not exactly. if you make partial payments against the CC bill, you're paying a hefty interest surcharge on the unpaid balance. buying an ipad from HSN and QVC and you're paying zero interest on the monthly installments.
both HSN and QVC readily admit that you can buy the ipad from apple or other retailers at a total lower price than what you're paying if you buy it thru them. they both play up the 5-6 payment option and the 'one-stop' shopping of getting the common accessories thru them.
the latter is a dubious benefit since the accessories they bundle are largely of mediocre quality and i would never recommend that you buy an ipad if you don't have the money up-front to cover the MSRP.
welll.. depends on your cc rates/how long you take to pay it. and how much of the principle you can pay that first month.
hsn and qvc only does 3 payments, anything over is through their CC.
ipad 2 16gb wifi new $399
10 piece accessory kit, $10.97
http://www.amazon.com/Piece-Accessory-White-Capacitive-Stylus/dp/B005OZXM88
its missing the mini speak ball, another $10-20 bucks for one on amazon.
so $465 or so with tax and shipping for all of that.
hsn, $747 with tax and shipping......
so no not interest free like you suggest. Its not accumulating interest, but you are being charged more because its a "one stop shop" and the no credit 3 payment option.
if you split it over 3 months like hsn does, on a CC with %15 rate, youd pay about $138 in interest. So about $145 less than if you did 3 payments with HSN
*edit i did my tax based on Texas's 8.25%
