Price has become the killer app for TVs because newer features — such as smart TV and 3-D — have not caught on with the masses, even though TV makers have made them standard features on most sets.
Fewer electronics shoppers, 33% down from 41% last year, said they wanted smart TV features — apps that connect you to streaming movies, social networks, games, news, weather and even exercise, a recent survey by Parks Associates found. But
when asked whether they wanted a set that connected to the Internet and sported 3-D, consumer interest rose to 29%, compared with 23% last year.
That small increase could be a sign that shoppers aren't clear what a smart TV is — or that many sets also have built-in Wi-Fi capability. "If the price is comparable, go ahead and get the smart TV with Internet capabilities," advises Parks analyst Heather Way.
Still, size is what's on most shoppers' minds — and the bigger the better. Nearly three-fourths, 72%, of consumers who said they plan to buy a TV this holiday season will buy one 40 inches or larger, up from 65% last year, according to the CEA.
Flat-panel TVs are on the wish lists of more than one-fifth (26%) of electronics shoppers, an increase from 20% in 2010, Parks found. And the lower across-the-board prices have not been lost on consumers, many of which plan to spend more on electronics than last year, Way says.
From the article, "Black Friday TV deals abound" by Mike Snider.
