April Video Sales Up In 2000

TV/VCR Show Greatest Monthly Gain, DVD Sales Surpass 400k

31-May-00

According to figures released by eBrain Market Research, a service of the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), total video sales in April moved up 6 percent over the same period last year. Shipments from manufacturers to dealers reached 4.9 million units in the month, while the first four months' sum reached 18.2 million units, representing an increase of 17 percent over 1999.Direct view analog TVs and analog projection TVs both showed gains of 8 percent in the month. Year-to-date sales for direct view sets are up 11 percent to 6.9 million units. Direct view televisions measuring 29 inches and larger now account for 15 percent of that figure, and the 1.1 million large screen sets represent sales levels 31 percent higher than last year. Projection television sales are up 30 percent in the year-to-date.""Consumer interest in video technologies has never been higher and we have a great dynamic going on at retail. Shoppers are snapping up great VCR bargains, they're adopting new technologies like DVD, and of course they continue to upgrade their TVs at a record pace,"" noted CEA Vice President of Market Research Todd Thibodeaux.The largest percent increase in April belongs to TV/VCR combinations. Sales in this category grew 26 percent in the month, leaving the year-to-date 20 percent higher than 1999 with shipments nearing 1.4 million units so far this year.Camcorder sales, so far this year, are up 17 percent to 1.6 million units. And, thanks to a spectacular final week, DVD player sales in April exceeded 400,000 units, putting this rapidly growing digital category also at 1.6 million units for the first four months of the year.eBrain Market Research is a service of CEA. eBrain is smarter research, providing the most comprehensive source of sales data, forecasts, consumer research, international research and historical trends for the consumer electronics industry.CEA is a sector of the Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA). CEA represents more than 600 U.S. companies involved in the development, manufacturing and distribution of audio, video, mobile electronics, communications, information technology, multimedia and accessory products, as well as related services, that are sold through consumer channels. Combined, these companies account for more than $60 billion in annual sales.CEA also sponsors and manages the International CES - Your Source for Workstyle and Lifestyle Technology. All profits from CES are reinvested into industry services, including technical training and education, industry promotion, engineering standards development, market research and legislative advocacy.