Price Drop Speculation: A consumer’s version of the stock market.

The recent speculative news of price drops from major HDTV manufacturers like Samsung, Sony and Panasonic, just to name a few has halted some of us from buying the sought after unit right away. Is the wait worth it? How will this affect the average consumer?

First let’s take a general look at what is concerned. The manufacturers announced a price drop in the Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price (MSRP). However, most major retail outlets such as Fry’s, Best Buy and others usually sell lower than the MSRP in order to attract the customers.

So does that mean that we will pay less for that shiny new TV or that the retailer will temporarily benefit from a higher profit margin? That depends. Most price cuts relate to new 2008 models that manufacturers wish to get rid of in the upcoming weeks as they constitute the time frame where most TV’s are sold. However some retailers still have 2007 models they are trying to push out the door. These models are generally sold at very low mark up. So the retailer may want to catch up on their margin by selling the current 2008 models at a higher rate.

Also don’t forget that fall will mean that the 2009 line up will arrive in time for the holidays. So, the bottom line is that regardless of what your situation is and when you plan your purchase, if you take some time to shop around you will most likely find a good deal.