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Shop Talk

Retailers, consumers and prices

16:31 December 11th, 2008

2 for the price of 1: Works for sweaters, why not TVs?

Posted by: Nicole Maestri
Tags: Shop Talk, , , , ,

bundle1It wasn’t too long ago that flat screen TVs were a novelty, costing thousands of dollars and hung only on the walls of high-income consumers.

How quickly thing change, especially in the world of electronics. 

This year, as TV makers confront excess supply and shoppers show a reluctance to splurge on big-ticket items, Costco is selling bundles of two flat screen TVs, pricing two for basically the price of one.

Right now on Costco.com, consumers can buy a 52-inch Sharp LCD TV bundled with a 32-inch Sharp LCD TV for $1,799.99.  Or shoppers can get two 42-inch LCD Sharp TVS for $1,499.99.

It appears the same Sharp 52-inch LCD TV is listed for $1,699.99 on bestbuy.com.

CFO Richard Galanti said on Thursday that while shoppers are shunning splurges, in November its unit sales of TVs soared 50 percent. But that translated into only a 3 percent increase in total dollar sales.

Odds are that’s a trend that’s going to stick around if Costco keeps selling TVs at these prices.

(Photo: Screenshot of Costco’s website)

One comment so far

[...] 2 for 1: Right now on Costco.com, consumers can buy a 52-inch Sharp LCD TV bundled with a 32-inch Sharp LCD TV for $1,799.99.  Or shoppers can get two 42-inch LCD Sharp TVS for $1,499.99. [...]

- Posted by Market up « Stocks Go Up. Stocks Go Down.

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