American Express Membership Rewards - Buying HDTV on points alone - Discount Coupon?

:confused: Am I dreaming or did AMEX send out a coupon about a year ago that discounted awards purchased from their catalog (it might have been Marriott Rewards?). I'm in the market for a HDTV, and if I could get 25% discount off these ridiculous point costs in the catalog - I'd jump all over it. I DO see us buying a DLP HDTV within the next 6 months - I have ~250k in points but could transfer in a lot more.

Any of these types of rewards have cash value for BestBuy/Circuit City? Hey, someone has to ask the stupid questions. :D

I remember I once received those kind of catalog from Amex showing some discount for redeeming the points for some specific items, however, even after the discount, the ratio is still disappointing..so I never do that.

Besides bb/cc, you may also check goodguys.com or onecall.com for TV, their price is very good sometime.

:confused: Am I dreaming or did AMEX send out a coupon about a year ago that discounted awards purchased from their catalog (it might have been Marriott Rewards?). I'm in the market for a HDTV, and if I could get 25% discount off these ridiculous point costs in the catalog - I'd jump all over it. I DO see us buying a DLP HDTV within the next 6 months - I have ~250k in points but could transfer in a lot more.

Any of these types of rewards have cash value for BestBuy/Circuit City? Hey, someone has to ask the stupid questions. :D

Besides bb/cc, you may also check goodguys.com or onecall.com for TV, their price is very good sometime.

Even if the ratio is poor, it's 3k cash I can save now! I haven't checked goodguys, but onecall charges same prices as BB/CC for the models (46-52") that I'm looking at. :(

Hi, RLymburner,
Do you have a specific model so that I can take a look around? :-)

ls

Even if the ratio is poor, it's 3k cash I can save now! I haven't checked goodguys, but onecall charges same prices as BB/CC for the models (46-52") that I'm looking at. :(

Do you have a specific model so that I can take a look around? :-)

I've done the research, and narrowed it down to 3 (need to let the wife go check out the systems:

46" Samsung DLP (model#: HL-P4663W )
Tweeter $3,150 on sale
StreetPrices.com $2,205 shipped

50" Sony LCD (model #: KF-50WE610 )
Tweeter KF50WE610 $2,700 on sale
StreetPrices.com $2,619 shipped

52" JVC-D-ILA (model#: HD52Z575 )
StreetPrices.com $2,499 shipped

RLymburner,

I suggest doing some research regarding the company that is selling the TVs you mentioned at the lowest price.

For example, by going to www.bizrate.com, you can look up information regarding feedback for different companies. Inoax.com (the company with the cheapest JVC you listed) has a negative overall rating (see http://www.bizrate.com/ratings_guide/cust_reviews__mid--59470.html). These ratings are based on feedback that inoax's customers have left for them.

I have found www.froggle.com to be a good site for offering both a decent price search tool that also has a nice, easy to see, rating system for the merchants. The ratings used by Froogle averages ratings on various sites like bizrate & nextag.

Best of luck in your search. :)

:confused: Am I dreaming or did AMEX send out a coupon about a year ago that discounted awards purchased from their catalog (it might have been Marriott Rewards?). I'm in the market for a HDTV, and if I could get 25% discount off these ridiculous point costs in the catalog - I'd jump all over it. I DO see us buying a DLP HDTV within the next 6 months - I have ~250k in points but could transfer in a lot more.

Any of these types of rewards have cash value for BestBuy/Circuit City? Hey, someone has to ask the stupid questions. :D

Marriott rewards runs "specials" from time to time on items they have in the points catalog- but its still a very BAD deal (value) for your points.

Figuring you could transfer that 250K of points into 2 first class tickets anywhere in the world- (value about 2 X $12,000 per ticket) you would be using about 25K of value for a 3k TV set.

You would be much better off getting a BestBuy rewards zone card (would get you a rebate of a few hundred dollars on this one purchase) and using your Amex to pay or even better- if you fly CO, use a Chase CO Mastercard and getting double FF miles for a best buy purchase....