Members of the NATM Buying Corp. will begin selling the group’s first private-label LCD TV next month.
The 19-inch, 720p set is being imported from China under the Genesis brand.
Bill Trawick, the group’s president/executive director, described the program as “a good deal, better than any Tier 3 program.” He would not disclose pricing, but said the panel represents “a tremendous value.”
Not all NATM dealers are supporting the program, which was offered to the group through its China-based buying agent.
NATM began exploring direct-sourcing opportunities last year following Asian forays by individual members who can take shipments by the truckload (see TWICE, Oct. 8, 2007, p.1.). Other products sourced overseas by larger dealers and offered to fellow NATM members include lawn furniture — carried by Boscov’s, Conn’s, Nebraska Furniture Mart and R.C. Willey — as well as laundry hoses and air hockey tables.
“We’re looking at a lot of things from China,” Trawick said. “We’re gradually finding areas that make sense.”
In other NATM news, the group held talks with Zip Express, a nationwide home-installation service for CE and IT products, during its annual meeting this month in Dallas (TWICE, Sept. 15, p. 6). Trawick said the company had “good conversations” with member principals, who expressed “a lot of interest” in outsourcing their installation operations.
