As the world struggles to stem the spread of the COVID-19 virus, people are being asked practice self-isolation and physical distancing — in other words, stay home and limit contact with others.
It has had a drastic impact on our daily lives. All forms of entertainment have been cancelled, public spaces are being closed and gatherings of any significance are being discouraged or outright banned. It has also changed the way we are shopping. Non-essential business have been shut down until the virus is under control, but there are still needs Canadians have to meet — and if the stores are closed it is driving even more people to do their shopping online.
But that is not without its challenges and risks.
“It can be a dog’s breakfast shopping for TVs online,” says Meaghan Wilkinson, Director of Marketing for Hisense Canada. “You have your mainstream retailers, but many of them also offer a broader marketplace where third parties can sell older and refurbished products — on the surface it looks like it is still coming from a retail brand you know and trust. It can make it confusing for consumers to navigate.”
If replacing or upgrading your TV is on your self-isolation online shopping list, Meaghan offers a few tips and precautions to make sure you get exactly what you are looking for:
- Know From Whom you are Buying — You may be at the website of a trusted retailer, but are you actually buying something from them? If the product is being sold from a third-party marketplace, there will be a line somewhere in the information that indicates who is actually selling it. Be wary as not all vendors are created equally. They may be selling a foreign model, a model that has been discontinued or even something that is refurbished.
- Do Your Research — Before making the purchase, check out your preferred TV at the manufacturer’s website. Not only is it the best place to get trusted information on that particular TV model, but you will also be able to find out if the TV you are looking at is the latest Canadian model, an older model being cleared out or even a refurbished TV. Get the model number from the retailer’s site and look for it on the manufacturer’s site; if nothing shows up, chances are you are being sold an old model.
- Are You Protected? — If you are making the purchase from a third-party marketplace vendor, chances are better than good that all manufacturer warranties have either expired or are void (this is especially true if it is a refurbished model). If you get a lemon or have a problem down the line, it is unlikely the retailer will provide the support you get with a full manufacturer’s warranty that comes from buying a current model from a trusted retailer.
- What are Others Saying? — Check out the customer reviews. As you are buying online, you can’t actually see what the picture is like as you could in a bricks-and-mortar store, and there are no sales staff around to answer your questions. Pay close attention to what others say about picture quality and the spectrum of colours. Complaints about a lack of customer support can be an indication that the consumer purchased an older or refurbished model from a third party, rather than an actual customer service issue.
For more information, please visit hisense-canada.com. Join the conversation and connect with Hisense on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @HisenseCA, using the hashtag #LifeReimagined. Watch product reviews and support on YouTube.