Why you should never take a new TV home yourself (or pay for TV delivery)

Buying a new TV is exciting, but attempting to get it home yourself - or paying to get it delivered - is not.

A lot of people make the costly mistake of loading their new big screens into their cars, but even if you can theoretically get it to fit, there are extremely good reasons not to.

Once you’ve carefully carried the TV to your car, the next challenge arises. Screens are designed to be transported upright in their packaging. Laying the TV flat - which is probably the only option if you’re trying to fit a large screen size into the boot - can cause the screen to flex, increasing the risk of cracking during the drive home.

Even if the TV is upright, vibrations from the road, sudden braking, or tight corners can cause internal damage, especially to delicate components in ultra-premium models. Once you arrive, you’ll face the next hurdle of manoeuvring the TV out of the car and into your home.

Damage incurred during transit would likely leave you with little in terms of refund options from the supplier, because warranties typically exclude damage caused by incorrect handling. The prospect of settling down to watch your new 4K UHD screen and its Dolby Vision image being compromised by dead pixels is too sad to think about.

It’s just not worth the risk. But it’s also not worth paying professionals to deliver it if you can get it done for free.

A lot of brick-and-mortar stores will flag the dangers of trying to take your TV home with you and try to add a hefty delivery charge on top of the cost of your new screen. Most online stores will add this surcharge too.

Appliances Online is different. We provide free delivery for TVs to ensure they arrive safely in one piece. Our drivers take a lot of care to properly load, secure and transport delicate home theatre systems, from 4K smart TVs to projectors and Blu-ray players. There’s no doorstep drop either: they’ll bring it into your home, so there’s no fear your new QLED TV will go walkabout.