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- Photo: Stock.Xchange
The art of buying great gadgets cheaply requires a combination of patience, a keen eye for the best deal and brand impartiality. But various steps can be taken to reduce your gadget expenditure.
Tactic 1: Buy Second-hand
- Photo: Stock.Xchange
The great thing about most of today’s great gadgets is that a tweaked or slightly improved version is likely to follow soon. Some companies update their products annually at predefined times, while other companies release their products haphazardly, but more frequently. This means that for those who are patient, there will always be gadget lovers selling their wares to buy the latest and greatest. So be sure to check out pawn shops or online classifieds for budget electronics.
Tactic 2: Use Price Comparison Sites
If, however, you prefer your goods brand new, price comparison sites will point you the right way. These services are a handy way to compare what your gadget of choice is retailing for and, as such, the best place to find the absolute best deal.
Tactic 3: Stay Away From Brands
- Photo: Sony
Did you know a handful of manufacturers in Asia make all the LCD panels used in HD TVs? This means it is very likely that an HD TV bought from a fringe entity has many similar characters to that made by the likes of Sony, Samsung and Panasonic. And though this is not to say that the image quality will be identical, the differences will be superficial or go altogether unnoticed by most. This holds true, surprisingly, for virtually all gadgets.
Tactic 4: Go to Warehouse Sales
- Photo: Stock.Xchange
For those living in a city or in a heavily industrialised area, there is a chance that a wholesaler or a technology company’s official warehouse is located close by. These places are the conduit between the factories where things are built and the shops that sell them to the end user, and so they cannot afford a bottleneck in their supply chain due to old stock. As such, in years where they have overestimated demand or where they have high demand for a newly released product, they will sell many gadgets at cost price or, in the most extreme cases, less than cost. The best deals are to be had, where savings of over 50% of the SRLP are not unheard of.
Tactic 5: Buy Demo Units
- Photo: Stock.Xchange
Demo units, as in those used on display in shops or for ‘test driving’ purposes, are identical to retail units. The only thing is that they have been touched and used by many people. In this sense they are almost second-hand, but not quite, considering that in retail stores people are less likely to be reckless with the devices then they would in their own homes. So, if you’re prepared to take the risk, you could very well land up with a gadget that is a finger- print or two shy of brand new.
Tactic 6: Auctions and Store Closing Sales
Asset repossession and business liquidations are not nice, but they are a reality. In a tough economic climate it isn’t uncommon to find household goods available for a steal in auction by creditors trying to recover bad debts. The same is true for store closings of small and large electronics shops, since inventory must go. Knowing where to look is half the battle and the best part is that the bulk of this information is readily available in newspaper classifieds and on the Internet.
Tactic 7: Negotiate A Discount
- Photo: Stock.Xchange
Businesses pit all their suppliers against one another and consumers are able to negotiate, too. If you develop a relationship with a specific retailer – preferably a one store franchise – or have a reputation for buying goods there frequently, they may be malleable in terms of pricing. All it takes is a smile and to point out you buy there because you enjoy shopping there, but that it would be great if they reduced the price for your goods because of a sense of loyalty or because you’ve seen it cheaper elsewhere. People are often surprised by how well a tactic like this works, and most retailers value loyal customers, even if it means being flexible with pricing.
Identifying The Opportunity
As promised, finding the best deals is all about knowing where to look and not necessarily about buying the latest in technology. If you use a combination of the aforementioned tactics, you will never buy another gadget at its full sticker price ever again. Happy shopping.
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