Sales of consumer electronics for the week of Thanksgiving grew over last year but just barely, as the rate of growth was smaller than in recent years. That’s according to figures released this week by the research firm the NPD Group, in its “NPD Insights” newsletter.
The group found that spending on CE for the week reached $2.2 billion, a new record high and a slight increase over 2006’s figure of $2.1 billion. Unit sales, however, jumped 9 percent, which was higher than the other number, the group’s analyst said, due to “a more rational pricing environment than last year, as well as a more stable competitive outlook.”
“This is most certainly a positive harbinger of expected profitability throughout the holiday season, even if it calls growth prospects into some doubt,” the group’s vice president for industry analysis, Stephen Baker, said in the release.
The report also found that GPS systems were the fastest-growing product segment within CE, followed by digital frames, LCD TVs, camera accessories and digital SLR cameras.
LCD TVs, meanwhile, showed huge growth, mostly due to a large influx of new products. Revenue jumped 80 percent over last year, while volume rose 45 percent.
