World Cup fever is kicking up already-strong demand for flat-panel televisions as consumers desiring a sharper picture of matches are finding lower prices and marketing pitches honed for soccer fans.
At a Yamada electronics store in Tokyo, the TVs are awash in blue -- the Japanese national team's jersey color. Pictures of midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura are everywhere -- splashed on banners hanging from ceilings and leaflets that say, "Go Shunsuke."
"Sales were going well even before the World Cup started," says Yamada spokesman Yoshihiko Kamiyashiki. "But now that it's finally begun, interest is high, and sales are growing."
The same story is unfolding in soccer-loving locales around the world.
The British electronics chain Currys, which has 550 stores the UK, is selling a flat-screen TV every 15 seconds, spokesman Mark Webb said.
Soccer's monthlong tournament in Germany comes as major electronics makers are boosting production of panels for slim TVs to keep up with global demand. It's proving the perfect marketing opportunity.
Profits remain significant despite a recent price drop as consumers snatch up bigger models with high-definition features. A 32-inch liquid-crystal display (LCD) TV sells for about ¥250,000 (US$2,200) in Japan, and under US$2,000 in the US -- about half the price of a few years ago.
Global shipments of LCD TVs during the first quarter of this year jumped 135 percent from the same period the previous year to 7.4 million TV sets, while global plasma TV shipments rose 87 percent on year during the first quarter to 1.7 million, according to DisplaySearch, which tracks sales.
In the US, TV sales are strong -- but don't credit the World Cup. On Tuesday, US retailer Best Buy Co Inc confirmed strong demand for the sets but didn't mention soccer.
The number of LCD TVs sold in Japan rose 37 percent last month over the previous year while revenue soared 52 percent, underlining the trend toward pricier models, according to Tokyo-based BCN, which monitors industry data.
But despite the strong retail sales, Chi Mei Optoelectronics Corp (奇美電子), Taiwan's No. 2 flat-panel maker for computers and televisions, yesterday said it would maintain a cautious view about the World Cup effect. The Tainan-based firm said slim-screen TV sales may fall short of expectations on the back of lukewarm orders ahead of the opening of the World Cup.
Tepid sales of LCD TVs as well as overly high estimates for World Cup sales have caused an excess of LCD TV panels, especially 32-inch panels.
Additional reporting by Lisa Wang
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