HFN The Weekly Newspaper for the Home Furnishing Network articles from September 2003

HFN The Weekly Newspaper for the Home Furnishing Network archives from September 2003

THE NEXT BIG THING?
September 1, 2003... A SINGLENESS OF PURPOSE: Salton is hoping its Melitta one:one single-serve coffee machine will do for home brewing what the George Foreman Grill did for home cooking. For an in-depth look at the latest contender, see page 8.

IS THAT LIGHT YOU SEE THE END OF THE TUNNEL?(economic rebound may be occurring in retail)
September 1, 2003... NEW YORK-Knock on wood and cross every finger: From consumers' lips to retailers' ears, things just may be looking up at retail. Evidence is mounting that a much-needed economic rebound is in the works for the fourth quarter. Numerous...

AMAZON TO GET FIRST CRACK AT JAMIE OLIVER COOKWARE.
September 1, 2003... SEATTLE-Jamie Oliver's Professional cookware series from T-Fal will be available for preorder exclusively at Amazon.com until Sept. 15, when the line will become available at retail. T-Fal said it was Amazon.com's reputation for success...

LANDS' END NOW IN ALL SEARS STORES; HOME IN 515 UNITS.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill.-Sears has rolled out Lands' End products to all of its 870 stores and the cataloger's home collection to 515 units, Lee Antonio, a spokeswoman, told HFN. The retailer acquired the cataloger in June 2002 and introduced...

CORRECTIONS.(Correction Notice)
September 1, 2003... The Aug. 18 issue of HFN misstated the home furnishings sales of Value City Furniture. The correct figure was $700 million, which would place the retailer at number 40 among the Top 150 Home Retailers. The Zak Designs photo in the Aug. 18...

NEWS BRIEFS.(includes multiple articles)
September 1, 2003... Muscalino President of Dan River Tom Muscalino, president of the home fashions division of Dan River, has been named president and chief operating officer of the company, succeeding Richard Williams, who will retire Dec. 23. In the...

BEALLS CHAIN TO GO COASTAL WITH HOME STORES THIS FALL.
September 1, 2003... BRADENTON, Fla.-Floridian department store chain Bealls is breaking into the home store business with three freestanding units scheduled to debut in November. Home accounts for about 10 percent of the assortment in the retailer's full-line...

DOLLAR GENERAL NAMES JACKSON PRESIDENT.(Lawrence Jackson)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... GOODLETTSVILLE, Tenn.-Dollar General Corp. has named Lawrence Jackson president and chief operating officer, effective Sept. 22. He succeeds Don Shaffer, who left the 6,479-unit dollar chain in May. Jackson most recently served as...

SERENITY NOW.
September 1, 2003... It used to be for crunchy granola types, but meditation is coming on strong -- 10 million people are doing it regularly. It's not surprising in these particularly stressful times that seeking a higher awareness has become popular. Medical...

IN POD THEY TRUST; SALTON'S EXECUTIVES ARE COUNTING ON THE SINGLE-SERVE ONE: ONE COFFEE MACHINE TO SERVE AS AN ENCORE TO THE FOREMAN GRILL.
September 1, 2003... MOUNT PROSPECT, Ill.-Salton and the entire housewares industry have spent the past five years trying to answer just one question: Where is the next George Foreman Grill? For an industry driven by hot items and for a company so dependent on...

THE GREAT INDOORS LOOKS TO BE OUT OF FAVOR WITH SEARS BRASS.
September 1, 2003... NEW YORK-Sears seems to have lost its patience waiting for The Great Indoors to turn a profit. When Arthur Martinez, Sears' former chief executive officer, introduced the first Great Indoors in 1998, the multicategory home superstore was...

OXO MAINTAINS GOOD GRIP ON ERGONOMICS WITH NEW LINE OF PRODUCTS.
September 1, 2003... NEW YORK-After three years of development, OXO is introducing its next generation of products: the OXO Good Grips i-Series. OXO said that as more companies get involved in this area of ergonomic gadgetry that it pioneered, it wants to make...

