How retailers use lighting to confuse HDTV buyers

[Mark Holtz]

Okay, this is a interesting article from HDGuru:

How retailers use lighting to confuse HDTV buyersThat’s hardly the case today, with store lighting levels purposely cranked up as much as 50 times typical home lighting conditions. Why the change? Because these intense levels can make the best displays with the blackest black levels and highest contrast levels look inferior to cheaper, lower performance displays. Not surprisingly, this leads consumers into buying the cheaper sets because they think they’re getting as good a set, if not a better one, for less.FULL ARTICLE HERE (http://hdguru.com/how-retailers-use-lighting-to-confuse-hdtv-buyers/467/)

The article says that due to margins, a retailer would rather move a $1,000 TV and have you spend $500 on high-margin items than a $1,500 TV.

Personally, I shop based upon reviews and recommendations first, then price second. And Vizio isn't on my list.

[Stewart Vernon]

I have to say that I'm always surprised when people are surprised that stores do this.

I'm 100% against lies and dishonesty... but it's pretty much business-as-usual to setup a showroom designed to showoff the things you want to sell the most.

If a salesman tells an outright lie, I'd protest that... but if he simply lights one area better than another, people really ought to be able to notice that themselves.

Actually, in my semi-recent TV experience... I found that the HDTV I ultimately bought for myself looked bad in the showroom vs what I knew it was capable of doing. I found the showrooms to be lit from the wrong angles as compared to all the windows I have in my home.

At night most TVs look good in my house... but during the day is a challenge because I have one wall that has 3 windows and a sliding glass door that really plays havoc with the room for daytime TV watching.

This effect was hard to duplicate in a showroom, so I had to do a little guesswork.

[BattleZone]

The article says that due to margins, a retailer would rather move a $1,000 TV and have you spend $500 on high-margin items than a $1,500 TV.

That's nothing new... Monster Cable has been around for more than 30 years for a reason.

Electronics stores don't sell TVs because they make money selling TVs; the margin on TVs is too small. They make money selling you cables, mounts, stands, and other accessories. Very often, they'll make more off of $300 in accessories sales than on a $1500 TV.

[Mike Bertelson]

I have noticed that our local BB now has most of the lighting around their TVs rather subdued.

It wasn't that way until very recently. I noticed it after they remodeled that section of the store. They moved everything around and now that section is rather dark. On the farthest wall I don’t think there are any lights at all. Their TV section used to be just a bright as the rest of the store. I wonder if this is going to be a chain wide change or just our local store.

Mike

[WERA689]

I have noticed that our local BB now has most of the lighting around their TVs rather subdued.

It wasn't that way until very recently. I noticed it after they remodeled that section of the store. They moved everything around and now that section is rather dark. On the farthest wall I don’t think there are any lights at all. Their TV section used to be just a bright as the rest of the store. I wonder if this is going to be a chain wide change or just our local store.

Mike

I suspect, based on the stores in my area, that it is chain-wide. I find it interesting, though, that in the stores with Magnolia Home Theater sections, that showroom area is even darker...much more akin to my living room lighting during a movie session. A step in the right direction, at least.:)

[Cholly]

Best Buy here previously had their big screens in a nearly totally darkened area, generally making them look much better than in the typical home environment.

[Getteau]

The Frys by my house is that way. You almost need a flashlight to walk through the TV section.