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Want to buy expensive product online. Credit line on credit cards not big enough. How do “Preferred Account” programs work?
First and foremost - make sure where you are purchasing the product is a reputable organization.  Secondly (coming from a biased computer geek) - be aware that Apple is a content trap.  Now on to my answer to your question... How do "Preferred Account" programs work? They're "Preferred" because they tend to bring in more money to the lender.  It may say No payments for 6 months but the fine print may have you being charged interest during those 6 months, meaning your new shiny computer will be costing more than the sticker price.  The good side is that you don't have to send in any actual payments for 6 months, but be aware that you'll probably be paying more than advertised. What are the different ways I can do it? Your listed options 1 & 2 are both good ways to pay for your new computer.  Yes, option 1 will charge you sales tax, but are you sure paying online excludes sales tax?  Some states mandate it.   Option 2 is a viable option too - probably your best option. 1st - there is possibly no sales tax with purchases made online, although there may be a delivery charge.   2nd - you're not committing to an additional monthly bill, you are essentially paying with cash, just directly from your bank account.  No interest charge! 3rd - that little Visa logo is your friend.  Purchases made through Visa & MasterCard (whether it's a credit or debit card)  normally have an auto-extended warranty feature (you may want to verify with Visa before taking my word on it).  Typically they double any manufacture's warranty.   Lastly - you can always set up a PayPal account and link it to your bank account.  Assuming the site you plan on purchasing the computer from accepts PayPal.