TRADE SHOW CALENDAR.(Calendar)
September 1, 2003... September 5-9 MACEF Fiera Milano Milan, Italy (212) 459-0044 or (888) 343-7264 (USA) 011-39-2-485-501 (Italy) fieramilano.com 5-9 Maison & Objet Paris Paris Nord Villpinte Exhibition Center (888)...

FURNITURE DESIGNER JOSH OWEN REACHES FOR A GLOBAL AUDIENCE.
September 1, 2003... PHILADELPHIA-When American furniture designer Josh Owen was an adolescent, he used to travel the world with his archaeologist father digging up ancient objects and trying to figure what they were and how they fit into specific cultures. ...

RUBBERMAID RACES TO VICTORY LANE.(company records success with NASCAR sponsorship)
September 1, 2003... Rubbermaid is a big winner these days, and we're not talking about the company's latest quarterly report. When Joe Galli took over the reins of the housewares giant in 2001, he vowed that parent company Newell Rubbermaid would spend major...

JACK AND MICK, ET AL.(understanding customers)(Column)
September 1, 2003... For those of you who are regular readers around here, my suggestion is to take a week off and skip this column: You've heard it all before. For the rest of you -- or anyone of the above still with me out of sheer loyalty -- welcome to my...

NEWS BRIEFS.(miscellaneous brief articles)
September 1, 2003... Fallani & Cohn, Southern Textiles Sign On for Woolrich Collection Woolrich Inc. has licensed table linen manufacturer Fallani & Cohn and bed linen producer Southern Textiles to create collections of soft goods for the new Woolrich Home...

DECOSIT SPENDING; AMERICAN EXHIBITORS ARE BANKING ON A WEAKER DOLLAR TO SPUR BUYING IN BRUSSELS.
September 1, 2003... BRUSSELS, Belgium-Decosit, regarded by many as the best and most focused international trade fair for upholstery fabrics, celebrates its 25th anniversary later this week. This year's four-day show, from Sept. 6 to 9, is also expected to be...

SURE FIT GETS A LITTLE BIGGER WITH MOVE INTO NEW CATEGORIES.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... NEW YORK-Sure Fit is going beyond slipcovers, and is launching a line of bedding and window treatments, as well as a Parsons chair, in time for the fall market. Along with its expansion to new product categories is a new catalog, Special...

NEW YORK SHOW TO OFFER ATTENDEES HIGH-FIBER DIET.(New York Home Textiles Show)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... NEW YORK-New at the home textiles show this month is a fiber display called "Seeds of the Industry" that will illustrate the origins of the different fibers and their development into finished product. Penny Sikalis, vice president and...

A DEAL FOR DEALERS: MOHAWK OFFERS CASH, PRIZES IN PROMOS.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... DALTON, Ga.-Mohawk is running a series of late-summer promotions featuring cash and prizes for hard flooring and carpet product retailers. Mohawk Hard Surfaces rewards retailers and retail salespeople with electronics, sports or travel in...

SHAW ADDS 74 NEW RUGS TO LINES.(Shaw Rugs )(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... DALTON, Ga.-Shaw Rugs has added a total of 74 new rugs to five different collections. New styles were introduced in the Reflections, Regal Heritage, Kathy Ireland, Studio and Antiquities collections. Ultra Shag, a new collection, was also...

PASSAGE FROM INDIA; RUG EXPORTS TO THE UNITED STATES ARE ON THE RISE AND GAINING MOMENTUM.(Industry Overview)
September 1, 2003... NEW YORK-India, already the largest exporter of wool floor coverings to the United States, won't relinquish its leading position anytime soon. Imports in U.S. dollars from India are growing at a faster rate than imports from China, Iran...

