Home Depot Sells Plasmas In Stores
By Alan Wolf -- TWICE, 11/20/2006
Atlanta — The Home Depot has begun selling a small assortment of A/V products in all of its U.S. stores, including HD plasma displays, HTiBs and DVD players.
The seasonal rollout, completed this month, represents the first time that the home improvement chain has offered those categories in-store nationwide. Previously, Home Depot's A/V assortment, including flat-panel TVs, had largely been limited to online and catalog sales.
According to a Home Depot spokesperson, the seven-SKU collection is considered a holiday offering only and availability will mostly be while supplies last. While a few items may be replenished, he said, there are no current plans to expand or extend the offering beyond the holiday selling season.
The assortment includes:
- Magnavox 50W-inch 768p plasma HDTV, $2,000;
- Magnavox 42W-inch 768p plasma HDTV, $1,500;
- Philips Home Theater System (DVD player/500w amp with Sonowave Sound System including two speakers and sub-woofer), $350;
- Element Electronics 8-inch portable DVD player, $150;
- Polaroid 5 megapixel digital camera with 3x optical zoom, $130;
- Magnavox progressive scan DVD player, $40; and
- Logitech universal remote control (price unavailable)
Home Depot is also offering free shipping on 14 HDTVs when ordered now through Jan. 3. Models include plasma, LCD and DLP TVs by Panasonic, Polaroid, Sony and Westinghouse.
The in-store rollout follows a major management realignment last month in which Craig Menear, senior VP of merchandising, was given responsibility for all merchandising initiatives. The move followed the planned departure of former merchandising and marketing chief Tom Taylor, who continues as a consultant. Taylor's marketing duties have been assumed by senior VP of marketing Roger Adams, who was given the added title of chief marketing officer.
