BestBuy and Costco to stop selling recievers

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So overstock.com is the new BB?

It seems like all that was accomplished is that you can't obtain a DIRECTV receiver locally anymore. Surely a lose-lose proposition.
 
In fact, in a thread on the cheap overstock HR24's, one of the people looking to buy one called overstock and were told quite clearly that they would own the HR24 they bought from Overstock.

DirecTV HR24 *Newest* DVR $155 @ Overstock.com - SlickDeals.net Forums

and the first post of that thread says leased, and mentions the contract.

If a customer has an issue with something they bought at overstock in terms of the terms of purchase ( leased vs owned) then they need to yell at overstock and not directv.
 
This has been a scam at defunct B&M CC and BB for years. AS far as I know they got the verbage with the prices on the shelf a few years ago. I didnt know the fraud was still going on at the B&M stores.

Even at solid signal . com they do not mention a lease until 11 sentences into the features DIRECTV HR24 High Definition DIRECTV PLUS MPEG-4 DVR (HR24) HD DVR - DIRECTV - HR24 - Receivers&sku=

why not write LEASE in bold letters next to the $199.00 for the HR24?

its not even mentioned when you add it to your cart.:rolleyes:
 
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Hack, they don't read the head signs on a transit bus. It'll say "Train Station" and they will still ask "Where this bus go?" :eek:

Title says it all, why because customers cant read that it is a lease and not owned when they buy one from retail locations upgrades on equipment are to go through 1800-531-5000 ( national number )
 
This has been a scam at defunct B&M CC and BB for years. AS far as I know they got the verbage with the prices on the shelf a few years ago. I didnt know the fraud was still going on at the B&M stores.

Even at solid signal . com they do not mention a lease until 11 sentences into the features DIRECTV HR24 High Definition DIRECTV PLUS MPEG-4 DVR (HR24) HD DVR - DIRECTV - HR24 - Receivers&sku=

why not write LEASE in bold letters next to the $199.00 for the HR24?

its not even mentioned when you add it to your cart.:rolleyes:

At LEAST it's mentioned.

IF your a D* sub or perspective one and you come to a site like this one, You should already KNOW that what you buy from them is a lease.

I am VERY happy that what I get from D* at this point is a Lease !!!
 
IF your a D* sub or perspective one and you come to a site like this one, You should already KNOW that what you buy from them is a lease.
The registered membership of this site represents a tiny percentage of the customer base. The lurkers can't ask and often don't use the search feature as it escapes most who haven't been guided through the process. The memberships of all of the forums that cover DIRECTV is still a relatively small percentage.

This new sales outlet approach would appear to be a duplicate of a previous dismal failure with even less personal vendors. I haven't got a clue as to what to recommend, but I convinced that the answer doesn't lie with someone sitting in a cubicle reading incomplete and/or incorrect scripts.
 
The registered membership of this site represents a tiny percentage of the customer base. The lurkers can't ask and often don't use the search feature as it escapes most who haven't been guided through the process. The memberships of all of the forums that cover DIRECTV is still a relatively small percentage.

The lurkers as you call them, generally come here to FIND information, or thru a GOOGLE SEARCH.
If coming thru a search, the search should have directed them to threads that are relevant, hopefully.

Weather your a Subbed user here or not, the Search on THIS site is easily found and does work.

Just because they can't post, doesn't mean they can't find answers.
 
Two sources. One is a teardown of the HR22-100 from last year that gave the build cost at $188. I could give you a link but its a subscription product and you have to purchase it, and I'm not allowed to disclose the content detail.

Here's the link:
Teardown Analysis - DirecTV Plus HR22-100 HD DVR Set-Top Box - iSuppli
Thanks for the follow-up. I've seen plenty of speculation in the past, here and elsewhere, on the actual cost of the receiver but no one's ever provided backup, so it's cool to read this information ...
 
I just scrutinized the Overstock listing...not one mention of a lease, contract period or ETF.

Like the person from Slickdeals did, I did a customer service chat and asked if I would own the box and if there were any programming commitments and was told "yes, of course you own the box" and "no, there are no commitments".

So I'm thinking if they wanted to avoid confusion, sticking with bestbuy and costco rather than random internet sellers would have been a better strategy.
 
I think these retail outlets and internet vendors realize that if they didnt make it vague, bury it in fine print or lie about it then they wouldnt move merchandise. All they care about is making a sale.
 
As I pointed out earlier, some of the first links that pop up on Google are for overstock.com.

I just put Directv HR24 into Google. Without quotes it comes up at #22, with quotes, it was #13. That's not "some of the first" in any way, shape, or form. It's not even on page 1!
 
I just put Directv HR24 into Google. Without quotes it comes up at #22, with quotes, it was #13. That's not "some of the first" in any way, shape, or form. It's not even on page 1!
Google results are updated often. Now almost any search keys get you the Engadget article.

Today, it seems that Solid Signal is atop the heap. Under shopping results, you get eCost, Solid Signal and Beach Audio. eCost (now the best price since overstock.com went up to $178.49) and Beach Audio both neglect to state outright that the HR24 is a lease. Beach Audio mentions advantages to leasing even offers an extended warranty plan! Beach Audio at least gives their customers a warning that a two year commitment will result.

The point I was trying to make is that if you select the cheapest outlets, you'll be blissfully ignorant that you're entering into a lease and commitment. As pointed out above, they may even assure you that you aren't if you ask them point blank.

I challenge you to offer an explanation as to how consumers will benefit from this new policy as compared to the previous approach.
 
Since ecost charges a lot more for shipping than overstock, overstock still has the cheapest price on the HR24.
 
The point I was trying to make is that if you select the cheapest outlets, you'll be blissfully ignorant that you're entering into a lease and commitment. As pointed out above, they may even assure you that you aren't if you ask them point blank.

I challenge you to offer an explanation as to how consumers will benefit from this new policy as compared to the previous approach.

There is no reasonable defense of many of the distributors of Directv merchandise. Directv themselves seems to do a pretty good job of informing their customers of the 24 month policy. Too bad the retailers don't. I'm not including the installers in the mix because I don't think they should be responsible to keep the customers informed. They are there to install the equipment, that's all.
 
I think its pretty easy to figure out. Except for Dish Network, nobody else sells a consumer electronics product that has a big up front fee, a monthly fee, a commitment, and you have to give the equipment back because its leased.

Somehow these retailers sell cell phones and tivo's and all sorts of subscription/monthly fee items with reasonably good results.

Dish seems to get by these issues by having a lower ETF and working things out with customers. The BBB ratings say that Dish amicably resolves 90+% of their customer disagreements while Directv tells about 30-40% of their customers who complain to go stuff themselves because the contract says they can.

Directv may do a better job of selling it with less confusion because its the only thing they sell, its their business.
 
The sub (buyer, leasee) when they call in to activate the recvr, I would imagine are told MANY times about it being a lease.... remember, I do believe you have to call D* to actually activate the box. (vs doing it online, I don't think you can do that...yet.)

So I would imagine that your informed about all the commits at that time.

Wonder if they tell you about the ETF 's if you don't inquire ?

I guess I'll know soon.

It doesn't matter as I am not going anywhere and have everything paid for in advance, but it will be curious to see.
 
If its that straightforward, there wouldnt be any problems, right?

And no need to pull out of bestbuy and costco.

And theres still no reason to think that ecost and overstock will do a better job. Most likely quite the opposite.
 
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