RUGS ARE GETTING MORE EXPOSURE IN THE PAGES OF SHELTER BOOKS.(home magazines)
September 1, 2003... NEW YORK-Shelter magazine editors are sitting up and taking notice of the design renaissance that's occurring in the rug world. Exciting new designs; experimentation with shape, construction and materials; and the number of big-name...

CARPET ONE DEALERS RECEIVE AWARDS AT SUMMER CONVENTION.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... ORLANDO, Fla.-Carpet One recognized top-selling dealers at the recent Carpet One International Summer Convention here. Dealer of the Year Awards, for retailers with the greatest percentage increase in volume of sales versus the prior year,...

SOUTHERN COMFORT; BUYERS AND SUPPLIERS FOUND THE TUPELO FURNITURE MARKET MUCH TO THEIR LIKING.
September 1, 2003... TUPELO, Miss.-Furniture industry insiders looking for promising signs may have found them at the recent market here. The relative lack of grumbling in the relaxed venue of the Tupelo Furniture Market was complemented by earnest...

KINGSDOWN OPENS TWO MALL-BASED RETAIL STORES.(under the name Sleep To Live)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... MEBANE, N.C.-Kingsdown Inc., taking a step to promote its own growth, has launched its first two retail stores under the name Sleep To Live. The first one opened in late July at The Streets at Southpoint, a regional mall in Durham, N.C....

FLOOR LAMPS COME INTO THE SPOTLIGHT IN BACK-TO-SCHOOL SEASON PROMOTIONS.
September 1, 2003... NEW YORK-Floor lamps are taking a prominent place in this season's back-to-school promotions, which seem to be effectively driving sales, industry sources said. This year is on track to beat last year's back-to-school season results,...

NEWS BRIEFS.(miscellaneous brief articles)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Holmes, Color Kinetics Ink LED Deal Color Kinetics Inc., a pioneer of light-emitting diode illumination technologies, and The Holmes Group Inc., a multibrand, global manufacturer of consumer products, have signed a license deal. Through...

LIGHTING ONE SHUFFLES ITS STAFF, CONSOLIDATES OFFICES IN GEORGIA.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... MARIETTA, Ga.-Lighting One, the cooperative owned by CCA Global Partners, is consolidating its three offices into its parent's headquarters here, and has made several staff changes in an effort to become more focused on the needs of its...

THE RISE OF FALL; HARVEST THEMES ARE GAINING POPULARITY OVER HALLOWEEN AND THANKSGIVING PATTERNS FOR AUTUMN.
September 1, 2003... NEW YORK-Pumpkins and leaves versus witches and turkeys -- many manufacturers are adding general fall and harvest looks to their product lineups for the autumn selling season, traditionally a popular time for Halloween- and Thanksgiving-themed...

CORRADO JOINS SYRATECH AS SALES VP FOR VERA WANG.(Deborah Corrado)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... BOSTON-Syratech Corp. has named Deborah Corrado vice president of sales for the newly licensed Vera Wang collection. In her new role, Corrado will be responsible for overseeing the development, planning and implementation of sales...

YOUTH IS SERVED: NEW LINES OF CHILDREN'S FLATWARE BOW.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... NEW YORK-No longer just a smaller version of regular-sized utensils, children's flatware has become fun, interactive and whimsical. Alessi conferred with a cultural specialist in child development when it designed Aglo Ordini!, its first...

WHEREOWARE ADDS SERVICES FOR ART LICENSING.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... McLEAN, Va.-Whereoware, a provider of technology-based sales and marketing solutions in the gift and home industry, has launched an expanded suite of products and services designed specifically for licensed artists and licensing agencies. The...

COMING INTO THE COLD; BSH IS FINALLY UNVEILING REFRIGERATION BEARING ITS THERMADOR BRAND IN THE UNITED STATES.(BSH Home Appliances)
September 1, 2003... NEW YORK-A dozen years in the making, BSH Home Appliances is introducing refrigeration in the United States. It's under the Thermador brand, and it gives the high-end manufacturer its first complete line of kitchen appliances in this...

