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Best Buy lowers Premiere to $99.99

22K views 69 replies 40 participants last post by  RRiggs 
#1 ·
The headline pretty much says it all. Well, other than the confusion regarding what service runs these days...

 
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#28 ·
Companies change pricing and plans all the time. I bought my wife a nook for $249.00. 2 months later, it was $199.00. I bought a refurb Premiere for $169 and am paying $12.99 a month.

I love both products and don't regret the decision. If you expect a company to give you a refund every time there is a price change, you'll never own anything.
 
#29 ·
plazman30 said:
Companies change pricing and plans all the time. I bought my wife a nook for $249.00. 2 months later, it was $199.00. I bought a refurb Premiere for $169 and am paying $12.99 a month.

I love both products and don't regret the decision. If you expect a company to give you a refund every time there is a price change, you'll never own anything.
The difference here is that the price is changing, but they are only advertising half the change; the lower base price. The higher service cost change isn't advertised and the only way to find it is in some obscure corner of Tivo's web site. It is sort of bait and switch unless they inform you of the higher service charge at the time of purchase. It isn't really because you can return the product to retail within 30 days. This might end up hurting TiVo since I think they'll end up with a lot of open box returns which can't be resold as new.
 
#30 ·
Yep, especially since BB's website still says you can get Tivo service plans for as low as $8.31 a month. I would imagine they will fix this soon after Tivo finds out, though.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/TiVo%26%23174%3B+-+Premiere+High-Definition+Digital+Video+Recorder/9744971.p?id=1218165774529&skuId=9744971&st=tivo&cp=1&lp=1

"TiVo Service as low as $8.31 per month* *Minimum 1 year service plan required. Early termination fee and other restrictions apply. Call (877)BUY-TIVO for service plan details."
 
#32 ·
The people making these decisions at Tivo are complete fools. The people on this site are pretty much Tivo "experts" and even they can't figure out the pricing. How is an average consumer supposed to?
 
#33 ·
Guys, passing this note along confirming the pricing changes:

We know there has been some threads about the new holiday pricing for Premiere and Premiere XL. Happy to confirm that Premiere is now available for $99.99 with a one-year commitment of $19.99 per month (an upfront instant savings of $200). The price of TiVo Premiere XL is also dropping today to $299 with a one-year commitment at $19.99 per month.

These reduced prices are available for a limited time. To learn more about the TiVo Premiere holiday pricing visit www.tivo.com or a Best Buy store near you.

Cheers,
Pony
 
#34 ·
Is the sub $19.99 / month only for the first year? Or would that continue?

I thought it would be a good time to replace my two TivoHDs with two premieres at $99 ea. But with the actual discount being only $100, and the possibility that my monthly sub would be doubled in year two and beyond, I've dropped the upgrade idea. Stick with my HDs for another year and hope a great S5 units then.
 
#35 ·
DVR rental from Comcast in the Twin Cities is about $18/month.

I can see the benefit of a fee only plan. Most people who don't like TiVo dislike the purchase AND monthly fee. So they may pull the trigger.

It knocks out the "free DVR" concept of cable DVR's. I'm not saying it's right or anything, but that's the "perception" out there. I just wonder how many "if TiVo had no upfront costs I'd get one" people there actually ARE, out there?

Of course, people on THIS site prefer the lifetime subscription because it's cheaper in the end. I don't see where I'd buy a TiVo without a lifetime subscription.
 
#36 ·
DVR rental from Comcast in the Twin Cities is about $18/month.

I can see the benefit of a fee only plan. Most people who don't like TiVo dislike the purchase AND monthly fee. So they may pull the trigger.

It knocks out the "free DVR" concept of cable DVR's. I'm not saying it's right or anything, but that's the "perception" out there. I just wonder how many "if TiVo had no upfront costs I'd get one" people there actually ARE, out there?

Of course, people on THIS site prefer the lifetime subscription because it's cheaper in the end. I don't see where I'd buy a TiVo without a lifetime subscription.
I live in the Twin Cities too, and the Comcast HD DVR totally sucks and is almost $20 a month. I was considering going to Tivo. But not for $20 a month. I called tivo, and if you pay full price the $299, and pay another $399 you can get the lifetime subscription.

So if you pay almost $700, and comcast keeps their dvrs at $18/month. In 3.2 years you could break even! What a horrible deal.
 
#37 ·
Guys, passing this note along confirming the pricing changes:

We know there has been some threads about the new holiday pricing for Premiere and Premiere XL. Happy to confirm that Premiere is now available for $99.99 with a one-year commitment of $19.99 per month (an upfront instant savings of $200). The price of TiVo Premiere XL is also dropping today to $299 with a one-year commitment at $19.99 per month.

These reduced prices are available for a limited time. To learn more about the TiVo Premiere holiday pricing visit www.tivo.com or a Best Buy store near you.

Cheers,
Pony
Pony,

Thank you for checking in. I ordered two Premieres yesterday. I am eligible for MSD and expected when placing my order that I would be activating both boxes with Lifetime. Should I understand that to still be an option?

