It's not like folks in the market for custom-install gear go to big box retailers like Circuit City and Tweeter for their "fix," but who can deny the way that those Sunday paper ads get the imagination going about how to improve your digital lifestyle? Prognosticators of all things CE, NPD Group, says that the diminishing fortunes of these big box stores will be felt at specialty dealers, and not necessarily in a good way. Sure, the disappearance of all that advertisement money from the CE pool might hurt awareness; but in the end, we know all those displaced regular customers of Circuit City and/or Tweeter will need to shop somewhere, so it's also an opportunity for smaller shops. Tough times are ahead, but there's also opportunity for retailers who can provide top-notch service.

It's Halloween, and things are looking scary for Tweeter, which has already risen once from the grave. The company was purchased by a liquidator last night and the entire stock of goodies at the distribution centers has been forwarded to the retail stores. Sure, that's one way to shave $12 million off the operating costs, but asking manufacturers to ship to individual retail outlets probably isn't the most efficient way to run things. As if that's not bad enough, calls to the corporate office by TWICE have been greeted by a recording that states the corporate offices have been closed and then go unanswered. Optimists see this change in operations as a way for Tweeter to forge ahead, but this looks like a clear-out if you ask us. What's your take?

[Via CEPro]

You don't have to have a Nobel Prize in economics to know that the current state of the economy is bad news for sales of HT gear, but it would be doubly bad for a company that, say, was just trying to get business moving again after emerging from bankruptcy. Enter Tweeter, which only this past summer was retooling stores into "electronic playgrounds." The company's CEO has been replaced by a restructuring firm exec (aka axeman) who quickly got down to business by putting Tweeter operations into a "temporary transition period," and we've got a bad feeling that means the electronic playground just got a lot rougher.

For some strange reason, we can't say we're surprised by the latest J.D. Power and Associates report. Maybe it's how LCD HDTVs seem to be highlighted in most retail locations, or maybe it's just because the negative burn-in stigma attached to earlier PDPs has yet to wear off. Whatever the case, said research firm has just produced an article claiming that "retail electronics salespersons are recommending LCD TVs instead of plasma TVs at a rate of more than three to one." The research focused on shoppers looking for sets 40-inches and up over the past six months, though it didn't specifically mention where it went undercover to source such data. Really though, it's not shocking to hear that B&M salespeople aren't totally adept at explaining pros and cons -- after all, we'd recommend doing your own independent research and ordering online -- but hopefully this will beat the message home to those who've been blindly believing anything they hear when shopping for a new set.

[Image courtesy of Exceptional Innovation]

Our friends at CEPro got a chance to stroll through the newly-designed Tweeter concept store in Dedham, MA with their camera, and it sounds like they came away impressed. After reading their impressions, we want to check out one of these stores as well -- it looks like the kind of playground we could while away some summer hours in. The store design emphasizes careful setup and consumer education rather than the sheer number of stock units on display. As we all know, the effort of forming a short list of items to audition can be totally undone by lackluster demo environment, which is all too common in the big box stores that dominate the retail channel. By integrating the gear into home-like settings and liberally sprinkling the "Try Me" buttons around for automated demos, consumers can get a better feel for how the gear they're considering will fit in with their home, which we're guessing isn't dominated by flood lamps, aisle shelving, industrial carpeting and 30-foot ceilings.

[Image courtesy CEPro]

With the format war being a distant memory in the minds of high-power retail execs, it's really no shock to hear of brick-and-mortar outlets shifting floor space towards Blu-ray. Sure, the high-def format still has quite aways to go before it begins to dominate DVD, but reports are already flowing in suggesting that Borders and Target are embracing the future. Reportedly, a couple of Target stores in Los Angeles increased BD facings from 60 to 90 since January, and we're also told that each Borders location "will feature at least one bay or rack fixture full of BD titles on one side," with larger stores having up to three. We'll admit -- Blu-ray player pricing is still well above where the general public wants it to be, but getting Blu-ray out in front on consumers is a surefire way to pull attention towards the medium.

Tweeter stores (now formally known as Tweeter Opco) has had a rough go of things over the past year, but is hoping that a little experimentation in April will help get things moving in the right direction. First up, a new store that features a "Playground" design will be opening in Chicago's Lincoln Park. We pretty much think of any store with aisles of gadgets as a playground, but these stores feature home-like "vignette" settings that demonstrate how the gear will fit into your lifestyle. Tweeter will also be testing a totally new store concept at a remodeled Boston location. No details were given about what changes are involved, but the company's CEO says "It's quite a step forward." If it's better than a "playground," we can only imagine it's an "amusement park" at the minimum, and we're hoping for "mind-blowing dreamscape." We're all for some more competition, and we're guessing the new concept will be aimed at a more upscale market than typical "big box" stores. And besides, we're always looking for new places to haunt.

We've drooled enough over this beast of an LCD, and had a small fit when we found out it would make it further than an expo floor, but now we're hearing actual dates, and that's always good news. While the spec list hasn't changed (or not that we're aware of, anyway), this beauty has moved up from "the first half of 2007" to "February" of next year. Additionally, versions sporting full 1080p support will be out "by March," and will fall under its second 7G lineup, which should be able to pump out "one million 70-inch LCD TV panels annually." Unfortunately, we still have no idea just how enormous the pricetag on this behemoth will be, but rest assured, we'll keep you updated on the progress.

Considering Blockbuster is already trialing HD DVD and Blu-ray rentals in brick-and-mortar locations, Netflix's full backing of the formats, and the record-setting performance of Paramount's M:I III, we'd say that opening up a bit more shelf space for next-gen flicks is a fairly intelligent business move. The Video Buyers Group's 1,700 members will launch HD DVD and Blu-ray sections this month in anticipation of holiday sales, and numerous Targets are going out of their way to not only provide easier access to next-gen store displays, but to educate consumers on the technology behind the buzz as well. Reportedly, the bullseye-clad stores will boast "signage highlighting key differences between the formats," including clear alerts that signify what hardware is necessary to play back the snazzy HD discs. So when perusing the (presumably crowded) aisles this holiday season for those must-have titles, don't be alarmed to see next-generation setups placed front and center in the electronics department -- well, behind the Wii and Playstation 3 goods, of course.