ByLISA SCHERZER
GADGET HOUNDS WHO
are addicted to getting their hands on the latest iPods or high-def television sets, have recently been showing some restraint.
Thanks to higher food and gas prices, as well as rising unemployment, shoppers have become much more reluctant to spend on such discretionary items."Most consumers don't have to buy new technology or replace their laptop," says Roger Kaye, president of Endpoint Technologies Associates, a technology market analysis firm in Wayland, Mass.
Sales of electronics and appliances were down almost 0.4% in February compared with the previous month, according to the Commerce Department. Certain products have been especially hard hit. Sales of once wildly popular big screen TVs, for example, are now largely flat, according to David Carnoy, executive editor at CNET Reviews. And given a recent consumer survey conducted by technology research firm ChangeWave Research, the prospects of a rebound anytime soon appears to be slim. Of the more than 4,000 people surveyed, 33% of respondents said they plan to spend less money on electronics in the upcoming months, a finding that ChangeWave describes as "an unprecedented sign of weakness in the consumer electronics space."
As a result, electronics retailers are rolling out ever more appealing deals, hoping to lure customers back into their stores. Circuit City, for instance, is offering a 40-inch Bravia HDTV for $1,300, down from $2,000. On top of that, the store is throwing in a 10% storewide coupon.
Retailers are also getting creative by offering bundled packages of products such as a free mount or DVD player with the purchase of a flat-panel TV, explains Stephen Baker, vice president of industry analysis at NPD Group, a market research firm in Port Washington, N.Y. BestBuy.com, for example, is offering a free massage chair to consumers who buy select TVs for $999 and up.
Should the economy continue its downward spiral, prices for electronics could fall even further, says Rob Enderle, president of technology advisory firm Enderle Group in San Jose, Calif. He says consumers should expect to find the biggest bargains in the latter part of the year as retailers scramble to boost their all-important holiday sales numbers.
To find the latest deals on everything from laptops to navigation devices, shoppers should check store circulars and retailers' web sites. To expedite your search, visit sites like dealcatcher.com and gottadeal.comRead our story for three gadget sites you shouldn't shop without.
Here are some of the latest electronics deals.
TELEVISIONS
Dell.com
LCD HDTV on sale for $1,899; regularly $2,499.
50-inch Plasma HDTV on sale for $1,299.88; was $1,799.
Amazon.com
Samsung HPT5054
Free Massage Chair (faux leather; retail value $399.99) with purchase of select TVs costing $999 and up (including a
flat-panel plasma HDTV for $1,300). Offer expires April 5.
Best Buy.com
Hitachi 50-inch 1080i
HD LCD TV on sale for $749.99; was $1,099.99.
NewEgg.com
42-inch Olevia 342i
LAPTOPS
BestBuy.com
on sale for $549.99; was $699.99.
starts at $599.99 with rebate (financing available); was $699.99.
Hewlett-Packard (hp.com)
HP Pavilion dv6700z (15.4-inch screen, 1GB)
on sale for $607.99; was $699.
Buy.com
15.4-inch Lenovo ThinkPad R61i Notebook
DIGITAL CAMERAS
Amazon.com
on sale for $589.88; was $1,400.
on sale for $149.99, from $199.99 (through April 5).
Sears (sears.com)
GE 10.1MP Digital Camera
CAMCORDERS
Buydig.com
on sale for $188; the same camcorder costs $250 at Crutchfield.com, and $199 at Newegg.com.
GPS NAVIGATION DEVICES
Buy.com
A
Harman Kardon GPS-500Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator, MP3 Player, and Video Player (GPS navigation with robust digital audio and video playback) on sale for $229.99; was $399.99.
on sale for $149.99; was $419.98.
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