Buying an HDTV? Why you’ll likely end up with a Samsung
September 8th, 2009, 4:53 pm · 25 Comments · posted by Tamara Chuang, a.k.a. The Gadgetress
Samsung TVs have been having a HUGE sales year, nearly besting Irvine’s Vizio as the top seller of LCD TVs nationwide last quarter. Back then, analysts said Samsung’s growth is because the company integrated the brighter, newer LED technology into TVs faster than the competition.
But another reason surfaced today: More salespeople at major electronics stores recommend Samsung LCD TVs.
J.D. Power and Associates, which rates companies based on consumer surveys, sent 1,500 mystery shoppers to major electronics stores like Best Buy, Fry’s Electronics and Ken Crane’s. Store salespeople recommended a Samsung LCD TV nearly 2-to-1 over second-place Sony (see chart on right).
Most recommended 2Q 2009 2Q 2008 Samsung 58% 35% Sony 21% 28% Vizio n/a 7%
The report, from the J.D. Power and Associates and Market Force Information 2009 Television Retail Insights Report, said the gap between first and second place widened this year as Samsung pumped up its LCD TV marketing campaign.
“In the last six months, Samsung made a remarkable shift to the point where they’re being recommended as a premium brand based on quality and features. Samsung is being portrayed as a Sony,” said Chris Denove, J.D. Power’s vice president of operational research.
Denove doesn’t suspect that Samsung is covertly paying salespeople to promote the brand even as 58 percent recommend a Samsung compared to 21 percent for Sony. Rather, he believes Samsung’s new status is rightly deserved. Samsung, previously considered a value brand by salespeople, has done a great job marketing its LCD TVs, he said. And its LCD TVs were not only among some of the first available, but they have won awards.
That’s good news for Samsung, but terrible news for Sony, which has relied on its aging credentials as a premium brand.
“These numbers suggest that Sony is in real danger of losing that cachet and that’s especially concerning given that TVs are now in a completely different technology,” Denove said.
Other TV brands barely registered among salespeople. According to the report, brands like LG and Sharp were recommended only a couple percentage points each. About 1 in 10 salespeople didn’t give a recommendation, even when pressed.
Denove was surprised at how often salespeople recommend TVs based on personal preference. Mystery shoppers reported that salespeople told them, “I’d really go with Brand X because I bought one and it’s been great,” or, “My mother recently bought one and I’m surprised at how good it was,” or “We’ve sold many of these and I haven’t heard anything but good from customers.”
“Most manufacturers haven’t done a good job of arming salespeople with those 1 to 3 clearly communicable nuggets of what differentiates their television,” Denove said. “It’s certainly the job of the major electronics store salesperson to know this but the manufacturer who cuts through the clutter and gives the customer the ‘aha’ moment will find it pays dividends.”
Vizio, meanwhile, is surprisingly missing from this year’s mix of recommended brands. Vizio, based in Irvine, was the third most recommended brand last year and this year became the nation’s top selling LCD TV company.
But Denove said Vizio is different because it sells TVs in mass market stores, like Costco, Wal-Mart and Target. These stores may not always have expert salespeople who know the differences between TV brands. In fact, he added, some shoppers said it was difficult to even find someone to help them. Shoppers at these stores must come prepared with their own TV research. For those reasons, J.D. Powers stopped tracking mass-market retailers this year. Vizio, apparently, figured out how to succeed without those salespeople.
“Vizio has done a great job communicating its brand, like on its boxes,” Denove said. “They understand the realities of where their TVs are sold.”
Close to home, Samsung has its monitor, printer and other tech divisions in Irvine, while Sony has a large electronics unit in San Diego.
Recent TV news:
Check out the Gadgetress Guide to local TV services
Reader Comments
Comments are encouraged, but you must follow our User Agreement.- Keep it civil and stay on topic.
- No profanity, vulgarity, racial slurs or personal attacks.
- People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked.
- By posting your comment, you agree to allow Orange County Register Communications, Inc. the right to republish your name and comment in additional Register publications without any notification or payment.
25 Comments
-
ADVERTISEMENT
-
Things to do
-
To view local listings CLICK
HERE
Or visit your TV provider: * Cox Cable * Time Warner Cable * DirecTV * Dish Network * AT&T U-verse * Verizon FiOS *
Watch a show online HERE. Get TV/mobile help on Twitter
-
-
The North Orange County Computer Club answers your tech questions. Visit the PC Club page and the Stump archives.Recent Q&As:
>>Click HERE for more PC Club answers 
More O.C. Tech News- SRCH2 Bolsters Enterprise Search With Broad Language Support May 22, 2013
- San Diego, Irvine Tops For Engineering Job Demand, Says Report May 21, 2013
- AnyMeeting Gives Gentle Nudge Towards Pro Plans May 21, 2013
- Kaleio Launches Professional Workforce Networking Service May 20, 2013
- ChicksStarter Pulls Together Funding For A Lucky Female Startup May 20, 2013
- YouMail Spins New Updates To Android App May 20, 2013
- Alteryx Gets $12M For Big Data Analysis Tools May 20, 2013
- QLogic In CEO Shuffle May 20, 2013
- Privlo Raises $2.1M For Private Mortgage Marketplace May 17, 2013
- Mindspeed Adds Board Member May 17, 2013
-
ADVERTISEMENT
Here's a list of TV/mobile companies helping consumers one tweet at a time. 
