Dogfather
Premium
join:2007-12-26
Laguna Hills, CA
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| reply to Matt
Re: Do any of these market types ever learn
I agree with Matt, this is a bit different. I already carry a USB AirCard and woudl have certainly considered a cheap Dell subnotebook if the price was right.
As for who would do the Compuserve deal? I needed a laptop and did the deal with Prodigy which at the time (pre SBC days) was a great dial up service with tons of POPs made better by their extensive email filter options which included blocking overseas mail servers (nearly zero spam eventhough I whored my email addy everywhere). |
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ReVeLaTeD
Premium
join:2001-11-10
San Diego, CA
| reply to massysett
said by massysett  :It's exactly like what Transmaster is comparing it to. The advertisement would say that a computer bundle (monitor, printer, floppy disks and all) was, say, $599 "after $400 instant rebate." You had to sign up for 3 years of MSN right there in the store, at $25 a month. Who knows if Best Buy was really getting $400 from MSN, but without the MSN you would pay $400 extra. What difference does it make that the netbook retails for $399? Maybe now there will be "FREE" netbook if you sign up for 3 years of Verizon at $50 a month! No difference whatsoever. MSN did pay Best Buy the money...the issue was that they paid Best Buy money before the subscriber paid for the service, based on the presence of a credit card applied (authorized for $1) and a signature (which wasn't validated against anything).
I know this to be the case, because MSN went on a rampage trying to collect their money owed after the fact. Thousands of people were defrauding that system; it was a nightmare. You could get 5 prepaid cards, load at least $1 on each, and go to 5 different Best Buy stores and get a $400 gift card from each, instantly. $2,000 profit. I know guys who bought ultimate car audio systems, TVs, computers, etc. |
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EPS
join:2008-02-13
Hingham, MA | reply to Matt
$399? Hell, I recently got an Eee for ~$259, less than some iPhones. Surprisingly usable too... |
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massysett
join:2006-01-04
Silver Spring, MD
| reply to Matt
It's exactly like what Transmaster is comparing it to. The advertisement would say that a computer bundle (monitor, printer, floppy disks and all) was, say, $599 "after $400 instant rebate." You had to sign up for 3 years of MSN right there in the store, at $25 a month. Who knows if Best Buy was really getting $400 from MSN, but without the MSN you would pay $400 extra. What difference does it make that the netbook retails for $399? Maybe now there will be "FREE" netbook if you sign up for 3 years of Verizon at $50 a month! No difference whatsoever. |
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Matt
Take me down to the paradise city
Premium
join:2003-07-20
Jamestown, NC
·North State Commun..
| reply to Transmaster
said by Transmaster :Remember the good buddy deals on computers if you signed up your first born for life with AOL, Compuserve, etc. It didn't pan out then and it will not pan out now. These "netbooks" retail for $399, less than some phones which are already subsidized. This is nothing like what you are comparing it to. |
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Transmaster
Don't Blame Me I Voted For Bill and Opus
join:2001-06-20
Cheyenne, WY
1 edit | Remember the good buddy deals on computers if you signed up your first born for life with AOL, Compuserve, etc. It didn't pan out then and it will not pan out now. |
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