Comments on: Sony plans TV line for Wal-Mart, Target

Company plans to supply a "unique series of models" of LCD TVs to big-box retailers for availability in the next 60 days.

[MSSlayer]

hmm

It is not like Sony has a rep for quality, but they should ask Levi about doing business with Wal-Fart.

Levi took a hit in their reputation as a producer of quality clothes when they decided to sell low quality clothes.

People who shop at Wal-Fart obviously don't care about quality, so why bother making lower quality name brand products for the store.

It is not like smaller chains and shops can't compete with Wal-Fart in electronics. Look at their TV's, Stereos, DVD players, and computers. Low grade crap. If you want quality electronics, you go anywhere but Wal-Fart. So what is the point other then Sony wanting to slum it?

[thriftyT]

You misspelled Wal-Mart

Your argument would have more credibility if you didn't confuse
the nation's largest retailer with a form of flatulence.

[ddesy]

Wal-Mart quality

Whether or not you like Wal-Mart, they do sell many products identical to those sold elsewhere including many items that are not low grade. I know you love to bash people, but come on! Are their iPods any different? How about software? The brand name food products and other consumables?

Just because someone shops at Wal-Mart for some things doesn't mean anything about quality preference.

[forestwander]

Sony TV Products

We recently purchased a TV from Wal-Mart and it did not last even a year and then just stopped working. Then we bought a SONY DVD player last year it was the most expensive wal-mart had and it lasted just long enough for the warranty to run out. It's like they plan for these things to last just long enough and then you have to go buy another. Is that in their Wal-Mart/Sony manufacturing plans also?

http://www.forestpix.com

[Professor Cornbread]

Math

Let's do some math:
If: Wal-Mart = Crap
And: Sony = Crap
Therefore: Wal-Mart + Sony = Big Pile of Crap

So this gives me one less reason to go to purchase crummy Sony products from America's sh*ttiest retailer.

[BubbleMemory]

And this is news, why?

Products made for a specific retailer has been and industry practice for decades. Early on the differences were mostly cosmetic. As time went on and producers used more and more integrated circuitry a feature or two was disabled to differentiate the product.

Oh, and the model number was changed so the retailer could offer a matching/better price guarantee for the same item with the full knowledge that it could never be met.

[fred dunn]

One less reason to shop at Walmart, Sony....

With the past experiences of bad quality control and poor service with Sony products I will not buy another Sony product if my life depended on it, Especially if my life depended on it.
Sony support is non-existent and they are way over priced.

[vidyman]

The New Kenmore

This is the same thing Sears has been doing since the middle of the last century. Smart consumers will see though it.

[disco-legend-zeke]

WAL-MART avoids price matching by selling special models. Even Tires.

WAL-MART loves to sell special model numbers for two reasons.

1. They can avoid price matching (have you noticed they no longer advertise "Always THE lowest price" or "Always THE low price" Instead its simply "Low prices"

Price a shower Head at wallies (about $8 last time i looked,) and at ACE Hardware (about $4.) Even though they are identical, you won't get a price match because they are not the same brand.


2. Frequently, for example tires, wally forces manufacturers to create a lower priced version of an item.

...

Of course if faced with competition, they will lower the price below cost on a key item (for example those little bottles of paint for model builders) until the local (hobby in this case) store is driven out of business.

[Professor Cornbread]

Wal-Mart's Sinister Phase II

I believe that Wal-Mart has begun to change its business practices. Initially, they would over-build; saturate the market with more Wal-Marts than people needed and sold goods AT A LOSS for years, just to kill off the mom-and-pop stores and traditional retailers. They then identified the performing stores, and the losing stores, and closed the losing ones knowing that people had to shop at Wal-Mart because their competition has gone out of business.

So now that they have a large group of people as regular customers because they don't know where else to go, they can start gradually raising prices and turning a huge profit. Even though they no longer have the lowest price, and rewrote their catch-phrases, people have the PERCEPTION that they still have the lowest price and will continue to shop there.

Why? Basically because we are creatures of habbit and generally idiots when it comes to consumerism.

Solution? Shop around, and shop online...just not at Wal-Mart.