Sony scrappage scheme: is it any good?

The 'scrappage scheme', which offers discounts on Sony products at a number of retailers, has been heavily trumpeted in TV adverts with a World Cup theme, but does it offer a good deal?

While it appears enticing, as not all retailers are participating in the Sony scheme, our investigations show it's sometimes better to ignore the offer if you want a Sony product. This is because you can often save even more by purchasing from the cheapest retailer (see the Cheap Online Shopping guide).

And remember, you may make more money by selling older items yourself than the value awarded by Sony via its discounts.

If you're familiar with how the scheme works, jump to our investigation. Otherwise, find out more below.

What can I buy and when does it end?

You can buy a new Sony TV, DVD player, Blu-Ray player, home theatre system, camera and more. See the Sony website for the full list. The scheme runs until 11 July.

At which stores can I use the discount?

Participating stockists include Sony Centres, Comet, Currys, John Lewis and Tesco Extra. Many independent retailers are also taking part. See the Sony website for those local to you.

Can I use the discount online?

This depends on the store. You can with Comet, John Lewis and Tesco. But not at Currys or Sony Centres. You'll need to check with independent stores but many will not have websites.

How do I scrap the equipment?

Either hand in the old model to staff, complete the relevant online forms (and it will be collected) or arrange with the store for pick-up if the item is too heavy to lift.

What equipment can I scrap?

You must trade-in a like-for-like product. For example if you're buying a TV you must scrap an old TV. There are some products that are accepted which are not like-for-like. For instance, you can trade in an old dusty novel for a £20 discount on a Sony Reader.

In addition:

• Must I scrap Sony items? No. Any brands will be accepted.

• How old must the equipment be? Age is irrelevant.

• What condition must the old items be in? That is also irrelevant. Equipment in a good or poor state will be accepted.

What discounts will I get?

The exact amount depends on the product you are buying.To give an indication, you get:

• £50-£150 off the Bravia Essentials and Bravia Network TV range.

• £100-£150 off the Bravia Cinematic TV range.

• £30-£50 off Blu-Ray players and DVD recorders.

• £30-£50 off home theatre systems.

• £5-£60 off Cybershot cameras, Handycam camcorders, headphones, Walkmans and pocket readers.

See a list of discounts on the Sony website.

Is the Sony scrappage scheme worth it?

To find out follow these steps:

• Step 1. First, use a price comparison site such as Pricerunner.co.uk or Kelkoo.co.uk to find the cheapest place to buy your chosen item. You can also compare Sony items against rival brands this way. Not all stores list their prices on these sites so you may need to check separately, too.

• Step 2. If you're buying a Sony, then compare the price of scrapping the item at the cheapest store taking part in the scheme with the best deal you can get elsewhere. If you can get the scrappage bonus off the best deal then you can make make some serious savings, though also factor in any money you would make by selling old models yourself.

Our investigation

We compared prices of five popular Sony brands against the best online deals to work out whether it's best to buy using the scrappage scheme or not. We found in three cases, the scrappage scheme works out cheapest.

However, independent retailers without an online presence were not compared, while we did not factor in any profits by selling items ourselves.

Nevertheless, our results show it's worth doing the necessary checks first.

1. Sony 52 inch Bravia HD TV

Cheapest online retailer: £1349.90 from Hi Spek.

Scrappage scheme cost after discount: £1,549 from the Sony Centre or Comet.

Verdict: Buy independently

2. Sony 40 inch Bravia HD TV

Cheapest online retailer: £749.99 from Richer Sounds.

Scrappage scheme cost after discount: £649.99 from Comet.

Verdict: Use scrappage scheme

3. Sony 1080p Blu-Ray player

Cheapest online retailer: £142.50 from Amazon.

Scrappage scheme cost after discount: £129.97 from Tesco.

Verdict: Use scrappage scheme

4. Sony pocket reader

Cheapest online retailer: £149 from John Lewis

Scrappage scheme cost after discount: £129 from John Lewis

Verdict: Use scrappage scheme

5. Sony 14.1 Megapixel cybershot digital camera

Cheapest online retailer: £148.27 from Amazon.

Scrappage scheme cost after discount: £149.99 from Comet.

Verdict: Buy independently

Further reading/Key links

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