Andre Yoskowitz
21 Aug 2007 1:56
According to a new report by iSuppli, the relatively unknown Vizio has jumped to the top of LCD TV sales in North America, beating out giants such as Sharp and Sony.
For the second quarter 2007, Vizio shipped 606,402 TVs, a huge 76.4 percent increase from 343,704 in the first quarter. The surge helped Vizio jump from fifth in shipments in North America to first in just one quarter.
Sony fell from third to sixth with shipments falling to 263,377 units in the second quarter, down 36.1 percent from 412,323 in the first quarter.
Sharp however, shipped more and moved into third place. iSuppli believed the added sales were due to increased availability of 8th generation Aquos panels.
“Vizio’s success is mainly due to the company expanding its retail presence to Wal-Mart and Sears at the beginning of the second quarter,” said Riddhi Patel, principal analyst, television systems for iSuppli. “The company already was selling its LCD TVs through the warehouse stores Costco, Sam’s Club and BJ's Wholesale Club—but the addition of the two new retailers gave Vizio’s sales a significant lift.”
“Americans have grown comfortable with value brands, making Vizio’s low-cost sets an alluring alternative to the established names,” Patel added.
Source:
Vizio