First Plasma/LCD purchase ever - a few questions..

Find what you like at BB but shop on line for the best deals. Best buy prices are very high! VANNS.com has a clearance center on their website.
They ship for free and don't charge sales tax. I bought a Panasonic hdtv from them/open box with no problems. Also bought other stuff (dvd players, speakers etc) Aside from Vanns you can shop via google and find plenty of on line merchants. Look for the ones that offer free shipping and/or no sales tax. Also consider the Sony outlet store on line unless you live nearby one of their outlet centers. I live close to one in NY and got a great deal on a 46" LCD. Don't be afraid to buy an Sony refurb from the Sony outlet. They are covered by warranty and you can buy an extended warranty for cheap from Sony. I got my TV (refurb) with 3 year warranty out the door for under $1100. at the Sony outlet.
Good hunting!

Regarding extended warranty: I tend to agree somewhat with Chadnliz BUT I was recently faced with the reality of getting a quote on a big screen tv repair and it was bone chilling! I considered the extended warranty cost of $100 for three years on my new Sony big screen and decided it was worth it. That's only $33 a year for in home service and peace of mind. A service tech charges anywhere from $90 to $150 just to walk into your house and then parts are over and above the service call. Bottom line it's an insurance policy, or as Chris Rock would say "in case shit happens"