Flat-panel TV sales surge despite weak economy

The weak economy hasn't stalled the American consumer's flat-panel fix.

Following a decline last year, North American sales of flat-panel TVs surged during the first quarter of 2009, according to a report released Monday from market research company DisplaySearch. With demand often outpacing supply on some models, 7.2 million flat-panel TVs flew off the shelves, an increase of 23 percent from the first quarter of 2008.

Aggressive pricing followed by Circuit City's liquidation tempted consumers in search of bargains, according to the DisplaySearch report titled "Quarterly Global TV Shipment and Forecast Report."

Former small fry Vizio earned the No. 1 spot as the best-selling LCD vendor for the first quarter, a status it hasn't held since the second quarter of 2007. Vizio's share of the market jumped to 18.9 percent and was the only company to show a sales gain from the fourth quarter of 2008. "Vizio is a relatively young TV brand in the U.S. marketplace, but their strong alignment with mass merchant and warehouse club retailers seemed to put them in the right place at the right time with growing channels," said Paul Gagnon, DisplaySearch director of North America TV Research.

Funai, another company with low-cost offerings, also showed growth in market share--from 7 percent to 8.5 percent. Funai sells the Sylvania and Emerson brands in North America, and added the Philips and Magnavox brands last quarter. Companies with premium flat-panel models, such as Sony and Samsung, saw their market shares decline as consumers flocked to better deals and lower prices.

Last year gloomy sales were predicted for the industry as flat-planel TV shipments dropped during the second half of 2008. Sales continued their downward dip over the fourth quarter, showing a 2 percent decline over the previous year.

[seven7dust]

Vizio became the no. 1 Vendor
and everyone's acting like it's a good thing
that makes me sick to the stomach
the image quality of their Tvs is so horribly bad
Why waste money on that crap I'd rather not watch Tv instead !

[robihunt]

I still use widescreen CRT TV and Humax 9200TBX DTR on Freeview in UK and the picture quality is very good and very sharp it far much better then any flat screen TV and ever in HD and ever new LED TV!

So that it no way to I buy any flat screen otherwise it will getting worse picture then old CRT TV. So I will keep CRT TV until new OLED TV will come out and I will replace my old CRT TV by OLED TV.

I think some people will put hold up to buy any new flat screen TV or go buy cheap LCD TV for now until OLED TV come out soon.

In last week when I watched of Star Trek on digital cinema and after it i went back home and I watch on my CRT TV and the quality didn't much different then digital cinema!

[sanjayb]

I think u are in luv with your tv too much. There is no way your CRT or any CRT can compare with a LCD or LED. And hopefully your CRT last at another 5 yrs because OLED won't be mainstream or cheap anytime soon.

[skyscraperjim]

This is probably being aided by the digital TV conversion. Flat screens are also far more affordable (no longer grossly overpriced) than they were a couple of years ago.

I still have a Sharp 27-inch tube that works well.