Weak sales during the traditional peak periods and the rollout of new models translate to bargains for shoppers. In these tough times, shopping for a TV has become less about state of the art and more about state of the economy. This is a time of year when TV prices traditionally stabilize. The big discounts usually come at the end of the year for holiday shopping, then more price specials arrive leading up to the Super Bowl.
"This year the promotional pricing did not end" for the simple reason that TVs didn't sell as well as usual during the peak shopping periods, said analyst Riddhi Patel of the research firm iSuppli. "The volume seemed OK on the TVs 42 inches and smaller," said Paul Gagnon, director of North America TV market research for DisplaySearch. "It's the 47-inch-plus TVs that have gotten more difficult to move."
Another good factor for bargain shoppers: Stores are nearing the time when new models traditionally start showing up. "Retailers and manufacturers will make every effort to move out the older models before the new ones arrive," Gagnon said. "When there are new models out there, that's what people want."
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