Mahwah, N.J. – Sharp said Friday that it has elected to move six additional step-up models in its 2014 Aquos TV line under its unilateral pricing policy (UPP) program.
With the move, all of Sharp’s Q (Quattron), Q+ and 4K Ultra HD TV series are now covered by the unilateral pricing policy, which establishes a minimum price at which products can been sold. Violations of the guidelines could result in penalties leading to possible loss of distribution authorization for a dealer.
At the same time, the company is moving its 90-inch LC-90LE657U from the UPP program to a minimum advertised price (MAP) policy, which sets limits on how low a product’s price can be advertised, but does not specify limits on the actual selling price to the dealer.
A Sharp spokeswoman said the LC90LE657U was moved from UPP to MAP “to be consistent with the 60-, 70- and 80-inch models in that same 6-series.
According to a company statement: “As Sharp continues to review and develop its pricing policies to ensure that they meet goals of strengthening the Sharp brand image and providing retailers with consistent profitability we have decided to move six more of our large screen LED TVs from MAP to UPP pricing. Effective today all of our Q, Q+ and 4K series are UPP.”
A company spokeswoman told TWICE that the six models weren’t originally put under UPP with other models in their series because “we chose to take a step-by-step approach, starting with 4K and Q+ UQ series. With our objectives having been achieved, we felt the time was right to expand UPP.”
“Based on our desire to be a profitable brand for our channel partners and enable them to focus on educating consumers on our differentiating technology, we decided to add the EQ, SQ and TQ series to UPP,” she added.
Prior to the new UPP model additions, Sharp’s 4K (LC70UD1U) and Q+ UQ models (LC60UQ17U, LC70UQ17U, and LC80UQ17U) were on UPP, and will remain there, the spokeswoman said.
The following TV models have now been moved from the MAP program to UPP:
Model LC70TQ15U ($3,599 suggested retail) is now $2,899 UPP; LC70SQ15U, ($3,399) is now $2,699 UPP; LC70EQ10U ($2,599) is now $2,199 UPP; LC60TQ15U ($2,599) is now $2,199 UPP; LC60SQ15U ($2,399) is now $1,999 UPP; and LC60EQ10U ($1,699) is now $1,399 (UPP).
No price reductions or increases were applied with the change; prices are simply moving from MAP to UPP status, the spokeswoman said.
Sharp said the posted UPP prices “are before IRs, which may be in effect at any given time.”
The specified UPPs for models are not hard and fast. The company spokeswoman explained that prices may drop below the established UPP limits from time to time for special promotional opportunities, when there will be “additional national IRs.”
In fact, certain dealers are running Memorial Day specials this week on 70-inch Q+ model LC-70SQ15U, at a special $2,498 advertised sale price or lower, a Sharp spokeswoman confirmed. The regular UPP for the product is $2,699.
