HD Guru® obtained an advanced copy of Best Buy’s weekly circular (12/6/09-12/12/09).  It features a number of HDTV bundles consisting of select Sony HDTVs, a Playstation 3 (PS 3), a PS 3 game and a Blu-ray movie disc. You select from three game and movie disc titles (listed below). Best Buy (BB) claims a savings from $789-$1100 for the bundle. However, this is not accurate. Six of the twelve package deal TVs never sold for the “regular” price listed by BB.
Below are the twelve PS3/TV packages along with the actual current Best Buy HDTV price. Regardless of the misleading savings, a number of the packages are sweet deals.
HD Guru recommends you compare the price of the Sony HDTVs with Amazon listings to determine if it’s really a good deal.
Experience tells us, Amazon dealers often their lower prices after Best Buy’s weekly ad appears . We included Amazon links to each of the Sony HDTVs for easy price comparison.
The PS3 games in the ad are “Uncharted”, “Little Big Planet” and “Ratchet Clank Future”. The Blu-ray titles are “Taking of Pelham 123”, “The Ugly Truth”, “Year One”.
Camelbuy.com supplied Best Buy price history information.
Savings Details
[amazonify]B0020NITOO::text::::Sony KDL-46Z5100 46″[/amazonify](sku #9279899): $2,099.99 TV + $299.99 PS3 System + $59.99 PS3 Game + $29.99 Blu-ray Movie = $2,489.96 Regular Price – $410 TV Savings – $428.98 Package Savings = $1,650.98 Package Price
Current TV price is $1689.99. This TV never sold at BB for the MSRP of $2099.99
[amazonify]B001GIPMNU::text::::Sony KDL-46XBR8 46″[/amazonify] (sku #8996508): $2,499.99 TV + $299.99 PS3 System + $59.99 PS3 Game + $29.99 Blu-ray Movie = $2,889.96 Regular Price – $500 TV Savings – $428.98 Package Savings = $1,960.98 Package Price
Current TV price is $1959.98 This TV sold for $2499.98 as recently as 12/4/09 when it was raised from $1999.98
[amazonify]B0021LT066::text::::Sony KDL-46XBR9 46″[/amazonify](sku #9276286): $2,399.99 TV + $299.99 PS3 System + $59.99 PS3 Game + $29.99 Blu-ray Movie = $2,789.96 Regular Price – $440 TV Savings – $428.98 Package Savings = $1,920.98 Package Price
Current TV price is $1959.99 .This TV never sold at BB for $2399.99 which is the MSRP.
[amazonify]B002BSH2G4::text::::Sony KDL-46VE5 46″[/amazonify](sku #9390269): $1,699.99 TV + $299.99 PS3 System + $59.99 PS3 Game + $29.99 Blu-ray Movie = $2,089.96 Regular Price – $361 TV Savings – $428.98 Package Savings = $1,299.98 Package Price
Current TV price is $1799.99, which is the MSRP. This TV sold at Best Buy previously as low as $1399.99
[amazonify]B001T9N0FS::text::::Sony KDL-52V5100 52″[/amazonify](sku #9223798): $1,999.99 TV + $299.99 PS3 System + $59.99 PS3 Game + $29.99 Blu-ray Movie = $2,389.96 Regular Price – $500 TV Savings – $428.98 Package Savings = $1,460.98 Package Price
Current TV price is $1499.99. This model never sold at BB for $1999.99
[amazonify]B0020NN6N8::text::::Sony KDL-52Z5100 52″[/amazonify]Sony KDL52Z5100 52″ (sku #9279951): $2,499.99 TV + $299.99 PS3 System + $59.99 PS3 Game + $29.99 Blu-ray Movie = $2,889.96 Regular Price – $550 TV Savings – $428.98 Package Savings = $1,910.98 Package Price
Current TV price $1949.99. This model never sold at BB for $2499.99 which is the MSRP.
[amazonify]B001VFMA5Q::text::::Sony KDL-52XBR9 52″[/amazonify](sku #9279835): $2,899.99 TV + $299.99 PS3 System + $59.99 PS3 Game + $29.99 Blu-ray Movie = $3,289.96 Regular Price – $690 TV Savings – $428.98 Package Savings = $2,170.98 Package Price
Current TV price is $2209.99. This TV never sold at BB for $2899.99 which is the MSRP.
[amazonify]B002Q0PQLA::text::::Sony KDL-52XBR10 52″[/amazonify](sku #9528237): $4,499.99 TV + $299.99 PS3 System + $59.99 PS3 Game + $29.99 Blu-ray Movie = $4,889.96 Regular Price – $450 TV Savings – $428.98 Package Savings = $4,010.98 Package Price
Current TV price is the same as listed ($4499.99) This TV sold for $4999.99 until 12/5/09.
[amazonify]B002G9TVSU::text::::Sony KDL-55V5100 55″[/amazonify](sku #9476373): $2,299.99 TV + $299.99 PS3 System + $59.99 PS3 Game + $29.99 Blu-ray Movie = $2,689.96 Regular Price – $530 TV Savings – $428.98 Package Savings = $1,730.98 Package Price
Current TV price is $1769.99. This TV never sold at BB for $2299.99
[amazonify]B002G9TVT4::text::::Sony KDL-65W5100 65″[/amazonify](sku #9498493): $5,389.99 TV + $299.99 PS3 System + $59.99 PS3 Game + $29.99 Blu-ray Movie = $5,389.96 Regular Price – $500 TV Savings – $428.98 Package Savings = $4,460.98 Package Price
Current TV price is $4499.98. This TV never sold for $5389.99. MSRP is $4999.99
[amazonify]B001T9N0EO::text::::Sony KDL-46V5100 46″[/amazonify]Sony KDL-46V5100 46″(sku #9223805): $1,599.99 TV + $299.99 PS3 System + $59.99 PS3 Game + $29.99 Blu-ray Movie = $1,989.96 Regular Price – $610 TV Savings – $428.98 Package Savings = $950.98 Package Price
Current price is $1599.99 same as manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP).
