in most of the stores and the bargain was going to maximum of 500 rs less. But at one store, the salesman agreed to sale it for 65000, which, I thought, was a good bargain. I immediately got down to the financing details since the financing company was offering a interest free loan. With the down payment made, I went home, and my TV arrived in couple of days. Things were going on great.

Then I realised that I had not received the details of the financing even after 15 days. I tried to follow up with the agent who did the paperwork but didn’t get any details, only assurance that the financing would be through and I would get the details after that. After about 21 days, and constant reminders by me, I was informed that the financing had not come through. The reason given was something vague, which I would not digest. This left me a bit cross and I was in the mood of returning the TV wit ha refund of the down payment. Sensing that I was hell bent on doing that, the financing agent requested me to avail another scheme where the term would be longer but the installments would be less. Seeing that there was no loss to me, I agreed and immediately gave him the documents to carry out the procedure. I was assured by the agent that this time the loan would be through.

I kept on following up on daily basis and after 7 days I was informed that the loan application was rejected. The agent asked me to go for the final option where the loan would be split in to two halves, one in my name and another in my brothers name. Sensing some sort of misdoings, I refused, but called up the agent to discuss a my home. The next day when the agent arrived, the first thing I did was cancel all my application forms that he had and took back all my documents. Then I asked him to refund my down payment and take back the TV. He went back to the store and within an hour I got a call from the store manager apologizing for the inconvenience caused to me due to his sales person and the financing agent. He even accepted to take back the TV and give and undertaking on his store letter head, saying that the finance deal was off and he would be responsible for  future debits from my account for this transaction. During this conversation I informed him that I was dejected by the service given by the dealer and the financing company and would go ahead with buying this model from other shop with full payment.

This statement was the turning point in the deal. The store manager immediately requested me to consider buying from him. He informed that he would give some more discount above the price for which I had bought the TV. But I told him that I was in no mood and hung up. I was quite certain that his “discount” would be about 1000 rs, so was not sorry for not accepting the offer. About half an hour later the store manager called up again, requesting me to keep the TV and pay the balance after some delay. And then he even offered me a discount of 8000 rs over and above the price negotiated earlier. He went on explaining how he had arrived at such a discount, but I was not listening. 8000 rs deducted from the negotiated price brought down the cost to 57000 rs from 71000 rs for which it is currently sold. After some small talk with the manager, I agreed to give it a thought and inform him later. Of course the decision was made. I was willing to pay that much amount at one go if I would get such a discount.

The very next day I swiped my credit card  and bought the TV. A unique situation from which I benefited.

This surely brings us to one conclusion. Even though the store manager offered me added discount, I am sure he might have kept some buffer, if I got in the mood of haggling further. Of course, I didn’t have the strength to haggle further. I was quite satisfied. But the point is, just check out the premium we pay in India in the name of new technology. I feel the manufacturing cost of the TV might be as less as 25000 rs. But after taxes, and a huge logistical community involved for transferring the TV from the Manufacturing unit to my home. The amount gets inflated to about 55000. And the retailers do the rest.