Alpha Vs. Beta Models. Any truth?

[Roland1919]

I bought a SONY BRAVIA XBR4 for around $2200 after taxes and discounts about 3 weeks later FRY's advertises the same TV (no model # in the ad) for $600 cheaper. So I grab my receipt and head into Best Buy for a price adjustment. They give me an adjustment for $660 because its 110% of the difference. As the transaction is being completed a manager comes over and starts with the, "We're not supposed to be matching that ad." So he and I have a "friendly" discussion and he informs me that places like FRY's and COSTCO sell their items cheaper becasue they are ALPHA models? He says that when a product first comes off the assembly line its an "ALPHA" and places like COSTO and FRY's buy a bunch and thus get a good deal. Now the items have yet to be tested on the consumer market. So they sell a bunch and wait for the complaints and problems to filter in at which point they are then fixed and the BETA is released. Six Months, a year goes by and now FRY's dumps all the ALPHA models for cheap. Is this true? Does anyone know? I would never buy high end items from FRY's got burnt on a camera once. GREY MARKET warranty inside the box had to send it overseas and well, let just say I never saw the camera again.