GaryK - 1:49 am on Dec 20, 2010 (gmt 0)

Its always the fringe that gets noticed, and the guy who saves $50-$100 on his $1000 purchase will feel the pinch when something goes wrong and he has to either wait 2 weeks for service or repair, versus calling his local store and have a replacement tech come right out.

Smartphones are quickly becoming mainstream so those of us who use them aren't going to be on the fringe much longer.

If I'm buying a TV or other major appliance, I can't see ordering online to save $50-$100 on a $1000 purchase. But for someone like Mr. Tang, saving so much money on a relatively minor appliance is a big deal. And I suspect, with something like his GPS unit, waiting for a replacement won't be all that big an inconvenience. :)