Sam's Open Box Pricing?... I am puzzled.

[ErinH]

Well, talk about confusion.

My local Sam's has this TV in stock.
http://www.samsclub.com/sams/shop/product.jsp?productId=prod3510111

Regular price is $2398. "Instant Rebate" is $600... making it $1698 for the BNIB item.

They also have this same TV on sale as an open box (OB). Price on the marketing below the OB TV says $1698; same as the BNIB one. I thought it was silly to have the same pricing. Then I thought ... 'hey, maybe I can apply the $600 rebate to the OB $1698'. I found an associate and asked. In short, he said it doesn't work like that. The $1698 is what it is and the OB one accounts for that discount already.
WTF? That logic defies me. IOW, he might as well have said that they don't discount OB items.


I'm considering going back up there and trying again with someone else, or just going through checkout and see how far it takes me. However, the drive is about 40 minutes away.

So, I'm asking here before I make the drive... does his logic seem right? Are the odds that I could get the open box TV out the door for $1098 reasonable, given the fact that the OB item is $1698 on the signage with no mention of a discount taken before the fact, while the BNIB one is $1698, while mentioning a $600 instant rebate.

I hope that makes sense. I understand it may be confusing. I know the rationale I received seemed to defy logic.

TIA

 

[markw]

As far as I know, rebates traditionally only apply to new in box items.

You could always take it up with your local BBB if it really bothers you that much though, but you might want to read the fine print first.

 

[j_garcia]

Yep, sales do not apply to OB items.

 

[ErinH]

Greed. It got me.

 

[Haoleb]

...You could always take it up with your local BBB if it really bothers you that much though, but you might want to read the fine print first.

Im pretty sure the BBB has better things to do than listen to someone moan about how they dont get a deal on a tv. Its a store... You dont have to shop there. Dont like their policy or prices. go somewhere else. Chances are you wont be able to talk to anyone who you can haggle with in a chain store like that.

.. Just my .02

 

[ErinH]

Just to clarify why I posted. i thought it was very odd to not discount an OB item.
I wound up calling the store and spoke with a manager. Long story short, the guy I spoke with was kind of wrong but not entirely. The unit's price reflected the instant rebate, however it didn't reflect a 20% OB discount.


Anyway, just wanted to clarify. I know the above post seemed really pretentious. I read it again and realized how greedy I sounded... I was more or less just confused as heck. If you guys had been there to hear the logic I was given I think you would have been, too.

 

[j_garcia]

It didn't sound greedy. It never hurts to ask a store about something like that, and the clue being that they were the same price. I would have asked why they were the same price as well, but would have expected the same answer you got - the OB was not marked down. I've had places further discount OB items just to get rid of them, so it doesn't hurt to ask.

 

[y2kh8r]

They probably have their "retail" price, and their "sell it at or near cost" price. The open box was likely marked down before they decided to sell off their new items, hence both items selling for the same price. Would be nice if they dropped the price of the open item, though.

 

[lsiberian]

You didn't try to negotiate a price. Gotta get the manager and make an offer.