5 reasons why shopping for a smart TV online is better than in person

Going out into the world to shop is a hassle, especially when you have to navigate crowds, wait in lines, and talk to salespeople in the quest of a purchase. I don’t think anyone needs convincing that online shopping is easier than heading to a store in person, but there may be some pause, rightfully so, when it comes to large electronics purchases like a smart TV.

There are quite a few reasons why it’s worthwhile shopping for a smart TV in person, but it doesn’t always need to be the case. With enough research and understanding, there are plenty of cases where I stay at home to do my TV shopping. Here’s why you might be better served skipping the store and pulling the trigger online.

1 Less pressure, more time

A large purchase requires patience

At home, you have all the time you need and plenty of resources to do all the important research and due diligence when it’s convenient for you. There are over a half-dozen popular TV manufacturers, making TVs of all different sizes and screen technologies, with any number of features catering to various kinds of content. Sorting through all this can be exhausting and far more difficult in person.

There’s no point in starting your search in the store, as it’s likely there is just too much information to process and go through. Narrowing down your focus takes time and thought, and it’s best done at home, preferably in front of a computer where you can cross-check your viewing needs and entertainment preferences against any number of TVs. At home, you can also make the purchase when you’re ready, which can even mean waiting until the price drops.

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2 Convenience and comfort at home

Order, ship, and set up without moving

Netflix/ Pocket-lint 

If nothing else, shopping online is far more convenient than leaving your house, making your way to a big box store, and having to chat about and wait for your purchase. It can be exhausting and overwhelming, and there may not even be any difference in price. There’s also no guarantee that if you have specific questions about a TV, someone there will be able to provide the answers you need.

If you’re buying a large TV, there can be work with getting it from the store and into your home. This is especially true for anyone who lives in a city where parking and travel can be tedious, and where home may be up a flight of stairs or an elevator. In many cases, it’s better to have your TV delivered, which often comes free with purchase. In many cases, you can also have it installed or mounted by professionals at a nominal fee. This includes setting it up at just the right height and making sure it’s safe and working properly.

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3 TVs are optimized to look good

Store models are set to sell

If you’re looking for a TV in person, just keep in mind you are looking at the best versions of these TVs when in store. They are set up to sell, so every setting is optimized and every choice is made in order to make the picture look mesmerizing. They will be showing content that is designed to show off the best parts of the TV, and not exactly content that you’ll be watching at home.

For example, a setting of concern with QLED TVs and any other models that use backlighting is contrast. They can’t achieve true black, so there will be some element of shadowing or grayness depending on the quality and specificity of the backlight. Well, if you go to look at a QLED TV in person, you’re likely not going to see playing on the screen an episode of Game of Thrones or a haunted house movie. They’ll be showing content that pops, and not necessarily anything that explores the intricacies of TV’s abilities. And they certainly aren’t going to show any deficiencies or flaws that can be easily gleaned.

Some TVs might show sports, which could be helpful, but you also won’t likely find any older SD content or reality TV. All of this is to say that a very specific piece of content will look great in store, but it may not be indicative of how it looks at home.

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4 You have to experience the TV at home

Your space is unique

Whatever is showing on the screen in the store, and however good it looks, it’s worth remembering you won’t be watching your TV at the store. You’re watching at home, and that environment is going to be significantly different, and it may also often be in flux, which will influence how the TV presents content.

The same TV is going to look different depending on where it’s set up, and the only way to really know how it looks is to try it out in your space. The height of the TV, the distance from the viewing area, and how much light is in the room all factor into how your TV will look. Whether it’s wall-mounted or set up on a TV stand also influences the experience, and none of this can be properly understood at the store. Maybe there is a glare at home (which you won’t see at the store), or maybe there is distortion based on the viewing angle. Sound in particular is a trait that can change significantly based on the acoustics in your space and how the TV is set up.

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5 Embracing a TV takes time

Plenty to explore

There is only so much you can understand and appreciate in store when inspecting a TV. It’s almost like a mattress, where you need to test it out for a while before you can fully embrace it; only your grace period for a new TV is likely a lot shorter than one for a new mattress.

To fully experience a TV, and determine whether you actually enjoy the model, you’re going to have to test it out across a number of days in a variety of situations with plenty of different content. That may mean testing how your TV showcases sports, prestige films, older sitcoms, and reality shows. It’ll require pulling up titles on your frequently-used streaming services to see how they look and sound, and hooking up any device, like a Blu-ray player or gaming console, to see what that experience is like.

There may also be a learning curve or adjustment period when it comes to the operating system, especially if you’re switching to a new one or haven’t bought a new TV in many years. There are so many features available on TVs that take time to understand and set up, from customizing home pages and settings to adjusting presets based on the type of content you’re watching. All of this takes time and needs to be done at home.

A lot of thought and effort goes into buying a TV, but it’s a purchase, however large and expensive, that can be done at home. And once you’ve decided on the model, you need to test it out in your space in order to find out if it’s the best TV for your viewing needs.

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