# What's the deal with eBay coupons?



## Ikrion (Aug 31, 2014)

The coupon deal seems fantastic, but it just seems incredibly odd. How can a reseller allow these types of discounts, but TiVo does not give them to the public?

Is this some special reseller program authorized by TiVo? Do eBay sellers just sign up to give discounts and then sell them? It seems like a perfect revenue stream (we should all get into it). 

What is this program?


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## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

This is discussed in detail over in the "Roamio Deals" thread, but basically the codes are given out to employees at places like Best Buy for completing a training course about TiVo so that after learning about TiVo products, they can then buy TiVo products at a discount to give them the chance to actually use a TiVo for themselves that they are trying to sell to customers. Entrepreneurial electronic store employees will get these codes and then turn around and sell them on places like ebay to make a quick buck.

Here is the website for the program:

http://sellmoretivo.com/


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## Ikrion (Aug 31, 2014)

Yes, I've looked into that thread a little trying to deduce the answer. I came across the signup site to get the TiVo training and the discounts, but it seems like those are for personal employee use. Is there just an endless supply of employees signing up and then selling the discount codes?

I haven't found anything definitive about this being legitimate, so it makes me a bit uneasy. The good deal has me continuing to look for that peace of mind.


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## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

Ikrion said:


> Yes, I've looked into that thread a little trying to deduce the answer. I came across the signup site to get the TiVo training and the discounts, but it seems like those are for personal employee use. Is there just an endless supply of employees signing up and then selling the discount codes?
> 
> I haven't found anything definitive about this being legitimate, so it makes me a bit uneasy. The good deal has me continuing to look for that peace of mind.


It's legitimate-ish. It is a real discount code that you are buying that will work in getting you the discount you are trying to buy. At the risk of getting too legally technical, somewhere in the fine print of the code website it says the codes are non-transferrable, but since you aren't the one agreeing to the terms at the time the code was acquired, you can't be held responsible for violating them. You are essentially a good faith purchaser, and if you use the code to buy a box with lifetime service, TiVo isn't going to try to take it away from you after the fact. And even if they did (which they won't), they would be legally required to refund your money.

Now if you buy a box with the reduced monthly service, they MIGHT take the discounted monthly rate away from you going forward once they discover the code was transferred to you, if they ever do. So, if you are planning on using one of these ebay codes, I would recommend only using it to buy a box with lifetime service.

I didn't know about the ebay codes when I bought my Roamio Plus w/lifetime, but if I were going to buy one today, I would use one of the ebay codes without hesitation.


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## Ikrion (Aug 31, 2014)

tarheelblue32 said:


> It's legitimate-ish. It is a real discount code that you are buying that will work in getting you the discount you are trying to buy. At the risk of getting too legally technical, somewhere in the fine print of the code website it says the codes are non-transferrable, but since you aren't the one agreeing to the terms of service at the time the code was acquired, you aren't violating them. You are essentially a good faith purchaser, and if you use the code to buy a box with lifetime service, TiVo isn't going to try to take it away from you after the fact. And even if they did, they would be legally required to refund your money.


Good explanation, and makes sense. While I'm sure TiVo is more than aware that this occurs on a regular basis, I may not feed the beast here. The promotions TiVo is offering outside of this offer are competitive. Not as good, but definitely good.


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## JWhites (May 15, 2013)

tarheelblue32 said:


> This is discussed in detail over in the "Roamio Deals" thread, but basically the codes are given out to employees at places like Best Buy for completing a training course about TiVo so that after learning about TiVo products, they can then buy TiVo products at a discount to give them the chance to actually use a TiVo for themselves that they are trying to sell to customers. Entrepreneurial electronic store employees will get these codes and then turn around and sell them on places like ebay to make a quick buck.
> 
> Here is the website for the program:
> 
> http://sellmoretivo.com/


Problem is the employees end up never getting a TiVo thus never having any idea how to use one. I think we finally cracked the code of TiVo's bad customer service.


