Sony Quietly Opens Retail Stores

KingFish

Many retailers are worried about Sony's recent opening of several retail outlets, which changes Sony's traditional rollout of their products.

Since opening its first store last year, Sony has quietly opened stores in seven other cities. The Japanese giant will open its 11th and 12th U.S. stores this month, in Denver and Las Vegas, and expects to have about 30 Sony Style stores in the United States by April 2006. Some retailers that sell Sony products worry they will lose sales. They also worry that if the stores are successful, other manufacturers will open stores, too. "We're going to watch very closely what they do with these stores," said Tom Campbell, vice president of Ken Cranes Home Electronics Inc., a chain of eight stores in Southern California. "The manufacturer is becoming a potential competitor."

Source: CNN

keto

They've had retail stores in Canada 5 years or more. The prices are ridiculous, tho there is somewhat more selection of Sony product than many electronics retailers. Have been in a few times, notably laptop shopping. The staff I spoke with was tremendously ignorant on the subject.

Crypto

They've had retail outlets in the UK for donkey's years.
You have to have a fat wallet to visit them.

The two times I've been in to seek advice on a TV set-up they were very knowledgeable.

FAH_WW

In the UK, you've got Sony stores, Panasonic stores too. Although they may have a decent customer base, most of the time customers will go to all stores, compare prices, and end up buying where THEY want anyway.

Like Crypto says - they tend to know a lot about their products, but they are at a premium.

It's just more choice to the consumer, I doubt it will become a big deal in reality :-)