Kmart Upgrades CE Assortment

By Alan Wolf On Oct 25 2004 - 6:00am

Kmart has turned over a new CE leaf.

Under the direction of recently named home electronics VP Ray Brown, the discounter has begun to significantly upgrade its assortment from low-end commodity goods to newer technology products bearing better brands.

Among the new offerings in Kmart's self-described “New electronics department”:

• a pair of Panasonic 4:3 LCD TVs ($449.99 for the 14-inch model, $699.99 for the 17-inch option)

• a pair of Olympus digital cameras ($129.99 for the 3.2 megapixel model, $249.99 for the 4 megapixel option with 3x optical zoom)

• an RCA 7-inch portable DVD player (on sale for $259.99)

• an iRiver 128-MB MP3 player with FM tuner ($99.99)

The chain has also added Advent to its vendor matrix, which is represented by a 27-inch HD-ready direct-view TV ($399.99).

Brown, who also oversees entertainment software, was previously Sears' chief CE merchant. Joining him at Kmart is former Sears TV buyer Chuck Bacon, who has assumed a similar role in Troy.