ARLINGTON, Va. – Huge price drops and factory-to-dealer incentives have driven a 45% increase in digital television sales in the U.S.
According to recently released Consumer Electronics Association data, 3.8 million units were shipped from January through June of 2005, bringing the total dollar sales to date to more than US$4.6 billion a 45% increase in unit sales and a 23% increase in dollar sales over the same period in 2004.
The average factory-to-dealer decrease in price has been a driver in the continued adoption of DTV sets, says the CEA. The price since January has dropped more than $200 bringing the average factory-to-dealer sales price to US$1,159 per DTV set. As the sales prices continue to drop, every month in 2005 has seen an increase in sales over the previous month.
"It is a great time to buy – the number of DTV products and the wide range of prices has created a truly competitive marketplace," said CEA president and CEO Gary Shapiro in a release. "There is increased competition among retailers, manufacturers and the technologies. More high-definition (HD) programming is announced each day and Congress continues to keep this issue a top priority. We’re hopeful a cut-off date will soon be established for analog broadcasting. To date, more than seven million devices are capable of receiving HD content.
This year, the CEA predicts that consumers will buy more digital sets than analog, and as consumers choose to go digital, 86% are choosing HDTV. To date, 7 million U.S. households are capable of receiving HD programming via either over-the-air or cable, says the CEA.
The CEA represents more than 2,000 corporate members involved in the design, development, manufacturing, distribution and integration of audio, video, mobile electronics, wireless and landline communications, information technology, home networking, multimedia and accessory products, as well as related services that are sold through consumer channels. Combined, CEA’s members account for more than US$121 billion in annual sales.
