What recession? CEA sees the Super Bowl selling 2.6 million HDTVs
By Richard Lawler 
posted Jan 30th 2009 4:16PM
posted Jan 30th 2009 4:16PM
posted Jan 30th 2009 4:16PM
The percentage of electronics at the end of their lives which were recycled.
The EPA found that the percentage remained consistent from 1999-2005. Even as recycling rates went up, the amount of electronics reaching end of life outpaced the increase, leaving the figure static. (source: EPA, July 2008)
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Places like Costco should suspend their return policy for TV purchases made from November through January. This would dramatically cut down on the "renters" buying and returning TV's only for the Super Bowl.
I used to work in Best Buy and it was never much of a problem. Sure there are some real cheapskates that do it, and others who intend to but are too lazy to return the TV. Not only that, but the poorest of consumers (and the ones who seemingly would be most likely to do this) pay in cash. Generally speaking, these consumers don't have the means (savings/credit) to front the price to "rent" the TV in the first place. The more affluent consumers who use credit cards to pay, can generally afford to either buy the TV, or run up the debt on their credit cards when they're too lazy to return it. Of course there are exceptions to these things, but these are the general trends I've observed over many years.
It would be detrimental to sales for honest consumers if they were faced with a restrictive return policy for a couple of months surrounding the Super Bowl. I think lots of these people would simply put off the purchase until the policy was no longer in effect. The suits and bean counters that make decisions about stuff like this would certainly have tightened things up if they were losing money, so it's safe to say they're not. While I certainly hate that some people do crap like this, it would be worse for business if they changed the policy.
With Costco you could buy in Dec and have for most bowl games and nfl playoffs and super bowl before having to return...they should make it return for credit only.
BTW...this year the Baseball world classic is back USA vs Mexico vs Japan vs S. Korea vs Cuba etc...sure to sell a few there.
I think Sony and others vested in Blu Ray have missed a great opportunity to bundle BR players during the Super Bowl rush. The more players they get into people's hands, the more the long-term buy in and success of the format. People shopping for a TV for the Super Bowl might purchase a properly discounted bundle with a BR player that they might (probably?) have left on the shelf otherwise.