Switched has a new home! Huffpost Tech.

Click here to visit the new home of Switched!

Hot on HuffPost Tech:

See More Stories
AOL Tech

Consumers Skipping on 3-D and Web-Connected TVs

by Terrence O'Brien on December 15, 2010 at 03:55 PM

Consumers Ignoring 3-D TVDuring this holiday season, electronics manufacturers and retailers were counting on new tech like 3-D and Internet connectivity to help push TV sales, but it looks as though consumers have little interest in the latest gimmicks. According to Reuters, Best Buy chief exec Brian Dunn told analysts on Tuesday that 3-D TV sales were not living up to industry expectations. He blamed consumer confusion over 3-D and a lack of compelling content. Jay Vandenbree, head of the home entertainment division for LG, told Reuters that he expects 3-D content to eventually trickle down the same way that HD did, starting with sports and movies -- but the wait for 3-D to go mass market may be longer than expected.

Many consumers only recently purchased their first flat-screens and HD sets, and running out a year later to spend $2,000 on a 3-D display and expensive glasses for only a limited amount of content just doesn't make much financial sense. Similarly, sales of Web-connected TVs, such as the Google TV-infused Sony sets, are selling more slowly than retailers would like. Consumers realize they can get many of the same services, such as Netflix Instant, from cheaper add-on devices like the Roku and Apple TV.

It's clear that both manufacturers and retailers are counting on these new technologies to push TV sales, but to expect that recession-fatigued consumers (who, to a significant degree, still believe that 3-D TV is a passing fad) will immediately purchase expensive, new sets seems like wishful thinking, at best. NPD's Ross Rubin told Reuters than many buyers are simply upgrading to larger HD sets instead of buying TVs with loads of new flashy features.

Tags: 3d, 3dTv, BestBuy, business, displays, google, GoogleTv, media, movies, sony, top, tvs

Comments

1

HuffPost AOL Social News Most Popular