LG Optimus 2X & Black Online Discounts Up to 5k–Weird Promo

May 16 10:23 2011 by Alexei Rivera Print This Article

Are you willing to go through hoops and online billing and 45-minute buying windows to get a couple thousand bucks discount on LG’s new Android phones? Then you’re in luck, because LG is offering their Optimus 2X and Optimus Black phones for just that – a cryptic online discount sale for these mobile phones for specific minutes in a specific date for a specific discount. Why so cryptic? Beats the living shit out of us, really.

From May 16 to June 10, LG will be offering discount windows on their online stores to buy these devices. The LG Optimus 2X, as you all know, is the world’s first dual-core smartphone running at 1Ghz (dual-core) with a 4” 800×480 capacitive display and all the usual flagship trimmings. While the Optimus Black is a high-midrange phone with a bright 4” 800×480 Nova display, 1Ghz single-core processor, and the usual trimmings. Both phones are running Android 2.2 Froyo with an announced upgrade to Android 2.3 Gingerbread. They’re originally priced at PHP 28k and PHP 20k respectively.

With this online discount, you have the possibility to get a maximum of a 5k discount for the 2X and a max of 3k for the Black. These aren’t such bad numbers, but consider the mechanics. First, this happens all online – so you need access to a local Credit Card or PayPal. Second, there are specific days and times for the sale to happen. Each sale is only 45 minutes in length online and will be closed to buyers afterward.

You might say, “Hey that’s not so bad,” but we’re more skeptical at this online discount. Call us paranoid, but this reminds us entirely of Cebu Pacific’s online Piso Fare sales which, in their defense, legitimately sells their 1 Peso costing airfares. However, the site gets bombarded by people and during these times it’s a wonder how the site even gets to function. Granted, we forgive Cebu Pacific because we understand their position in all this – they prominently display “First Come, First Served” in getting a chance for Piso Fares. LG, however, doesn’t get our vouch of confidence.

Some time last year, LG held a 2-hour sale that would sell their Optimus One Android phone to half its effective price. Lines for the Optimus One were so long it spiraled through the stairs both ways up and down and on both sides of the building at Megamall. People from as far as 10 hours away by buy swarmed to malls to pick up their devices. Unfortunately, during the promotion, they delayed each sale of device to about 15-20 minutes per unit with only one checkout counter. This guaranteed that during the two hours, only a maximum of 15-16 phones could be sold with our estimate of 5000 people in line. Disgraceful, yes. Does it apply to this sale? Possibly.

Thankfully, this one is online. There would be no need to spend 10 hours travelling to stores just to pick up a phone. However, there are hoops along the way. It does require that you have a Credit Card or PayPal account. Second, there’s the cryptic scheduling and window times for the sale. It reminds us of the 2 hour baked sale with an online twist. We hope this sale goes smoothly, on time, with no website sluggishness or downtimes, and with no delaying tactics like possibly a convoluted purchasing mechanic on the website. We hope its on the up-and-up, but we’re writing this longer post so you get ample warning if it isn’t. We care for what we write here in The Technoclast, and we wouldn’t want people complaining if there are problems. So try this at your own risk.

That said, if you want to try these discounts out, then your chances are as follows:

If you like your odds, go to their website at lgoptimus.tmsmanila.com. Good luck!