Retail Observer

RETAILOBSERVER.COM DECEMBER 2014 60 BRANDSOURCE SPECIALTY A/V DIVISION EXEC PREDICTS STEADY HOLIDAY SALES THANKS TO ULTRA HD TV Strong consumer demand expected to attract in-store foot traffic, drive sales in other categories BrandSource is gearing up for a strong post-Thanksgiving selling season, thanks in large part to strong consumer interest in Ultra HD or 4K TVs. According to Jim Ristow, co-president of ProSource, the specialty A/V and integration division of BrandSource, the desire for shoppers to see and experience 4K TVs will drive foot traffic and offer members additional opportunities for sales in other categories. During a Webinar presentation last month, Ristow informed BrandSource member retailers that Ultra HD TV sales will be sizzling and they should expect steady foot traffic from interested shoppers. Key vendor partners are LG, Samsung and Sony. "More than 73 percent of consumers who see the Ultra HD TV want one," Ristow said. "That's a very significant number. With prices going down in the fourth quarter and increased holiday foot traffic, we believe that our members will be saying goodbye to 2014 on a positive note." Ristow added that prices on some Ultra HD models could decrease as much as 50 percent by the end of the year, which will make them within reach of a larger number of shoppers. "Steep price drops will make 4K more affordable and vendors will be offering an attractive number of promotions," he said. Ristow added that Wireless multi-room category -- multi-room audio speaker systems that stream audio via Wi-Fi to multiple rooms in the home without latency – are all the rage at retail and that Sonos, an industry leader, is expected to double business over the next four years. Additional brands to watch are Bose, HEOS, Def TECH and Harman. Another hot category is Home Automation, which is expected to grow to $16.4 billion by 2019, according to Transparency Market Research. Home automation technology, which was traditionally used for lighting and simple appliances, now allows people to have full control of the home from anywhere, at any time, by using their iPhone, Android device or other remote control unit. New systems allow customers to dictate how a device should react - and when. Home automation can include the scheduling and automatic operation of water sprinkling, heating and air conditioning, window coverings, security systems, lighting, food preparation appliances and more. These systems can also alert the user to sudden unforeseen events, like water leaks or unexpected access to the home. Users get peace of mind, tremendous convenience and control, and savings on utility bills. Ristow also introduced a new vendor, Alarm.com, a technology company that designs and develops a connected home platform with interactive, web-enabled software services for interactive home security, automation, video service, energy management and aging in place solutions. For more information, please visit www.brandsource.com and www.prosourceinfo.com. PROSOURCE WELCOMES LEON SPEAKERS AS NEW VENDOR PARTNER ProSource has announced the addition of Leon Speakers to its line- up of vendor partners, enhancing the group's already impressive roster. "Leon is a very well-respected speaker manufacturer," said Jim Ristow, co-President of ProSource. "They elevate the art of speaker manufacturing by offering practical solutions, incredible design and top- notch audio quality for any entertainment environment. It's an honor to have them on board as a ProSource vendor. We'll continue to partner with the best manufacturers to ultimately benefit our members in terms of quality, performance, margin and solutions." From the Horizon series of sound bars that can be customized to match the width of any flat-panel display to the Media Décor line of flat- screen frames and coverings, every Leon product is infused with quality, design and craftsmanship. "We're excited to provide our solutions to such a diverse and strong dealer base," said Colin Wilcox, residential sales director of Leon Speakers. "Collaborating with dealers who share in our vision and culture will empower us to propel forward together with aggressive growth in 2015 and beyond. We are honored to provide unique, custom solutions to all ProSource members." RO B U Y I N G G R O U P N E W S

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