T-FAL'S NEW CEO MEYER FORMULATING GROWTH PLANS FOR BRANDS.(Scott Meyer)
September 1, 2003... PINE BROOK, N.J.-Two short months into his rule over the T-Fal branch of Groupe SEB's empire, Scott Meyer, the company's new president and chief executive officer, has big plans for the brand and the way the company does business. Meyer...

CLOCK VENDORS SEE 4TH QUARTER AS PRIME TIME FOR GIFT-GIVING.
September 1, 2003... NEW YORK-Clock suppliers are looking forward to the fourth-quarter gift-purchasing season, which insiders say makes up nearly 40 percent of clock purchases. "Clocks are a huge fourth-quarter business," said Pat Devlin, general manager at...

NEWS BRIEFS.(miscellaneous brief articles)
September 1, 2003... Vac Shipments Hit Record in July On the heels of a big rebound in June, manufacturers' shipments of full-sized vacuum cleaners were the most ever for a July. Uprights, canisters and stick vacs reached 1,569,283 units, up 8.8 percent from...

DOLLAR GENERAL'S Q2 PROFIT SOARS.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Aggressive store expansion has enabled discount leader Dollar General to increase its sales for the second quarter by more than 13.5 percent over the same period a year earlier, to more than $1.65 billion. That translated to a profit of more...

EDITOR'S NOTE.(retail industry second quarter 2003 financial results)(Brief Article)(Correction Notice)
September 1, 2003... Due to a reporting error, the sales and net income figures of retailers posting quarterly results that appeared in the Aug. 18 issue of HFN were incorrect. Below is a corrected version of the chart: Q2's top retailers by sales gain ($ in...

THE HFN LIST; THE TOP 10 PRIVATELY OWNED HOME VENDORS.(Industry Overview)
September 1, 2003... Company Category 2002 Sales ($ in millions) 1) Springs Industries Textiles $2,450 Soon after going private in 2001, Springs went on the acquisition trail,...

PARTY FAVORERS.
September 1, 2003... Of the endless number of parties covered on this page during a season (which runs roughly from September to June), there are some standout moments that deserve to be revisited before the new season starts again. From New York to Paris to Milan...

THE WIRED BUNCH.(consumer electronics)(Brief Article)
September 8, 2003... Consumer Electronics returns to the HFN fold this week in a report on how the big-three discounters, including Target (pictured), approach the category. See page 8.

SURVIVAL BY REVIVAL: DEPARTMENT STORES BRINGING BACK PROVEN TRAFFIC DRIVERS.(Industry Overview)
September 8, 2003... NEW YORK-Department stores, reeling from the market share lost to discounters and specialty stores, are working to revive their one-stop-shopping appeal. Retailers such as Federated Department Stores, Saks Department Store Group and Sears...

KMART TAPS TRIO OF TOP EXECUTIVES TO FILL NEW POSITIONS.
September 8, 2003... BOSTON-With its losses narrowed and $10 million worth of stock available to reward key executives, Kmart has begun cherry-picking talent to fill top roles. The Troy, Mich.-based discounter said Tuesday it has hired former Gap veteran Lisa...

NEWS BRIEFS.(miscellaneous brief articles)
September 8, 2003... Costco to Build Second Home Unit Costco Wholesale plans to go ahead with a second Costco Home store but has yet to choose a location, according to Jim Sinegal, president and chief executive officer. "We like what's happening" with the...

ROSS, UNITE CLIMB ABOARD ANTI-IMPORT TEXTILES COALITION.(financier Wilbur Ross, Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees)
September 8, 2003... NEW YORK-The growing coalition of groups lobbying to protect the U.S. textiles industry from a flood of imports landed two new prominent members on Wednesday. Wilbur L. Ross, the New York financier who has agreed to buy Burlington...

