Sears Doubles Flat-Panel SKUs
By Alan Wolf -- TWICE, 7/21/2003
Hoffman Estates, Ill.— Sears is doubling its assortment of flat panel displays to 22 models to establish itself as the leading retail destination for plasma and LCD TVs.
The rollout, which will be completed in August, is an expansion of the company's Thin-TV shop concept launched in 650 stores last September.
The category has "resonated well with customers," a spokesman said, encouraging the mass merchant to pursue its strategy of becoming "the dominant player in plasma and LCD."
Sears is doubling the number of LCDs and plasma display panels (PDPs) to 14 and eight, respectively. The LCDs, by Philips, Samsung, Sharp, Sylvania, Sony, TechView and Toshiba, will range from 13 inches to 30 inches, with price points starting at $399.
The PDPs will range from 32 inches to 50 inches, and from $2,999 to $9,999. Joining initial brands Hitachi, Panasonic and Samsung are Philips, Pioneer, Sony, TechView and Toshiba.
Most of the models will be available next month in Sears' 650 largest stores, while 220 smaller locations will carry at least one plasma and LCD pair.
