Prices Plummeting on Flat-Panel TV Sets
June 04, 2005
Sarasota, FL - Recent pricing on flat-panel TVs in the U.S. has plummeted due to heavy-discounting that was not anticipated to occur until closer to Christmas, according to a report published this week in the Wall Street Journal (WSJ).
The biggest price cuts, the report said, have been seen on lesser-known brand names of 20- to 27-inch flat-panel TVs, including those produced by Dell and Hewlett-Packard, companies known more for their computer hardware.
According to the WSJ report, prices on a 20-inch Polaroid model, for example, dropped last weekend to $450. “The price cuts could trigger a significant shift in the country’s adoption of flat-panel sets, which first hit stores five years ago and last year accounted for only about 15% of TV sales in the U.S,” the report stated.
The WSJ feature noted, “The proliferation of flat-panel TVs comes amid efforts to boost the picture quality of the programming as well. The spread of digital broadcast, cable and satellite services is bringing more high-definition video into the home." With price-cutting expected to continue, analysts are now forecasting sales of over 40 million flat-panel sets by 2008. |
