Stateside consumers have seen HDTV prices rise 10% since Christmas.
Although it was possible to purchase high-definition TVs at a lower price prior to Christmas and before the Super Bowl last month, the price of HDTVs has now increased more than 10 percent in February.
An analysis done by consumer web site Retrevo discovered HDTVs were on sale for the holidays and before the Supr Bowl -- when many consumers purchase new TVs to watch the most popular USA sporting event of the year -- but despite the struggling economy, prices have gone up again.
Considering the decline of HDTV prices prior to the holiday shopping season, it is somewhat surprising to see that prices actually went up 10 percent in February. The cost of LCD panel prices continues to balance out, which means manufacturers will be less likely to help pass on savings to consumers -- but because of the economy, it'll be interesting to see how long manufacturers and brick and mortar retailers will wait before prices are slashed again.
"As the economy and consumer spending weakened, manufacturers and retailers were offering steep discounts during the holidays and leading up to the Super Bowl -- both important seasons for HDTV sales," according to Retrevo CEO Vipin Jain. "This meant great deals for consumers, but hurt the bottom line of TV makers."
The recent demise of Circuit City may have also helped keep HDTV prices low for a short while, but the discount has been short lived.
