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Cheaper thrills: Flat-screen TVs, iPhones, Blu-ray players: Some prices really are coming down. On drywall, too.
(Sacramento Bee, The (CA) (KRT) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) May 26--Actually, everything doesn't cost more these days. Houses are cheaper. OK, bad joke.
But there are products, such as flat-screen TVs, that are less expensive today than a year ago. Blu-ray players and iPhones, for instance. The bargain-hunting public is searching for deals, and a few remain.
Charlotte Sanders of Rancho Cordova has done a lot of shopping and research before buying her first flat-screen TV, and she plans to do more. She's drawn to a Samsung LCD model at Circuit City in Citrus Heights but is determined to get the best deal.
"Just about everything is going up -- milk, butter," she says. "The 3-pound bag of coffee (Kirkland brand whole bean) at Costco went up. I really want to get a flat-screen."
She's aware that prices are better this year but says she needs to investigate more models and prices before closing the deal.
"Today, the average consumer shopping for a TV has done over 12 hours of research on the Internet," says store director Manny Salinas. "They're more educated and do a lot more shopping."
Analysts predicted that flat-screen TV prices would drop as much as 20 percent this year, but so far, it's been 6 percent to 8 percent, according to local store managers. Flat-screens have been dropping in price for the past few years but may be about to bottom out.
As Sanders chats with a salesman, Salinas fetches a yellowing Circuit City mailer that is four years old. He points to a Panasonic plasma, flat-screen TV advertised for $5,999. Today, he emphasizes, a comparable model can be had for $999.
Shopping for a flat-screen TV while prices are dropping also encouraged Sanders to find a better deal on the wall-mounting bracket. A family member has volunteered to install the bracket and TV for additional savings.
Now, if you're looking for more of those rare, sweet deals ...
Compact fluorescent light bulbs
At $25 each, the cost of early compact fluorescent bulbs scared off consumers. Today, you can find energy-saving CF bulbs for about $1.50 each, sometimes even less. A year ago, the cost was around $2.50 a bulb; four years ago, it was $4. Lowe's spokeswoman Karen Cobb calls the CF bulbs "a great example of a home improvement product that has gone down in price."
Blu-ray players
The "next generation" high-definition format for DVD players, which were $400 to $500 a year ago, are a few dollars cheaper this year. However, Stan Glasgow, president of the U.S. division of Sony Electronics, has predicted that prices could go as low as $299 near the end of this year.
Despite the price drop, a Harris Poll released last week reported that only 9 percent of those who don't already own a Blu-ray player are likely to buy one in the next year. Still, with dropping prices and more Blu-ray-only film titles being announced, those who waited will reap major savings.
iPhone
Apple introduced the iPhone last summer for $599 (the 8-gigabyte version) but slashed $200 off the price just two months later. Today, the phone can be purchased new for less than $300. Apple's "next generation" iPhone, the 3G version, is expected to be available late next month for $399. But Apple's U.S. sales partner AT&T reportedly will offer an even lower price ($199) for those who sign up for two-year phone contracts.
Digital cameras
More for about the same money, or a bit less, is how digital cameras are priced this year, compared with a year ago. "You're getting more features on cameras for the same price," says Salinas, the Circuit City store director. The average "snapshooter" photographer, according to online product-review site Cnet.com, can expect to pay $150 to $300.
Lumber
Attention, remodelers: The price of lumber has dropped. Yes, there is something positive about the housing slump. With the reduced demand for lumber, prices are down about 19 percent from a year ago, according to the lumber trade publication Random Lengths. "Lumber and drywall are both down," says Home Depot spokeswoman Kathryn Gallagher.
Drywall
Prices of the wall-building sheets have dropped 36 percent in the past year. Again, the housing slump is the reason. Manufacturer USG reports that its average North American first-quarter selling price per 1,000 square feet was $104.41. A year ago, the price was $164.12; two years ago, it hit an all-time high of $188.37.
Flat-screen TVs
Last fall, price-drop predictions ranged from 15 percent to 20 percent, but this spring, ConsumerReports.org adjusted the estimates to "moderate" price drops. More like 6 percent to 8 percent around the Sacramento area, according to store managers. If you already have the big screen, consider buying smaller screens for the kitchen or bedroom.
To see more of The Sacramento Bee, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.sacbee.com/.
Copyright (c) 2008, The Sacramento Bee, Calif.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
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