Decide what to buy | the Reevoo.com blog, featuring news on TVs, cameras, laptops, mp3 players & other gadgets, shopping tips and deals, reviews and more

Maxine recently got in touch with Reevoo to tell us about her new TV. We thought she might have some interesting advice to share with people in a similar position, so we subjected her to a few questions!

Maxine is a PA from Birmingham.

Thanks for taking the time to help AV Review readers Maxine! What TV have you bought?

Maxine: I’ve researched and researched on the net and in stores and looked at TV upon TV for approximately 8 months, but kept coming back to the Samsung LE37A656A – the LG Scarlet did not compare looks wise – looked tacky and ineffective.

Wow, that’s a long time to be looking for a new TV! Did you know anything about TVs before you started?

Max: I had no idea whatsoever about TVs. Back in the day I never had unlimited access to the World Wide Web or even a car to go from one store to another. When you’re on public transport you want to get on and off as quickly as possible so rarely ventured too far from home. With your own four wheels however, you can go as far as the petrol in the tank can take you and the WWW’s access is unlimited.

I learned about TVs by speaking to people, visiting a lot of stores looking at loads and loads of TVs, but it wasn’t until I really got the internet research bug that I began to really understand what was important for me, what ticked the boxes that made me decide - yeah - this is it the Samsung Rose/Black Series 6 LEA37A656.

What were your reasons for getting a new TV? Did your requirements change as you learnt more about televisions?

Max: I decided on a new TV for 2 reasons. One, I’ve done a massive make-over on my whole house, the lounge in particular had not had a facelift in ages. Two, once I had a colour scheme (black, silver/grey, white with splashes of red) I also found that the TV I had for a while not only did not fit in with the rest of my décor but also needed updating. It was very bulky and took up unnecessary floor space. Besides, the colour tube was on its last legs frittering between green and blue screens whenever it felt like it to the point I got used to it.

My initial requirement was just a flat screen - what do I know? I had an idea on size but wasn’t sure - I had the space but didn’t want overbearing so researched that element too. And I definitely had no clue whether I wanted LCD or Plasma - in fact I’m not ashamed to say I didn’t know the difference. It definitely changed by the time I made that final decision to buy. The specifications were compared against similar models, price was at the forefront as there had to be value for money and the look - very very important. These all became the top key factors on my wish list.

It sounds like you’re very happy with your final choice - do you have any tips for other people who are thinking about getting a new TV?

Max: It’s imperative that we take time out and research research research. Make a list of what is important to you to convince you to buy that item and tick as many boxes on your wish list as is possible - not all will be ticked because we can’t get everything we want, but we can indeed get close to it.

We all have a preferred make or a make we have been using with satisfaction over the years ie. Samsung, Panasonic, LG whatever. Mine’s Samsung. Select your preferred 1st and 2nd choices and produce a ‘wish list’, listing what YOU think (no one else, just you - you’re the one paying for it and have to live with it - furthermore too many people putting in their ten pennies worth can be confusing and you’d end up getting something not fit for your purpose nor suits your personality) are the important factors that you want to ensure are met before you decide to make that purchase - again not all need to be ticked but if you put them in order of importance they’ll be little or no doubts about the purchase.

If, however, both your 1st and 2nd choices meet all or most of your requirements but you still can’t decide on a make and model, get on to one of the comparison websites and compare each against another popular or top make - Samsung Rose/Black 6 Series compared with the LG Scarlet for example. You should be able to make a firm decision from there. Before you press that button though pop back into a store and have a final look at the exact make and model TV you’ve decided on - seeing it in the flesh so to speak and having it demonstrated in front of your eyes is advisable and more convincing. This should then remove or confirm any doubts that may have crept into your mind. Once satisfied don’t ponder any further - click that button and go for it - you’ve done your homework so now follow through to the exciting stage of waiting for it to be delivered and enjoying your purchase.

Thanks, that’s very helpful. Any final thoughts?

Max: Trust me it can get very boring and tedious at times trawling websites, popping in and out of one store after the other, but your hard work will pay off in the end. Making purchases via a website is also easy just make sure the site is secure and reputable. Phone them up if not sure and read the reviews left by other customers both positives and negatives - take the good with the bad but weigh them all up to fit your needs and you’ll find the balance. Happy researching and enjoy your new purchase.

Thanks Maxine, hope you enjoy the new TV!

If you would like to be interviewed for AV Review, drop me a line at tv@reevoo.com, or leave a message in the comments.

Last week, I was lucky enough to talk to Pat Foley, Marketing & Operations Manager at Dixons. Dixons is part of DSG international plc, which is one of Europe’s leading specialist electrical retailing groups.

We?re seeing a bit of a slowdown in the economy at the moment so I asked Pat a few questions about what?s happening in the retail industry…

What are you responsible for at Dixons?
At Dixons.co.uk I am responsible for Marketing and Operations which includes the generation and management of all customer traffic to the site, looking after the customer experience while they are shopping on the site, ensuring the site is functioning as it should, site design, 3rd party partner relationships and our customer contact centre for sales and aftersales customer contacts. All of this means that every day presents exciting new challenges and opportunities.

What are the biggest challenges facing on-line retail?
The biggest challenges are ensuring that we continue to manage our costs effectively to allow us to continue to give our customers excellent value for money.

Are you ready for Christmas?
Yes we have already started to formulate our plans for Christmas and expect this Christmas to be another bumper season for on-line.

What?s been your proudest moment at Dixons?
One of my proudest moments was working with the team at Reevoo to develop the customer-generated product content on the Dixons.co.uk site. I really do believe that the impartial customer content adds value to the customer experience and helps our customers make the right decisions. (we didn’t even ask Pat to say this - honest!)

Has the credit crunch changed buying habits?
If anything our experience is that the credit crunch has benefited on-line as more and more customers are turning to Dixons.co.uk for the best value, service and prices.

Will off-line retail still be around in 20 years?
There will always be a place for retail stores- they will sit alongside on-line etailers for many years to come. DSGI operates a multichannel strategy with a mix of on-line and retail businesses offering customers a choice of options from pure on-line, to retail stores, to reserve and collect. Many customers use all three options at different times and for different purchases.

What websites do you admire and why?
I am very proud of what we have achieved with the Dixons.co.uk website over the last two years. It was brave and exciting move taking one of the best known brands off the high street and turning it into a successful pure play on-line e-tailer. I also admire the BBC i player because of its ease of use and interactivity.

What?s the last thing you bought on-line?
I shop on-line almost every week and the last thing I bought was an sd memory card, purchased from www.dixons-entertainment.co.uk which was exceptional value!