[amazonify]B002BGX8V4::text::::Sony KDL-46W5100 46″[/amazonify](sku #9343105): $1,699.99 TV + $299.99 PS3 System + $59.99 PS3 Game + $29.99 Blu-ray Movie = $2,089.96 Regular Price – $370 TV Savings – $428.98 Package Savings = $1,290.98 Package Price
Current TV price is $1299.99. Has not been $1699.99 since 10/8/09 which is the MSRP
To learn more about choosing an HDTV please click this link.
For a list of the Best HDTVs under $1000 please click this link.
For a list of the 10 Best HDTVs please click this link.
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15 Comments
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Best Buy is okay but I prefer to shop online.
Good analysis…I agree with Gadjet Sleuth on their sales. Best Buy is still a great store tho!!
I avail deals from BestBuy since most of the time, these are relatively cheaper. I once read an online essay that online shopping isn’t really recommended since there can be lot of differences in prices.
You realize Best Buy didn’t even create these packages right? These were Sony’s packages that were even advertised by them on television by that annoying guy somehow magically video conferencing with people. The prices aren’t misleading. It doesn’t matter what everything actually sells for on a weekly basis. What matters in the world of retail is MSRP and it dictates everything.
I bought the package deal at best buy in store. In this case, the in store price is way better than the online deal, even with tax.
This week, I bought the following for 1040.98 +tax = $1125.56:
Sony KDL-46w5100
PS3 Slim 120 GB.
PS3 game: Uncharted 2 Among Thieves
Bluray movie: Taking of Pelham 123
So, instead of the online quoted price of 1290.98(without tax), I saved 14.7% and then some tax. Free delivery too. I think it’s a pretty good deal from Sony.
Why do you constantly slam best buy? Sure the package savings isn’t as much as they say but it’s still an amazing deal. It’s not like Best Buy isn’t using basic advertising techniques that every other business uses. It is a good bargain, regardless of the way it is advertised. Cool it..
HDGuru,
I always love your reviews, but I am not sure why you like to slam Best Buy. Their practice of showing savings is a smart practice. It’s not just Sony that has these Bundle Savings, several companies are offering these types of savings. I’m sure Sony just had way too much product left over and needed to move through product. It is a real savings and added bonuses. You are brilliant and your reviews of product are spot on. When you take shots at Best Buy, it lowers your credibility to the potential customer and makes it difficult to recommend your site to anyone who works for Best Buy to refer to you as a #1 source. I do not work for Sony or Best Buy, but I do work in the industry and refer to your site ALL THE TIME. You are my #1 choice for reviews and articles. However, when I try to recommend you at Best Buy, articles like this hurt my relationships in Best Buy. I understand that this is your Web Site, but I also know that you are the most tallented reviewer that I have discovered. If I could make any request, it’s that you refrain from making Best Buy seem like an enemy to the customers, it’s just not a good practice for your business. Best Buy has many locations and if they consistantly recommend people to go to your site for reviews, this will give you more traffic and recognition. If they really do something wrong, then call them out, but discussions of bundle packages are not a good fight to get into. It is common practice in the industry with all stores and the customer does truly save money on these deals.
Again, please do not misunderstand – I am a HUGE fan of yours and I want your site to be the #1 place people look to for reviews and advice.
No matter what, I will still continue to come to your site as my daily practice, I just thought you should know how these reports can look to the customer and the associate who looks to your site as their source for information.
If Camelbuy provided some data, why not make that disclaimer a link? :]
Great article!.
An oversight. Done.
HD Guru
I completly agree with hmm. The savings on the TV’s themselves isn’t significant but you basically get a Free PS3,Game & Blu-ray Movie with every purchase, so in essense you are guaranteed to at least save $428.98 +.
An FYI on this sale and trying to make Best Buy look bad. Just was in looking at getting the KDL-52Z5100 and the TV is sold out all over the place. I was told the sale was actually put on by Sony themselves and a FYI to all buyers SONY didn’t supply enough TVs for the sale so they are pretty scarce right now. :(
Great work and good analysis.
Hey HD Guru – this is some great analysis. These are the kinds of packages Amazon started doing and it’s great to see Best Buy following up. Nowadays, a buyer has to always beware especially when it comes to electronics.
What one store calls a “savings” may just be the regular price somewhere else.
On a sidenote, what gives with all of the ads? I realize it may not easy to monetize a site like this but it’s pretty distracting. I’m sure if you asked people to donate a la Wikipedia you could make enough to lay low on the ads for a few months.
Love the site, and the content and just want to make sure either never changes too much.
Cheers,
Chance
So this has become a Best Buy vs Amazon deals. If you forgot Both BB and Amazon deals came from Sony. Amazon will be more expensive if you include the taxes and delivery charges.
Both packages of BB and Amazon are good, choosing will depend of a person’s preferences.
So in the end the actual amount you save may not be as much as listed on the sticker, BUT, you are still saving a lot. The PS3, Game and movie in every case is basically FREE and the TV costs as much as it does at Amazon (the only site used to compare prices)
I suppose it may seem a bit misleading as you aren’t saving as much as suggested, but since when is Amazon the standard rule of thumb when comparing TV prices?
Even if you were to buy the TVs at Amazon, often they are still more than you are paying in this Best Buy promotion and the do not come with the PS3 + game + movie.
The Best Buy deals are still some of the best around.
I was able to purchase my 52 Z5100 for $1500 plus tax which included the PS3,game, and movie. Their price in store was cheaper.