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May 18, 2009 -- Best Buy finding success with private label electronics goods
When you think of private labels, you typically don't think of electronics retailers. Best Buy, however, has had great success taking a cue from the supermarkets and discount stores with its increasingly popular store brands.
Among the private labels Best Buy offers are a bargain brand called Dynex and a high-end brand called Insignia. Much of the public probably thinks those are "real" brands.
For you as a consumer, the advantage is that the Best Buy products are cheaper or better than the national brands. In fact, the company's private label TVs now account for 5% of all TV sales in the United States, according to The Wall Street Journal.
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What others are saying
Insignia
Bought an Insignia DVD-VCR and the VCR broke after a year. Never again will I buy the store brand for electronics
Need more choices so this is good.
I like best buy wish id bought there. i got couponed so to speak into a expensive set and the store sales at best buy althugh not backed up by a superior waranty equla big bucks and i for one know the compnay will get into online sales and with substitutes being non players the only thing left is tlecomonuitcaion and services which best biuy has enterd as well. there barnd is noticeable and notonly found in niches. can i hav a job though?
Why bother?
Why would one bother buying any that may be even remotely important with the Insignia or Dynex label on it? There are other brands at Best Buy for only a few bucks more such as LG, Sony, Samsung, Pioneer, Panasonic,etc. Although in most cases Sony makes garbage (their blue ray players and DAT machines seem to be okay, I bought the $400 bdps 550 and it is pretty fast and appears to be well made in Japan) the other brands listed are usually okay. I about the LG 370 for $250 and it works pretty well and loads fast. If what you're buying won't be your main unit (maybe a secondary blue ray player, etc) then Insignia or Dynex may be okay. But for something like a TV in your living room or office that gets used everyday the Insignia would be a waste of money. A Toshiba, Samsung or Pannasonic, Sharp, etc can be had for a few bucks more.
"the advantage is that the Best Buy products are cheaper or better than the national brands."
Wow, is this guy still being taken seriously? Insignia is "high-end" and "better" than the name brands? Absolutely laughable. Not to mention the fact that you are supporting an unethical company like Best Buy.
19" TV and DVD recorder
Works perfectly... as a mater of fact the DVD recorder is on the border of superb... great recording quality. Been using both for about two years
Insignia not so hot
I bought insignia dvd recorder/vhs combo. Supid thing lasted 1 year 2 months. Then died. WONT EVER BUY INSIGNIA AGAIN.
Insignia is junk
I've bought a car stereo/CD player and a pair of Bluetooth headphones that were both Insignia brand. Both were junk and I returned them within the first week of ownership. The low price is nice, but you get what you pay for. I'll never buy Insignia again.
Best Buy brands
I have had the Insignia 32" LCD TV now for almost a year. So far, no worries. Got it for under $500 last year.
