On the first morning of International CES, 11 high-profile dealers, buying group executives and distributors representing disparate channels of distribution hunkered down with TWICE for a closed-door discussion of the industry’s most pressing issues.
During the 90-minute give-and-take, which was recorded and is presented here in edited form, participants discerned the next engines of growth in a margin-challenged product cycle; described the changing role of showrooms as merchandise and customer needs evolve; and took on such hot-button topics as the aftereffects of the advanced DVD format war and the efficacy of the government’s converter box coupon program.
While the panelists couldn’t resolve all of the industry’s ills in one morning, their insights and observations suggested new opportunities in what promises to be a challenging year ahead.
