Coming off a stellar sales year marked by double-digit sales gains, the Progressive Retailers Organization (PRO Group) said it expects volume to hit the $1.3 billion mark this year as the number of PRO storefronts grows to more than 200.
At a member reception held Wednesday night, PRO Group executive director Roger Heuberger told TWICE that member dealers enjoyed “a terrific year” in 1999, with double-digit increases allowing the buying group to “handily top $1.2 billion” in retail sales.
Helping PRO build on those gains will be the addition of some two dozen storefronts, which will push the group past the 200-unit mark from its current roster of 186 locations by mid-2000.
“Half the group is adding new stores,” Heuberger said. “Things are very upbeat.” Leading the sales charge last year was a “very strong” video category that was carried by HDTV, home satellite systems and DVD players, while solid audio sales were spearheaded by a “good business” in Dolby Digital receivers, he said.
Custom home installation was another “extremely strong” category for PRO members, Heuberger noted. “We’ve got 100 installation crews in the field now, and that’s expanding.”
Here at CES, satellite systems and “TiVo-type products” introduced by major manufacturers are high on PRO’s shopping list, he added.
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