PORT WASHINGTON, NEW YORK, January 10, 2002
- Select
consumer electronics categories were bright spots during an
otherwise weak holiday retail season. The last full shopping week of
holiday 2001 (December 16 through December 22) showed strong dollar
and unit sales growth for categories such as mobile multimedia, home
theater audio systems and digital cameras when compared to the same
period one year earlier, according to NPDTechworldSM.
According to the NPDTechworld's Early Indicator Panel1,
sales of home audio and video products proved recession-resistant at
a time when the economy was at its weakest. Mobile multimedia
products for the car, home theater audio systems and digital cameras
were the fastest growing consumer electronics categories. These
categories doubled and in some cases tripled in unit sales growth
compared to the same time one year ago.
Other digital products continued to prove popular. Digital music
players, personal video recorders and DVD players all took a big
chunk of the market share this holiday season. Discounted prices
helped lure consumers into purchases that delivered convergence of
old and new technologies into their living rooms.
Hot Consumer Electronics Categories
Holiday 2001 vs. Holiday 2000
|
Category |
% Change in Units |
% Change in Dollars |
% Change in ASP* |
| Mobile Multimedia |
140.4% |
84.9% |
-23.1% |
| Home Theater Audio System |
98.1% |
87.0% |
-5.6% |
| Digital Cameras |
70.2% |
50.9% |
-11.3% |
| DVD Players |
59.4% |
23.5% |
-22.5% |
| Personal Video Recorders |
39.4% |
29.7% |
-6.9% |
Source: NPDTechworld
*Average Selling Price
Some categories that were hot sellers in holiday 2000 did not
remain so in 2001. PC cameras, home CD players and videocassette
recorders all decreased in sales.
"The decline in sales for certain consumer electronic categories
is not bad news for the industry, said Tom Edwards, consumer
electronics analyst, NPDTechworld. "With better technology, comes
convergence and in many cases replacement. Categories such as radio/cassette
players are being replaced by CD boomboxes. Home DVD decks are
replacing home CD players at entry level price points," continued
Edwards.
Not-so-Hot Consumer Electronics Categories
Holiday 2001 vs. Holiday 2000
| Category |
% Change in Units |
% Change in Dollars |
% Change in ASP |
| Radio/Cassette Players |
-52.2% |
-56.8% |
-9.7% |
| Home CD Players |
-34.1% |
-33.8% |
0.43% |
| Still Cameras |
-33.0% |
-13.2% |
29.5% |
| Video Cassette Player |
-23.2% |
-29.6% |
-8.4% |
| PC Cameras |
-26.9% |
-37.0% |
-13.7% |
Source: NPDTechworld
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