internet vs local dealer

[Zoom]

I posted the recent newbie thread, but I have a specific new question I'd like feedback on.

I've trying to find the best deal on a 721 and I think I've found a good one.

http://www.thesatelliteguy.com/pvr721.html

That's $340 for a 721 with free installation! That sounds too good to be true. I have a call into them, but haven't heard back yet.

Has anyone else bought from these guys?

I called my local Raleigh, NC installer (DishPlus) and she couldn't understand how this guy can sell the 721 for this price with free installation. She said that Dish charges her $599 for the 721 and the new subscriber special lets her take $150 off that for a total of $449, and she's not making a dime.

How can this guy offer this? Look at the add - it's an entire system with free install.

BTW, I see lots of "721 problem" threads. I'll have to check those out. Are these boxes troublesome?

[TopCat99]

Second post and you're still a guest?? Why don't you join? C'mon--initiation isn't *that* bad ;)

I'm not familiar with the 721, so I can't comment about it being troublesome. I am concerned about that low price tho--especially after another dealer spilled the beans on the new customer discount. My only advice would be make sure that the internet deal is a NEW box, or that this place is gonna stand behind it for a year.

Do you know if this is a lease or own option? It's my understanding (someone correct me if I'm wrong) that you're pretty well covered warranty-wise during the lease. I bought my stuff in 2000, so I own any problems too ;)

If it's an own plan, and this box isn't new, you might not get the regular Dish warranty. I'm not sure how that applies for dealer resale, but it won't transfer in a private party sale. You can, however, get the $1.99/mo extended warranty option from Dish to cover it.

Hope that helps some. I guess with all that I'm just trying to say buyer beware ;)

[Nightmare]

This is what I got from the all the local store I called:

"Dish 721, huuuh, what is that?"
"I think we can order one"
"Uh, I think they cost about $550"

I am a current Dish customer and just ordered my 721 from DishDepot. The "deal" thesatelliteguy runs for $499 requires adding the pvr as a second receiver for 8 months at $5 per month.

[Zoom]

Nightmare, I don't understand your last paragraph. You seem to be implying that it's not a deal. You're saying that this deal requires you to buy another receiver, besides the 721? Could you send me the URL that has this info? I didn't see it on the page I gave.

[Zoom]

BTW, I finally did talk to this company and they said it was for completely new equipment. I didn't ask about warrantee, but I assume you get that on any new equipment.

[3KidsDad]

I just ordered a 721 system from thesatelliteguy and it was $339 + 20 shipping. They charge another $149 which will be credited once you fill out there paperwork and send it back to them. There is nothing in their contract that says anything about a second receiver or a minimal contract for the second receiver. I hope I am not being too naive, but I just called them and asked them about the second receiver or the extra charges.

[Zoom]

3KidsDad - Isn't there some way for them to send/fax you the contract?? Man, I would not feel comfortable committing to a contract by phone without being able to read it first. Isn't it online??

So, it ends up being $360. Still sounds very good, too good.

[Nightmare]

$339 is very cheap! I wish DISH had a better deal for current customers. Zoom here is the Terms page of the satguys site, it should explaing what I mean:

http://www.thesatelliteguy.com/terms.html

Just FYI  I think Dish Depot has almost the exact same deal, chek this:

http://www.dishdepot.com/Cart/description.php?II=492551&UID=2002110410262412.247 .229.168

Ask satguys about free install in your area, Dishdepot specifically says in South Florida.  This might be where a local store will benefit you.

[cnsf]

Scott, should we zonk out the specific dealer rebates and costs from the first post in this thread?

[Zoom]

Sorry, is posting that info a no-no?

Now I'm kinda waffling. I'm looking at allsat's 508/301 combo for $130. It's much cheaper and let's me have most of the same benefits. Anyone know of a similar/better deal on a 508/301 combo?

[DoyleS]

I think you need to be sure you are comparing apples and apples as the total cost and the way it is advertised can be a bit confusing. For new subscribers, Dish is currently rebating $12/mo for 1 year for the first receiver. If you take a 2nd receiver, you get an additional $5 per month off of your monthly bill for a total of $17/mo. Then you have the receiver price. One guy may sell it for $499 and if he counts the $12/mo rebate, you get it for $499-$144 or $355. That rebate is available pretty much regardless of who you purchase from. Another guy may sell that receiver for $389 and if he advertised the same way, your cost would be $389-$144 or $245. With the rebate, Dish credits you the $12 or $17 on a monthly basis for signing up for a 1 year program. All of the new subscriber low prices require a 1 year signup. If you want to get an idea of the receivers actual market value then look at the prices that are charged for the receiver for a non new customer.