CLEESE IN A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT ROLE FOR SALTON.(actor John Cleese in commercials)(Brief Article)
September 8, 2003... LAKE FOREST, Ill.-Salton Inc. has named actor John Cleese as the new host of commercials introducing the Westinghouse Unplugged Cord-Free vacuum cleaner. The company said a series of five 30-second commercials, as well as a long-form...

SIMMONS OFFICIALS REFUTE REPORTS FIRM'S FOR SALE.
September 8, 2003... ATLANTA-Don't get your checkbook out just yet. Despite an Aug. 29 Associated Press article stating that Fenway Partners-owned Simmons Co. is for sale for at least $800 million, Simmons' president says it ain't so -- yet. The article, which...

BLACK TO THE FUTURE.(consumer electronics)(Brief Article)
September 8, 2003... In the high-tech world of electronics, the word is that black is the new black this season. Across the consumer electronics spectrum, manufacturers are returning to basics with black now that iMac colors -- hot a few seasons ago -- quietly take...

ELECTRONICS ON A MASS SCALE; WHETHER THROUGH A FULL-ON ASSORTMENT OR A MIDDLE-OF-THE-ROAD MIX, DIFFERENT STRATEGIES PAY OFF FOR THE BIG-THREE DISCOUNTERS.(Industry Overview)
September 8, 2003... NEW YORK-They rack up a whopping $21 billion in consumer electronics sales combined. But Wal-Mart, Target and Kmart, which rank among the nation's top consumer electronics retailers, are tackling the category in distinctly different ways that...

HAPPY TALK.(back to school spending for 2003)
September 8, 2003... I love happy news, don't you? So when I saw this headline a few weeks ago, "Back-to-College Spending to Reach $26 Billion," I perked up. Then I really put on a happy face a couple of weeks later when I read, "Back-to-School Helps Fuel...

RETAIL PILATES.(financials)
September 8, 2003... Pilates, as apparently I am the last person on planet Earth to realize, is about the latest, greatest thing to happen to exercise since the invention of Vic Tanny. I don't really pretend to know all that much about how it works or exactly...

NEWS BRIEFS.(miscellaneous brief articles)(Brief Article)
September 8, 2003... Culp's First-Quarter Sales Down More Than 14 Percent Culp Inc.'s net sales for the first quarter ended Aug. 3 were $73.7 million, down 14.3 percent from $86 million in the same quarter last year. The net loss was $411,000, down from $23.2...

CULP SEES CHINA AS THE KEY LINK IN ITS UPHOLSTERY FABRIC BUSINESS.
September 8, 2003... HIGH POINT, N.C.-Robert Culp III is China-bound. Earlier this year, in the first move of its kind for the industry, Culp Inc. announced its initiative to manufacture upholstery fabrics in China with a leased, 65,000-square-foot...

IN BEDDING TOGETHER; BAY LINENS AND QUILTCRAFT FORM AN ALLIANCE TO BUILD THEIR RESPECTIVE BUSINESSES.(Brief Article)
September 8, 2003... NEW YORK-Dianne Morris is going back to her first love: designing. Bay Linens, the company she established in 1989, has grown in size, keeping her busy with other facets of the business. Last month she signed a strategic partnership...

DESPITE ITS STATUS, RETAILERS IN NO RUSH TO GET PILLOWTEX BRANDS OFF SHELVES.
September 8, 2003... NEW YORK-It's business as usual at retail. A month after Pillowtex said it was liquidating and selling its brands -- Charisma, Fieldcrest, Royal Velvet and Cannon -- most retailers seem to be going about their regular sales events. There...

SHEAR DETERMINATION; THE QUALITY OF THE WOOL HELPS DICTATE THE QUALITY OF A RUG.
September 8, 2003... NEW YORK-While retailers and suppliers may not be fully versed in each of the countless varieties of wool, they know too well that a careful wool selection matters. The type of wool chosen for a rug is a determining factor in its price,...

NEWS BRIEFS.(miscellaneous brief articles)
September 8, 2003... Angela Adams Adds To Studio Rug Line Angela Adams, known for her bold allover patterns, has taken a step toward minimalism with her latest rugs. The Maine-based designer recently added five styles to her Studio Rug Collection of...

