Topic: Now available for $68!

Thought I had a bargain at $80

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Insignia%26 … 8185322584

Re: Now available for $68!

moreace wrote:

Thought I had a bargain at $80

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Insignia%26 … 8185322584

Yes, a $68 pried me from the sidelines to the game ($40 for the 3.5 inch version might also have) and mine's on the way...

Re: Now available for $68!

This is some really bizarre price movement by Best Buy.  It was $100 for Black Friday, dropped to $80 a week later, went back up to full retail, then to the incredible price of $68, and now back up to the original sale price of $100.  Where will it go next?

Re: Now available for $68!

I got my two 3.5" price-matched down to $39 on Monday (mine and my daughters).  There was actually an 8" still on the shelf.  Even though I had previously purchased it (for $99) and returned due to crappy alarm and reduced music functionality, I was tempted to pick it up for $68.  Especially if an official Chumby version is released, and I can hack the Insignia to run its software instead!  Luckily, someone had picked it up before I left the store, so I didn't have to be tempted.

Re: Now available for $68!

brewerja wrote:

This is some really bizarre price movement by Best Buy.  It was $100 for Black Friday, dropped to $80 a week later, went back up to full retail, then to the incredible price of $68, and now back up to the original sale price of $100.  Where will it go next?


Yes, strange.  The deep discounting suggests a closeout, but a price rebound just days later muddies the waters.  As of now the website says they're only available in stores; no shipping options; perhaps more evidence of a clearance sale?  In fact, the 8 inch version isn't available in any of my local (DC area) stores...or many other stores, from a quick scan of a few zip codes I know in major cities around the country.

Re: Now available for $68!

I price adjusted the 8" one i got a couple weeks ago and got the 3.5" for like $27 after the adjustment money. smile

If they are giving up on them.. i hope we get more music options on the 8" before they wash their hands of it.

Re: Now available for $68!

Yes, Best Buy's pricing of the 8" Infocast seems bizarre.

In the Pacific NW even thought it was nearly sold out, they continued their price oscillations while apparently never receiving much new stock.

I guess they want to frustrate customers needlessly.

BTW, the 8" device is great. I love the larger screen which provides much easier reading and navigation.

Huge difference!

Re: Now available for $68!

And now, just days later, $169 again!  Reading the New Years entry on the Chumby blog and seeing the price rise to retail list again, I am at least less concerned that this was a close-out strategy, but the range of deep discounting certainly remains a puzzle.  In fact, the blog post even suggests internet telephony to put that microphone to use, which would certainly be wonderful news...

Re: Now available for $68!

We at Chumby don't really have an insight into the holiday pricing of these devices.

One conjecture is that BBY is experimenting with pricing to come up with price/demand curve for this class of device for future product planning.  My guess is that they're trying to find a pricing "sweet spot" that maximizes per-unit revenue, and will go to the factory and have them target that price point.  They appear to have given up some potential revenue to find that out.

That would seem to imply some level of commitment to the product category.  When you're doing a close-out, you typically drop the price and just leave it there until the inventory is completely gone.

Again, this is just conjecture.

10 (edited by Martin_H 2011-01-02 17:42:38)

Re: Now available for $68!

I went to Best Buy a few days ago looking for an Infocast.  They were out of the 3.5" units, but had one 8" unit in stock.  I knew the 3.5" Infocast was a close relative of the Chumby One and assumed the 8? was essentially the same device with a bigger screen.

I figured out after playing around with it that it was a different beast and at first I was disappointed it was missing some of the 3.5" music features.  However, after reading bunnie's blog I am starting to think I could compile linux apps like Amarok to fill the void.  Given that this is more than twice the computer for only $99, I may have stumbled into a pretty good deal.  Especially because it is back up to its usual price now.

It will be interesting to see where Best Buy goes with this and if the 2011 firmware upgrade takes place.

If the 3.5" shows up on sale for $39 or $49 again, I will definitely snap one up.

Re: Now available for $68!

Thanks for your perspective, Duane.  A rebounding price does seem inconsistent with a close-out, but eliminating shipping alternatives to store stock only remains a puzzle, even given the plausible lets-understand-the-demand-curve theory.

That said, Best Buy's research provided me $68-with-free-shipping 8 inch and a (backordered, but soon!) $40-with-free-shipping 3.5 inch Chumby devices, so I certainly don't feel like complaining...

Re: Now available for $68!

Earlier this week the BB 3.5 and 8 were their normal prices, today they are $69 and $99.  The 3.5" sale price is drifting up over time, while the 8" seems to be stabilizing at $99.

Re: Now available for $68!

Latest Best Buy weirdness:  after 3 weeks of backorder, my 3.5" Infocast was finally due about now (1/14-1/21, they said).  Instead of confirming shipping, I got a new e-mail saying it is not coming back into stock, they won't be shipping ever, and I could try finding one at a nearby store.  They promised to cancel my ($39.99) order if I didn't call them promptly.

Calling them got me to a customer "service" agent who would only cancel my order (in other words to do exactly what would happen if I had never responded!), as immediately adjacent stores were out of stock.  Fortunately a 5-minute survey of a few additional stores turned one up and I retrieved it an hour later.

Kudos to store staff, who honored the mystifying after-Christmas price, thus digging BB.com out from under their own ineptitude.  It all leaves me wondering if Best Buy even has a plan for these devices...if they have any continuing commitment to them they sure don't let on...

Re: Now available for $68!

Out of stock in Denver sad
Nothing available online...

I wish they'll continue the Infocast 3.5", it was a great low price hacking unit with the SPI+GPIO ports!

Re: Now available for $68!

They're back on sale.  8" for $80 and 3.5" for $50.  We have 3.5" in my area but no 8"