Zoom, the benefits of a 721 vs a 508/301 are a bit different. The 721 has 2 tuners in one chassis with one smart card. You are charged a monthly fee as though it were 1 receiver. It can record and watch 2 different programs simultaneously but only output 1 at a time to the TV. The 508/301 are 2 receivers. Both have their own smartcards and both require activation. There will be an additional monthly charge of $5 for the 2nd receiver. However, for the first year Dish is rebating that $5 to you on your bill so the net cost of the 2nd receiver is $0 for the first year only.

Just be sure you are counting your rebates only once when figuring total cost of ownership which is receiver purchase price + monthly subscription price - monthly rebate. Complicated ....well sort of.

..Doyle

[drjake]

The $150 credit is nothing that needs to be hidden. The 721 receiver is available on the Free Dish Promo. With that promo, Dish subsidizes the value of a 301 system or $150. That being said, $340, is cheap but not out of the realm of possibility. However, at that type of price, I would think that the retailer is using cheap labor to do the installs. You get what ypu pay for. You may end up with a shoddy install with no follow up service. My guess is that you can get this receiver on Free Dish for somewhere around $450 (maybe a little less) from a local retailer. With that you'll get peice of mind. You may even get the local retailer to match the internet price.

[DoyleS]

I recently purchased my system through an internet supplier. Along with that came a certificate for free installation. I chose to do my own installation since I am in the middle of a theater room project. However, once I activated the system I saw that I could get a free dish for receiving my locals on the 148 bird. I called Dish and they sent out a highly competent installer who not only put in a DishPro LNB to match the one I had but tossed in the SW34 switch at no charge. This is the same number I would have called had I chosen to use the free install certificate. In talking to the installer, he had been in the Bay area for the last 2 weeks since the install volume was so high, Dish had brought him in from LA to help with the load. He said that previously they had sent him to Phoenix when the load got high. I went to 3 local retailers who handled Dish and none of them had a PVR508 on the shelf to even look at. Possibly a smaller independent dealer would have had more but in the end the internet deal was pretty painless. I got a 508 and 301 along with the install kit for $129 and a $17/mo rebate on whichever programming package I choose for a year.

..Doyle

[Mark Lamutt]

cnsf - there's no trouble with having that information posted in this thread, because those numbers are the "true" dealer numbers. I also don't know how that outfit can sell the 721 for $360 or whatever, but it doesn't cost quite $499 either.

[Jacob S]

It depends on if you are good at doing things yourself of if you want service at and after the sale in which a local retailer can provide. If you would purchase off of the internet and you would experience a problem and you had to call a local retailer to come out and fix it, since you did not purchace the system off of him he would charge you up to $100 or more and Dish would charge $120 for a service call. On the other hand if you purchased a system from a local retailer, then he would be a lot less likely to charge you at all or charge you a lot less since you purchased from that retailer.

Another thing is that the online retailer should not and is against the business rules to not install the system. It is REQUIRED, unless the retailer gives up the monies received in his/her commission for the installation, and if he/she gives that up, then he/she will not be able to give you such a good deal. The deal that you are getting is money in which the retailer should not be getting since he is not having the system installed. That retailer is getting paid for putting in a system when he is not whereas a local retailer is getting paid to put in the system and does so.

The advantage of the online retailer receiving the commissions on installing the system is that he can use that money in return to discount the system to the customer so that it is a lot more affordable and a lot better deal, so there are advantages and disadvantages of each senario.

[cnsf]

Originally posted by Mark Lamutt
cnsf - there's no trouble with having that information posted in this thread, because those numbers are the "true" dealer numbers. I also don't know how that outfit can sell the 721 for $360 or whatever, but it doesn't cost quite $499 either.

So, if that's the case, why do we zonk so much of the Retailer Chat Summaries?

Not a big deal for me as I'd rather know (not being a retailer)...

:D

[jbones]

I bought a 721 receiver only from the Satellite Guy. I am an existing subscriber. I paid $499. plus shipping ($15) . He was great to work with and I had my receiver in 3 days. The deal is that I had to be adding this to my account with Dish and not replacing one of my existing receivers. That is the best I found.