EARLY SHOW DATES PUT PRESSURE ON SOME VENDORS TO GET READY.(Home Textiles Show)
September 8, 2003... NEW YORK-If it seems like the fall Home Textiles Show comes up earlier and earlier, you're not imagining things. This year's show is slated for Sept. 19 to 23, three weeks before the mid-October date that it's had for the past few years. ...

NEWS BRIEFS.(appointments and promotions)
September 8, 2003... Baker Leaves Helm of Decorize Jon Baker has stepped down from his posts as Decorize Inc. chairman, chief executive officer and president, but will continue to serve as a board member. Jim Parsons, co-founder of Decorize, a current director...

CASUAL CHAOS; AN ALTERED LANDSCAPE AWAITS BUYERS HEADING INTO THIS WEEK'S CASUAL FURNITURE MARKET.
September 8, 2003... CHICAGO-Winds of change are blowing through the casual furniture industry as it convenes in the Windy City this week for the International Casual Furniture & Accessories Market at the Merchandise Mart. Consolidations among vendors and...

CHINA-BACKED UNIVERSAL ENTERS UPHOLSTERED FURNITURE MARKET.(Universal Furniture)(Brief Article)
September 8, 2003... HIGH POINT, N.C.-Universal Furniture, one of the leading case goods importers, is bringing its deep pockets and dedicated Chinese production to bear on the U.S. upholstery market. Universal, which is owned by Chinese furniture power Lacquer...

LIGHTING INDUSTRY PREPARES FOR NEW UL TORCHIERE RULES.(Underwriters Laboratories)
September 8, 2003... RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C.-Underwriters Laboratories is putting the heat on the lighting industry with its updated safety standard for incandescent torchieres. In effect, the new UL standard 153 for portable luminaires requires...

HOLIDAY BREAK; SILVESTRI MOVES PAST ITS OLD FOCUS AND NOW WORKS ON LICENSING ARTISTS.
September 8, 2003... BOSTON-Once a company known for holiday lights and ornaments, Silvestri has successfully re-created itself over the last few years and become a home for licensed craft products. "We've really carved a niche for ourselves," said Linda...

ROSENTHAL PARTNERS WITH TWO FIRMS FOR NEW LOOKS, CHARITY EFFORTS.
September 8, 2003... NEW YORK-Rosenthal is collaborating with two different, yet still dining-related, outsiders -- MarieBelle Fine Treats and Chocolates and Gevalia Kaffe -- to create new looks and also aid charity. In its collaboration with Gevalia Kaffe,...

NEWS BRIEFS.(Brief Article)
September 8, 2003... Ross-Simons Names Merchandising VP Ross-Simons has named Dave Elliot vice president of merchandising. He succeeds Mary Morris, who has left the company after more than 12 years of service. In his new position, Elliott reports to Bob Simone,...

TREE TOPPER IS THE STAR OF SWAROVSKI HOLIDAY LINE.(2003)(Brief Article)
September 8, 2003... CRANSTON, R.I.-Swarovski is calling its tree topper the "crowning glory" of its Christmas 2003 collection. The piece, available in either chrome or gold plating, features a large crystal star surrounded by six smaller stars to create the...

A TRIO OF MUSEUM EXHIBITS CELEBRATE GLASS DESIGN.
September 8, 2003... NEW YORK-Glass, beautiful as well as functional, is the subject of several museum exhibits this fall. "Fairytales in Glass," an exhibition at the Embassy of Finland in Washington, celebrates the work of Finnish artist Oiva Toikka. The...

MONITORING PROGRESS; VENDORS ARE GIVING THE WEIGHT-CONSCIOUS NEW INSTRUMENTS TO MEASURE THEIR EFFORTS.
September 8, 2003... NEW YORK-The continuing battle of the bulge being waged by U.S. consumers is fueling a new segment of growth for the scale industry as manufacturers introduce more scales and body fat monitors that track users' progress, measure body mass...

