A woman is going viral after claiming she found an impressive deal at Costco. Essentially, she found a 75” QLED TCL TV for just $399.
In her clip, Rachel (@rachelovee) encouraged her followers to “run” to Costco. “These prices are wild,” she says. But are QLED TCL TVs worth the type—and how much do they normally cost? As of Tuesday, Rachel’s video amassed more than 231,300 views.
Was this a discounted price?
The same TVs are still sold at Costco, but they aren’t as cheap as they were in November when Rachel first found them. It’s possible she found the TVs after a Black Friday sale, which could explain the discount.
As of Tuesday, the same 75” QLED TLC TV cost roughly $500.
Are the TVs worth it?
While the Costco TV received 4.1 out of a possible 5 stars, not every buyer has been impressed with the gadget.
RTINGS.COM says the TVs are considered “mid-range” and gave it a 7.9 out of a possible 10 points. Some of its problems, the site notes, are that its “viewing angle is inadequate.” So it’s not great if you have a ton of people over and want to all watch TV.
In addition, it says the TV’s calibration out of the box is bad, meaning buyers will have to spend time re-calibrating the TV’s color and brightness upon first buying it. The website also says this TV isn’t a good one for professional gamers.
Meanwhile, in an r/cltvs subreddit, another prospective QLED TCL TV buyer expressed concern that the screen looked dull or washed out.
“I checked the brightness setting and it was on max!” the Redditor says.
But there are some benefits to these devices. After all, Costco customers rated them highly. That may be because they’re cheap or have smart TV capabilities. In addition, while they might not have all of the high-end gaming features found in more expensive brands, they’re well suited for casual gaming and everyday use.
These TVs are relatively inexpensive
The TV Rachel found at Costco may go on sale again soon—if not there, then likely at other online retailers such as Amazon or Best Buy.
There’s a reason they are inexpensive, though. As one Quora commenter notes, these TVs often use lower-quality components compared to other brands, such as Samsung (i.e., they’re built to be sold at a low price).
In the same thread, one commenter swore off buying TCL products because he says they constantly break down and need to be repaired.
“They will repair the product after two months and will say that parts are not available,” they wrote. “It’s the worst company I have ever seen. Instead of TCL, you can buy Sony [or] Samsung. Don’t go for the… cheap product.”
@rachelovee RUN TO COSTCO‼️ These prices are wild‼️ #costco #sale #tv #deals ♬ original sound – Rachelove3
Viewers are torn on whether a discounted price is worth it
In the comments section of Rachel’s video, viewers gave mixed reviews of the QLED TCL TVs. Many, however, say they weren’t impressed.
“Lol spend the extra money and get an LG,” one man wrote.
“Nissan Altima of TVs,” another said.
“Spend the extra $ and don’t get a TCL,” a third user advised. “The smart software sucks and is laggy/slow. Unless you plan on using Roku or something.”
Others, however, who say they currently own TCL TVs say they’re worth it—even if they’re not on sale.
“People just hate to hate,” one commenter said. “Got a 65” TCL that’s about 7 years old with zero problems.”
“I’ve got two in my house and one 98”. No problems,” another shared.
“Two TCLs in my house [are] 4+ years old, not a single issue,” a third user echoed.
For those without a Costco membership, some viewers say you can purchase the TCL TVs from other retailers.
“Walmart has TCL 75” for $330,” one user claimed.
“Saw the same TV at Target for $359.99 last week,” another added.
“Walmart $299,” a third person said.
Update 4:07pm CT, Feb. 12: A spokesperson for TCL told the Daily Dot, “At TCL, we are always pleased to see customers enjoying our products and sharing their experiences. … Costco is one of our trusted retail partners, and we are committed to providing high-quality TVs that deliver excellent value and performance.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to Rachel via TikTok comment. We also reached out to Costco through its media request form.
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