NPD: September CE Sales Off Slightly

By Alan Wolf -- TWICE, 10/23/2008

Port Washington, N.Y. — Market research firm The NPD Group said retail consumer electronics sales slipped 2 percent in September, allaying fears of significant declines for the electronics industry.

In comparison, CE revenue fell 1 percent in September 2007.

Last month’s dip in dollar volume followed a 2 percent gain in August, when back-to-school shopping and federal rebate checks helped stir sales.

Flat-panel TVs were the biggest gainers in September, up 10 percent in dollars and 20 percent in units. D-SLR cameras were a close second in revenue growth, up 9.5 percent, followed by notebook computers, which increased 9 percent in dollars and 12 percent in units.

“The industry struggled a little this month, it’s to be expected when the economy is slowing, but the consumers who can spend will continue to,” said Stephen Baker, NPD’s industry analysis VP. “These key categories are continuing to perform, and tellingly, these growth segments are delivering faster unit growth than dollar growth while still maintaining average selling prices of $800 to $900. Growth is slowing, but in a year with few new products to drive excitement, these high-priced staples of the technology industry continue to be in demand.”