Several Warranty Upstarts Making Industry Inroads

By Alan Wolf On Feb 13 2012 - 6:01am

NEW YORK – A number of recent and not-so-recent entries into the extended warranty arena, including SquareTrade, Worth Ave. Group, Safeware and FreeWarranty.com, are looking to disrupt the industry apple cart through direct sales, more liberal terms and lower prices.

 

Brightstar Offering Cricket Protection Program

By Alan Wolf On Feb 13 2012 - 6:01am

ATLANTA – Mobile products distributor Brightstar, through its eSecuritel subsidiary, will offer a device protection program to subscribers of prepaid cellular carrier Cricket Communications across 35 states beginning in the second quarter of 2012.

The eSecuritel program will cover a wide range of mobile devices including tablets, and will offer protection against loss, theft, damage, malfunction and issues experienced beyond the handset manufacturer’s conventional warranty. It is expected to be available through all Cricket distribution points.

D&H To Retailers: Remember Holiday Promos

By TWICE Staff On Feb 13 2012 - 6:01am

HARRISBURG, PA. – D&H Distributing is reminding its retail customers to take advantage of upcoming gift-giving holidays and sporting events to gain incremental sales.

By marketing mobile devices, HDTVs and IPTVs, and home entertainment technologies as items that enhance these seasonal events, retailers may be able to tempt consumers to upgrade their media rooms for the big tournament, or trade up their loved ones’ personal electronics as gifts, the national distributor said.

RadioShack, Best Buy Raise Mobile Ante With Price-Match, Rebate Programs

By Alan Wolf On Feb 13 2012 - 6:01am

FORT WORTH, TEXAS – RadioShack and Best Buy are offering new price incentives on mobile phones as they vie for wireless market share.

For its part, RadioShack will begin matching competitors’ advertised prices for cellphones. The low-price guarantee applies to identical pre- and post-paid mobile phones that appear in newspaper ads and circulars, and is good for up to 30 days after purchase at nearly 4,500 company-owned stores nationwide.

Target, Costco: CE Drags On Jan. Sales

By Alan Wolf On Feb 13 2012 - 6:01am

NEW YORK – Target and Costco gave little credit to CE for their solid sales gains in January.

Rather, Target said its CE, music, movies and books business led a midsingle- digit decline in its hardlines category last month. Nonetheless, the discounter reported a 5.1 percent increase in net sales for the four weeks, ended Jan. 29, to $4.6 billion, and a 4.3 percent hike in comp-store sales.

J&R Debuts Offspring: J&R Jr.

By John Laposky On Feb 28 2012 - 6:57pm

NEW YORK — Venerable downtown Manhattan A/V retailer J&R Music & Computer World has added a new little one to the family.

J&R Jr., a new 15,000-square-foot “super boutique” described as “a one-stop shopping and social destination for kids and parents” celebrated its grand opening at 1 Park Row, on the second floor of J&R Computer World’s City Hall-facing storefront.

In-Vehicle PMP Use Rising: NPD

By Lisa Johnston On Feb 28 2012 - 8:10pm

PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y. — In-vehicle use of portable media devices is rising, according to The NPD Group, with sales of products that are designed to integrate portable devices in the vehicle accounting for more than $170 million in 2011.

IHS: Amazon 2nd In Tablet Share

By TWICE Staff On Feb 28 2012 - 8:15pm

EL SEGUNDO, CALIF. – Amazon became the world’s second-largest supplier of tablets in the fourth quarter to replace Samsung for the No. 2 spot, and Apple’s share fell quarter-overquarter, IHS said.

TWICE Retail Panel: Pursuing Profitability In A Multichannel World

By Alan Wolf On Feb 28 2012 - 8:19pm

LAS VEGAS — The most critical industry issues dogging CE retailers — profitability, channel management and what to do with all those stores — may be finally coming to a head in 2012.

Mobile Devices Spur Strong Growth For Extended-Coverage Providers

By Alan Wolf On Feb 13 2012 - 6:01am

NEW YORK – Third-party administrators and their insurance underwriters appear to have bucked the no- to slowgrowth trend in CE.

Aided by solid account management and unbridled demand for mobile devices including tablets, smartphones and e-readers, the extended-warranty and service-plan industry’s leading players largely reported robust sales in 2011 and are forecasting another strong year in 2012.