This time of year the industry is awash in surveys about demographics, possible consumer holiday spending and the like, as you can see by the 2013 TWICE Business Annual, which begins on p. 17.
The CEA Industry Forum this year was, as always, valuable in reading the pulse of the business as it enters the holiday season, and the nuggets of info that can always be picked up during the event. For instance, the “Annual CE Holiday Purchase Patterns Study” presented by CEA’s Shawn DuBravac and Steve Koenig is highly anticipated because it is traditionally very accurate at predicting trends.
But another presentation at the Forum from three of their CEA Research colleagues – Chris Ely, Tara Hutton and Kevin Tillman – was very worthy of note. They outlined the CE spending habits of women, teens and seniors.
While the preferences of all three groups do differ, as expected, two major factors hold true. The first is that all three groups are very interested in CE products, and for retailers to overlook marketing opportunities to them would be foolish – my words, not CEA’s.
The amazing thing that I noticed for all these key groups – which spend a lot of money on CE – is that all three seem to prefer shopping at brick-and- mortar stores. I repeat: All three groups prefer shopping at brick-and-mortar stores. This is after years of predicting the gloom and doom of traditional retail establishments.
Does this mean that online retailing is going to go away? That brick-and-mortar stores can downplay online operations and social-networking efforts? Certainly not.
It does show that these three key groups still value brick-and-mortar stores. And it means that these stores had better be on top of their games – or else in a year or two those preferences just may change.
Ultra HD Conference Nov. 12
Here’s one more reminder not to miss the Ultra HD Conference at CES Unveiled New York, to be held 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Nov. 12, at the Metropolitan Pavilion at 125 West 18th Street, here in Manhattan, which is followed by the traditional CES Unveiled program. Produced in partnership with CEA, the conference features manufacturers such as LG Electronics and Sony and other TV makers, content providers, influential retailers and new insights on the industry from CEA. Please register online at TWICE.com. Click on the banner that says “Ultra HD Conference” on the upper right of the home page.
TWICE Europe
We always report on the industry’s brand extensions, so here’s a first: We’re reporting on one of our own. Intent Media, part of our parent company New- Bay Media, has announced the launch of TWICE Europe, a CE newsletter targeted for the European market. Good luck to PCR, the U.K. PC and tech trade publication that will manage the newsletter. For information on TWICE Europe, or any other details, contact [email protected].
