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joestein
03-21-2005, 09:45 AM
We shopped for a Rainbow Playset this weekend. We decided on a Rainbow Castle with a few extras. The approximate cost after tax is $5,000. The current pricing end on April 10, 2005, at which time it will go up in price. I have seen some postings that recommended purchasing it in the late fall. I asked the salespeople (the most unfriendly ever) about waiting until the fall, but they said the savings would be very small, if any. We live in NJ, has anyone had experience with the savings that might be realized by waiting for the fall in our area?

Thanks

vikivoly
03-21-2005, 01:28 PM
I'm from PA, so it may different, but this is our experience with pricing. I orginally called in July 2004 and they were running a 20% off sale, with some of the sets being reduced up to 30%. I then checked again in the fall and the sets were reduced further, but it wasn't a % off, just a markdown - so I'm not sure what the % was. I do know it was a little cheaper than in the summer (like maybe $100). BUT, they were selling their 2004 display models really cheap. The displays models were less than a year old and weren't played on, so they were brand new. Then, in January 2005 we went to a home show and bought a 2005 display model. These models were set up for the home show display only, so they weren't even outside. We ended up paying $3000 with tax, set up and delivery. We ended up spending about $300 more than we could have got one of the displays in the fall. The retail price on all of the sets had increased in January. The salesman told us that the best time to buy was during the off-season and the worst time to buy was in the spring and early summer - because they are busier then. On a side note, the 2005 model is exactly the same as the 2004, the only thing that changed was the price.

For comparison, we also got the Rainbow Castle with an extra toddler bucket swing.

Here's a link to our set. http://www.rainbowplay.com/sunshine_castle_1819.shtml

joestein
03-21-2005, 05:11 PM
I think that the NJ franchise is the same as the one that owns the territory of NY and Conneticut. I think that PA is another franchisee. I wonder if I can buy from them? The NJ salespeople were pretty firm in saying not to bother shopping around, as I wouldn't find anyone who could sell to me at a different price. They wouldn't even haggle a few hundred dollars (we might have bought it Saturday if we could have split the difference between our original budget and their price)

We have decided to wait at this point and watch the price and buy it after it dips enough (3500 would be OK). I am going to try to get their pricesheets as they come out each month. I would even buy a display model if the price was right.

mnosky1
05-20-2005, 08:50 AM
You probably have already made your decision - we bought a Rainbow after a home show. We were still shopping around when the sale price was supposed to be efefctive but went in a few days later and got the price without much effort - just showed the home show flyer.

We also saved 2% by paying credit card (vs. financing) and free delivery and set-up. I was told that the delivery/setup and %off for paying cash varies every few months (2% off and free ship/set up) or 3% off and $99 delivery, etc. but not much else in the way of sales. I found that we could get a bigger set for the same money but couldn't get a lower price on a smaller set. The set we initially liked was the same price as the bgger one that was the hoem sale special - the home sale special was just under 3000 for the rainbow castle II.

Michelle

lia38
06-02-2005, 12:40 PM
Wow! $3k for a Rainbow castle is a great price! We were going to go buy one this weekend at the Parsippany store in NJ, but maybe we will wait until we can attend a home show. How did you find out about the home show? Did you only have to present the flyer at the store for the sale price or did you actually pay for the set at the home show?

Thanks for the HUGE tip!

Lia