Plasma TV: Purchasing From Online Dealers

Information On The Dealer

The difference in the quality of online dealers is quite wide. The quality needs to be ascertained by the customer from such factors as the professional standard of the dealer’s website, extent and depth of product specification and whether there is unambiguous declaration that the dealer is authorized to sell the particular company’s products. Instead of being carried away by the offer of lower prices, the customer should enquire the system of the dealer in case of the product being found defective or going out of order within the warranty period. The physical and complete address information of the online dealer is also very crucial for connecting to him later in the event of any dispute arising post purchase. One has to guard against purchase of a product not intended for sale in that particular country and thus not covered by warranty of the manufacturer.

Internet Dealers Are Mostly Not Authorized

Unlike the brick and mortar retailers, internet or online traders are mostly unauthorized dealers. The reason is getting authorization from the manufacturer by an internet trader is a very difficult proposition. The credit-worthiness and standard of the dealer is rigorously scanned by the manufacturer. Certain stipulations are also set by them as pre-requisite for granting authorization to online dealers. For example, the online dealers must have technical service centre, product showroom and stock warehouse.

Disadvantages

Most online dealers themselves being not authorized dealers resort to the practice of dropping shipped product obtained from other dealers/distributors direct to the consumer. Thus defective goods cannot be replaced by them nor can they provide new parts or handle after sales return and servicing. An unauthorized internet trader cannot guarantee to provide to the customer the warranty or extended warranty offered by the manufacturer after purchase. Also as an unauthorized online dealer cannot exercise any control over the shipped product, he cannot usually ensure delivery of an absolutely new and unused product to the customer.