COLUMBIA — Even though the economy is down, there’s one thing that’s getting people into stores and opening their wallets: electronics.
A new survey by America’s Research Group (ARG), based in Charleston, found electronics virtually tied with toys as the most popular gift item this year.
When asked what gift item they were buying most often, 30 percent said “electronics,” while 30.8 percent said “toys.”
It’s the first time in more than 25 years electronics and toys have tied. Last year, the same survey found 23.7 percent buying electronics most often compared with 33.8 percent buying toys most often.
“Electronics sales, especially flat-panel television sets, are flying out the door this Christmas season,” CEO and founder of ARG C. Britt Beemer said. “When flat-panel TV sets hit the magic $499 price point, sales go up like a rocket. Twenty years ago, the same thing happened with VCRs when they hit the $249 price point.”
Nakita Williams of Aiken said price is why she bought a flat-panel TV on Friday.
“Since we first started looking, they’ve come down substantially,” she said. “This is the cheapest we’ve found, so (we’re) kinda jumping on it.”
Terry Amick of Newberry also confirmed the trend while buying a flat panel TV with a built-in DVD player Friday.
“That’s the definite factor: it’s a great price,” he said.
In addition to flat-panel TVs, low prices on laptop computers and Blu-ray DVD players, and the rise of small netbook computers, have consumers making it an electronics holiday.
Matt Little of Sumter was buying a new laptop computer Friday for his daughter. Years ago, a good laptop would cost about $1,000. But now, you can get a netbook for less than $300.
“The prices have really come down,” he said.
Little also said he thinks the trend toward electronics instead of toys will continue.
“I think kids are getting younger and younger as far as their use of electronics are concerned. So, yeah, I think we get more and more (electronics) just because there’s more options available,” he said.
Because of the increased electronics sales, Beemer is revising his forecast for overall Christmas retail sales. In early November, he predicted overall retail sales would be down 2.9 percent. But with the strong demand for electronics, he said he thinks overall sales will be down just 1.2 percent.
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