Bought one. Lovin’ it!
We bought a Samsung but not because of the salesperson. We just felt that it was the best value, all things considered. While we thought that the colors were richer on a plasma TV, they also used a lot more electricity. So we opted instead for an LCD TV. And we’d do it again.
Vizio is a piece of garbage. It was my first and my last time buying this brand. This is the second time I have my 42 inch Vizio fixed within a months time, and all this after two years of buying it. So if yall gonna be buying one you better get your extended warranty, because you’ll need it.
got 3 vizios from costco two years ago with no problems..
i will be getting the samsung 63″ for my home office though… a friend just bought one and i’m sold/
Good article…. I heart my Samsung.
My new Samsung 52 inch HD TV has a better picture then my fathers 1958 RCA. round screen.
Samsung is doing very well with many things. I’m on my 3rd Samsung cell phone…they have all been great, the technology continues to improve.
Samsung is a household name in Korea. They sell everything and I mean EVERYTHING!
Bought a samsung last year
52′ 1080p 50,000 contrast ratio.
It’s awesome
Bought a 50 in. LG and a 32 Panasonic and I’m happy!
Samsung has excellent product placement in stores. When one visits Frys @Anaheim, s/he is welcomed by a super-thin 52″ Samsung LED-backlite-LCD showing some bluray-movie.
Just before the TV aisles, there is a living-room setup comparing three Samsung LCDs, 60Hz, 120Hz, 240Hz.
The front of most TV-aisle also have Samsung LCD.
Then, there is the setup showing the flat-to-the-wall mounting-accessories for the aforementioned super-thin-LCD.
Vizio is junk. Samsung LED, me love you long time.
Sony is relying on only their name–no longer is it about superior component quality or technology. They are using low-cost commodity components that are assembled in so-so contracted factories. Hence, their so-so quality and ultimately so-so brand.
FYI: My only (and last) Sony TV purchased in ’04 lasted just 3 years. My 1st Samsung TV purchased in ’97 remains in use and still works great.
Sony is no longer a major player when their tv sets break down barely a year after purchase. Sony is a has been company.
I just bought a 50″ Samsung Plasma last week. It has the best picture quality I have ever seen. Best Buy had it on sale for a steal. I’d get the exact same thing given the chance.
I’ve had my 42″ Samsung for 2 years now and it still looks amazing. At the time of my purchase, Samsung was rated the highest in most of the reviews I read.
I was an early adopter of HD and unfortunately got a Samsung. The first one I got needed service 3 times in 8 months, at which point they replaced it with a different model. Then my replacement set needed service 3 times in 6 months, at which point they said I was out of warranty and out of luck.
They look great when they work, but if you get a bad one (or in my case two) I wish you the best of luck. I have a stack of papers with notes, call history, names of 3rd party service providers, pictures of upside down pictures, messed up colors, stuck pixels.
Samsung lost a customer for life here, I went back to Sony.
As it may be, you should have expected it as an earlier adopter of a fledgling company. I would not have gotten a Samsung then. It may be unfair to never consider them again.
I have had Sonys in the past and are happy with them. As it stands right now, Samsung is far superior coupled with it’s price point. I have owned a couple of them for the past year now and they work well. I am happy.
I wonder how many people do their research online and how many base it off the sales person. I am the former.
its*
Yeah get a warranty if you buy a Vizio. If you want a quality tv get a Samsung. LG is pretty good too.
Own 2 Vizio’s LCD’s, 42″ and 26″, bought at the same time about 2 years ago, could not be happier. Never a problem, issue or hiccup. Admittedly I am a price buyer so if Samsung can offer the same qualities as Vizio at a lesser price, I would likely switch.
I’m sorry to hear some of you with Vizio problems. Like Chris, i’ve had no problems with my vizio. I actually just ordered their deal of the week on their homepage for my son’s dormroom. A 32 inch LCD for only $499. He’ll be happy
For an LCD, yes. But best HDTV? Plasma produces much better colors and black levels, it’s no competition whatsoever.
LGT says:
For an LCD, yes. But best HDTV? Plasma produces much better colors and black levels, it’s no competition whatsoever.
————————————————————————–
correction… best HDTV? not plasma….. sure plasma gives a great picture……….. but the new LED’s have a better picture hands down.
@ mmabestprodigy
Do your homework before bashing any certain technology. If you want to get picky with IQ. You still will be very hard pressed to find out your LED Samsung is not up to Pioneer’s KURO elite image quality reproduction. If you notice even CNET did a evaluation of top HDTV’s and Pioneer set the standard for black level reproduction. LED is new to the game, and yes they have a really great start. Still image quality is not up to there price point yet (design is great). You can buy a new Panasonic Viera V10 series (closest to the KURO according to CNET) for much less than a LED panel, when calibrated LED panel will be lagging in the Black Levels.
But don’t think one technology is better than the other “HANDS DOWN.” That is pure BS… It all matters on your viewing distance, room lighting for the TECHNOLOGY to fit your need.