A New Year is always an invalid occasion, meaning there’s no joy other than it being the first day of the year. The only joy is probably due to the acquisition of a new gadget/product mainly thanks to the season’s discounts. I was on the hunt for the purchase of an additional TV. Of course, I ain’t a tech freak, but a pseudo freak - who claims to be one… My options were clear-cut and wanted an LCD which was 32-42 inches and offered standard features. This also got me to look at other features which LCD makers offered like the response time, HDMI playback, blah, blah.
We hadn’t yet decided on our purchase after a recent trip which nearly bankrupted me. Being bankrupt makes me budget conscious. I was waiting for the next end of the month.(Hint: Pay Day. What else?)
It was a weekend and we were checking out Fun cinemas, Sigma mall. We didn’t like the movie and walked out indecisively. There happens to be a Videocon dealer right opposite the mall and we thought it better to kill some time by checking out features of Videocon models. Ok, I admit, Videocon is not exactly my idea of a quality focused player, (but the Dhoots got my attention when they did the world’s number one picture tube manufacturer trick.(They took over one of the leading manufacturer’s factories and became a volume player) So, when I walked into the showroom, I expected the dealer to show me insipid models. The dealer informed me that they did not have LCDs from Videocon yet, but they were expecting it shortly.
He then proceeded to show me around with the other models which I looked at rather disinterestedly. In fact, I was totally rooting for LCDs, when the dealer showed me the Jumbo 34” TV(8600QS). It was a flat screen with a price tag of 12, 990.(At 96 kgs, be warned it is one of the heavier TVs I have ever seen! It requires two people to move it)
But what got me in its favor was the offer with the voucher.
I pay 20000 for the TV (7000 additionally) and receive a voucher from Videocon which states I get a 32 inch plasma screen after 2 years and 11 months to be exact.
In addition, you get a wireless headset.(Those cheap 300 buck ones) and transportation free with the voucher.
If you purchase only the TV and do not have your own transport, it might add upto 1000 bucks on the transportation costs(as claimed by the dealer) If you purchase the voucher, transport is free and included in the offer. Also dealers can charge additional if you purchase it
Right now, wholesale Plasma prices are at 15000. The retail prices are above 50000 plus. In three years, the retail price is expected to be around 15000 to 25000 while the wholesale price would be around 5000-7000.(The wholesale price is the price at which the dealer obtains it.)
I think Videocon has realized that capacity addition in plasma may not help in India atleast. The first point is there is lesser demand for plasma screens from individuals. Individuals prefer LCD screens since it is cheaper offering a longer life. Plasma is preferred by companies for display at canteens or inhouse conference rooms… The offer is a sure way of pushing some of the volumes to individuals. What is advantageous is the price. At 7000 bucks, it surely is cheap! The only question I ought to ask – Do I need it?