Thanks,
- Shawn
 
#40 ·
I live in the Twin Cities too, and the Comcast HD DVR totally sucks and is almost $20 a month. I was considering going to Tivo. But not for $20 a month. I called tivo, and if you pay full price the $299, and pay another $399 you can get the lifetime subscription.

So if you pay almost $700, and comcast keeps their dvrs at $18/month. In 3.2 years you could break even! What a horrible deal.
I had a Comcast DVR for 4 years. Crap and a waste of 4 years $$$. I bought a HD XL and will break even in about 4.5 years. PLUS, a better DVR and greater functionality.

PLus, Comcast in the TC has first Cablecard free!!
 
#41 ·
The difference here is that the price is changing, but they are only advertising half the change; the lower base price. The higher service cost change isn't advertised and the only way to find it is in some obscure corner of Tivo's web site. It is sort of bait and switch unless they inform you of the higher service charge at the time of purchase. It isn't really because you can return the product to retail within 30 days. This might end up hurting TiVo since I think they'll end up with a lot of open box returns which can't be resold as new.
Tivo.com clearly states that the monthly service charge is $19.99 a month. If another site does not state that, how exactly is that Tivo's fault? ***** about Best Buy, not about Tivo.
 
#42 ·
Tivo had 2 deals going last month for a limited time. They were offering a free Tivo Premiere for a 2 year contract of $19.99 a month, or a Premiere for $99.00 with a 1 year contract of $19.99 a month.

I'm going to guess that these deals probably dragged in a good chunk of customers, so Tivo decided to make this the deal going forward.

I was Tivo to succeed, so I want them to do what it takes to make sure they're in business a long time. That's also their responsibility to their investors.

You always have the option to just go with the cable company DVR...
 
#43 ·
Tivo.com clearly states that the monthly service charge is $19.99 a month. If another site does not state that, how exactly is that Tivo's fault? ***** about Best Buy, not about Tivo.
It IS Tivo's problem, because BB is their biggest retailer. Consumers are going to think this is a good sale price, not realizing that in return they get to pay for it monthly with the jacked-up service fee. How many average Joes are going to check out tivo.com first, when they're at the store looking at the box?

I predict a LOT of returns when the reality hits at sub time - Tivo is now more expensive than a cable DVR on many systems.
 
#45 ·
Another note to pass along from the Marketing team. Copying it verbatim so I don't run the risk of losing anything in transposing -

We've been watching the questions that have popped up on the forum and wanted to answer a few here.

A customer who purchases Premiere at $99.99 will have a one-year service commitment at $19.99 per month. After they have fulfilled that commitment the customer remains at $19.99 per month, but the commitment goes away.

For existing customers we continue to offer product lifetime service and our upgrade program, but also have the option to purchase the new holiday pricing. We are striving to provide as much choice as possible as well as reward our long-time users.

More information can be found at TiVo.com.
 
#47 ·
Another note to pass along from the Marketing team. Copying it verbatim so I don't run the risk of losing anything in transposing -

We've been watching the questions that have popped up on the forum and wanted to answer a few here.

A customer who purchases Premiere at $99.99 will have a one-year service commitment at $19.99 per month. After they have fulfilled that commitment the customer remains at $19.99 per month, but the commitment goes away.

For existing customers we continue to offer product lifetime service and our upgrade program, but also have the option to purchase the new holiday pricing. We are striving to provide as much choice as possible as well as reward our long-time users.

More information can be found at TiVo.com.
So, after the commitment, I cancel. Then, I decide I want to resubscribe the same box. What are my pricing options if I have another TiVo box subscribed? What are my pricing options if not? (Assume for the purpose of this answer that all prices will be the same at the end of the commitment as they are now, even though we all know that's not guaranteed).
 
#49 ·
Since there is no commitment after the first year, can you suspend service for one or more months and then resume at $19.99 again with no commitment after the initial one year commitment is complete?
 
#50 ·
So at least for this "promotional period" ending Dec 31. there is no lifetime option available for Premiere units for new customers. The best deal is the $0 up front and $20/month for 2 years, so this new promotion makes little sense if the plan is to keep the box at least 2 years. It only servers to screw people who don't know any better.

i.e. You are better off buying only via tivo.com (only place you can get the $0 up front and $20/month for 2 year deal) than you are through any other retailer. Seems counter-intuitive TiVo would intentionally want to offer better deal than any other retailer...
 
#51 ·
As someone mentioned in another thread, assuming the $19.99 price remains once you are on a month to month, if you suspend or cancel service on that box and then restart service after so long is it month to month still or are you back to a 1 year contract?
You always have to do a 1 year minimum contract when signing up any TiVo service, so that would be a yes.

To me the real question is once you finish the year and go month to month and then sign up for a new plan - are the normal pricing options available at that time? Eg currently that would be 12.95 if paind each month or 9.95 per month if MSD eligable. Then you have the pay a year in advance and other such options.
That is the question that has not been answered directly yet by TiVo inc.
 
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