Close
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Video
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Video
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Latest News
    • Mobile
    • PC Hardware
    • Small Business

    Amazon, Wal-Mart Gaining on Electronics Leader Best Buy

    Written by

    Michelle Maisto
    Published January 12, 2010
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      eWEEK content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More.

      When it comes to pulling in electronics shoppers, Amazon.com and Wal-Mart are gaining ground on leader Best Buy, according to a Jan. 6 study from Retrevo.

      Retrevo polled more than a thousand online shoppers between Dec. 26 and Jan. 4 to learn how consumer attitudes toward electronics shopping shifted over the course of 2009.

      When asked, “When you think about buying electronics, who comes to mind first?” fewer shoppers said Best Buy and Wal-Mart than did in 2008, while the number of those who said Amazon.com went up 4 percentage points to 15 percent.

      This still left Best Buy leading the pack, as it was named by a considerable 40 percent of consumers in 2009, compared with 44 percent in 2008. Wal-Mart’s drop was an even smaller one, from 15 percent in 2008 to 14 percent in 2009.

      Which company consumers believe has the lowest prices was another story, with Best Buy falling to the bottom with 25 percent of the vote, Amazon.com holding onto 33 percent of the vote and Wal-Mart dominating with 42 percent of votes.

      Best Buy came out on top again, however, in the matter of selection.

      “Whether it’s that big wall of HDTVs or a store full of gadgets, Best Buy beat both Amazon and Wal-Mart as the reseller with the best selection of electronics this season,” Retrevo wrote in a blog post on the survey. “Of the respondents, 44 percent said Best Buy had the best selection with Amazon.com coming in a close second with 41 percent. Meanwhile, Wal-Mart came in a distant third with 15 percent.”

      Receipts are the real measure, though, and when asked where they purchased electronics this year, Wal-Mart showed the biggest fluctuation, with an increase of 4 percentage points between the years on electronics items under $200.

      Best Buy ranked second in the under-$200 category, with 19 percent of those polled saying they’d purchased items there, down from 21 percent a year ago. Amazon.com was up by 1 percentage point, to 14 percent in 2009.

      Shoppers headed to Best Buy for items over $200, however, were down 1 percentage point from the previous year, to 23 percent. Among these bigger spenders, 17 percent went to Wal-Mart, compared with 13 percent the year before, and Amazon.com remained at a steady 13 percent.

      “Although Best Buy is still … the king of the hill for electronics, Amazon and Wal-Mart are gaining ground. Best Buy has reason for concern because perceptions can change fast, especially with two giants like Amazon and Wal-Mart turning up the heat,” wrote Retrevo.

      Amazon.com announced on Dec. 26 that its Kindle e-reader became its most gifted item ever over the holidays. Although the company didn’t say exactly how many it had sold, it reported that-seemingly in response to hordes of Kindle recipients tearing into wrapping paper on Christmas morning-on Dec. 25, for the first time, Amazon.com sold more e-books than physical books.

      Michelle Maisto
      Michelle Maisto
      Michelle Maisto has been covering the enterprise mobility space for a decade, beginning with Knowledge Management, Field Force Automation and eCRM, and most recently as the editor-in-chief of Mobile Enterprise magazine. She earned an MFA in nonfiction writing from Columbia University.

      Get the Free Newsletter!

      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis

      Get the Free Newsletter!

      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Artificial Intelligence

      9 Best AI 3D Generators You Need...

      Sam Rinko - June 25, 2024 0
      AI 3D Generators are powerful tools for many different industries. Discover the best AI 3D Generators, and learn which is best for your specific use case.
      Read more
      Cloud

      RingCentral Expands Its Collaboration Platform

      Zeus Kerravala - November 22, 2023 0
      RingCentral adds AI-enabled contact center and hybrid event products to its suite of collaboration services.
      Read more
      Artificial Intelligence

      8 Best AI Data Analytics Software &...

      Aminu Abdullahi - January 18, 2024 0
      Learn the top AI data analytics software to use. Compare AI data analytics solutions & features to make the best choice for your business.
      Read more
      Latest News

      Zeus Kerravala on Networking: Multicloud, 5G, and...

      James Maguire - December 16, 2022 0
      I spoke with Zeus Kerravala, industry analyst at ZK Research, about the rapid changes in enterprise networking, as tech advances and digital transformation prompt...
      Read more
      Video

      Datadog President Amit Agarwal on Trends in...

      James Maguire - November 11, 2022 0
      I spoke with Amit Agarwal, President of Datadog, about infrastructure observability, from current trends to key challenges to the future of this rapidly growing...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2024 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×