James Tenser

Best Buy Seeks First Forever Status with 3-D TVs

March 17, 2010

FROM RETAILWIRE:
Best Buy is betting that by being first out out of the gate with 3-D television offerings, it will establish a hold on the category. Do you agree that it is important for Best Buy to get out in front as the leader in 3-D televisions for it to succeed once the technology achieves widespread adoption?      [more...]

I suspect Best Buy is close to the bleeding edge with its 3-D TV push. The technology works OK (if you sit still), but it comes at a stiff price for most American families, many of whom are still paying off the credit card bills for the flat panel sets they bought last year. And those glasses sure are dorky.

But the real limiter may be available content. There are only a handful of feature films shot in 3-D so far. More are coming, and 3-D sports broadcasts are probably around the corner, but for all but the videophile crowd, buying first-generation hardware today may seem like a large investment with limited short-term payoff. (Add a star if bragging rights matter.)

Best Buy's calculus may run differently, of course. Early adopter purchases yield top margins, and these may be difficult for Walmart to snag, at least at first.