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## replaytv (Feb 21, 2011)

I thought they just sold TiVos at cost to employees and retailers employees and then turned on 'evaluation' type of lifetime for free so they could experience it.


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## L David Matheny (Jan 29, 2011)

replaytv said:


> I thought they just sold TiVos at cost to employees and retailers employees and then turned on 'evaluation' type of lifetime for free so they could experience it.


It might be reasonable to distribute some machines that have "evaluation" service _for a limited time_, to give various employees some first-hand experience with TiVos. But surely TiVo wouldn't be goofy enough to send out thousands of machines with free _lifetime_ service on them. And if they were, wouldn't we see more "evaluation" machines for sale on eBay? There aren't that many such machines showing up, are there?


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## lessd (Jan 23, 2005)

replaytv said:


> I thought they just sold TiVos at cost to employees and retailers employees and then turned on 'evaluation' type of lifetime for free so they could experience it.


I have used the E-Bay codes and the Lifetime service on both the Roamio and Mini are the full Lifetime service, not* 'evaluation' *type of lifetime service. At this point I see no reason not to use the codes, and purchase up to four Minis at the same time for $174 each inc. Lifetime.


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## caddyroger (Mar 15, 2005)

replaytv said:


> I thought they just sold TiVos at cost to employees and retailers employees and then turned on 'evaluation' type of lifetime for free so they could experience it.


I could take screen shot of the service page and you would not know which one is from my elite which I paid full price or my Roamio which I used a coupon code.


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## JWhites (May 15, 2013)

Wish there was a way to get into that site and sign up ourselves. I wouldn't mind doing the training. I mean independent installers _are_ sales people also right?


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## replaytv (Feb 21, 2011)

L David Matheny said:


> It might be reasonable to distribute some machines that have "evaluation" service _for a limited time_, to give various employees some first-hand experience with TiVos. But surely TiVo wouldn't be goofy enough to send out thousands of machines with free _lifetime_ service on them. And if they were, wouldn't we see more "evaluation" machines for sale on eBay? There aren't that many such machines showing up, are there?


I currently have 3 evaluation TiVos and use to have 5 or 6 more, but most were Series 2 ones. I got them all used. I think that the reason that there were so many here in the Denver area was because we have a big TiVo call center up north from us, and they were discarded by TiVo employees, but I am just guessing. It could be that TiVo was handing out TiVos with evaluation to more journalists back then to evaluate to try to get them to write up nice reviews on them and they don't do that anymore. I did talk to one former call center agent from TiVo and he had evaluation on his Premiere, but they removed it when we connected it to the internet.

It _is _rare that a evaluation Tivo comes up on eBay or anywhere else, as I have a 'saved search' on eBay for that, and I can only remember one or two being listed for many a year.


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## Ikrion (Aug 31, 2014)

JWhites said:


> Wish there was a way to get into that site and sign up ourselves. I wouldn't mind doing the training. I mean independent installers _are_ sales people also right?


An interesting idea. I would probably go through it as well. If you really want the best setup, and heaven knows that TiVo users are the kind of people to hot-rod their home theaters themselves, this would be the right demographic to learn what the ideal setup would be.


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## JWhites (May 15, 2013)

Well I'm well aware of the hot rodding  . I know a few people such as myself that install TiVo's professionally and passionately so we want to give our customers who have the desire and money but not the skill or time the absolute best experience and design and setup money can buy. (Think ultimate man cave) Would be cool if TiVo held workshops at retail locations like Home Depot does or Verizon Wireless does for their respective products.


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## telemark (Nov 12, 2013)

The Tivo dealer application says they'll activate two demo TSN's, but they're supposedly switched off upon sale to transfer to the newer TSN on demo.

Contrast that to real life, where I've seen 0 activated Tivo's no matter how many dealer locations I visit.


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## HarperVision (May 14, 2007)

JWhites said:


> Wish there was a way to get into that site and sign up ourselves. I wouldn't mind doing the training. I mean independent installers are sales people also right?


I did it a few months ago and it worked.


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