CONTACT GRILLS GO MAINSTREAM AS INDOOR MODELS PROLIFERATE.
September 8, 2003... NEW YORK-Indoor grilling is not so much a trend these days as it is a natural factor of everyday life, and the industry says that idea will only continue to solidify as it brings products to market that take the simple process of contact...

WEST BEND'S NEW PRESIDENT: STAFF THE KEY TO GROWTH.(Mike Carpenter)
September 8, 2003... WEST BEND, Wis.-Less than one month into his new role at the helm of West Bend Housewares, Mike Carpenter has already begun to rally his new troops and ready them for a future he says will be very exciting. "It's three weeks in and...

THORNE ELECTRIC PLANS TO MAKE KOBLENZ A HOUSEHOLD NAME IN THE UNITED STATES.
September 8, 2003... SAN ANTONIO-Koblenz is a primary brand for floor care in Mexico. If Andy Windisch has his way, it will become a household name in the United States, and for more than vacuum cleaners. Windisch was hired early this summer as vice president...

VALAS PLANS TO RESIGN AS NARDA PRESIDENT AND CEO IN JANUARY.(Elly Valas, North American Retail Dealers Association)(Brief Article)
September 8, 2003... LOMBARD, Ill.-Elly Valas has told the North American Retail Dealers Association she will resign as president and chief executive officer, probably in January. She said she plans to work on two books and continue educational and training work...

SHORT WAVES.(miscellaneous brief articles)
September 8, 2003... Thomson, in Berlin for the 2003 Internationale Funkausstellung trade show last week, wants to better connect consumers with the entertainment industry. The consumer electronics supplier launched a broad line of home audio and video products for...

LET'S GET SMALL; CAMCORDER SUPPLIERS ARE PUSHING COMPACT AND COMBINATION DIGITAL MODELS FOR THE FOURTH QUARTER.
September 8, 2003... NEW YORK-Compact, multifunctional and sleek. That best describes how the digital camcorder segment is being positioned for the fourth quarter. From Sony's "sized down" MICROMV Handycam, which weighs in at 8 ounces, to Samsung's DuoCam,...

RADIOSHACK DIALS INTO THE TOP SPOT IN HFN'S SUPER SPECIALISTS REPORT.(Industry Overview)
September 8, 2003... NEW YORK-In the first HFN Top Performing Consumer Electronics Super Specialists report, RadioShack is king of the hill. RadioShack joins Best Buy and Rex Stores as top performers with strong profit and operating margins as well as...

FALL CARRYOVER LIKELY TO FOLLOW RECORD SUMMER FOR ROOM-AIR.(room air conditioners)
September 8, 2003... WASHINGTON-There's a mystery affecting room air conditioners this strange selling season. Manufacturers have shipped more than 8.4 million units this year, shattering the record of 6.5 million set in 2000. But where have all those extra...

HARD-DISK PORTABLE MP3S LOOKING TO BE THE FAVORITE.
September 8, 2003... NEW YORK-Hard as it may be to believe, the first portable MP3 players hit the market only five years ago. They have quickly revolutionized, for good or bad, the way people listen to music. Manufacturers see most of the market action coming...

CONSUMER SPENDING REBOUNDS ON VIDEO, AUDIO ITEMS IN 2002.
September 8, 2003... NEW YORK-Personal expenditures on video and audio products (as well as musical instruments) surged in 2002 after a lackluster 2001, according to data from the Commerce Department's Bureau of Economic Analysis. The data showed that audio...

PIONEER ADDS TWO HDTV SETS THAT CAN SHOW A BILLION COLORS.(Pioneer Electronics, high definition television)(Brief Article)
September 8, 2003... LONG BEACH, Calif.-For the fourth quarter, Pioneer Electronics is expanding its line of PureVision-branded televisions with two high-definition plasma flat panels that display 1 billion colors. The TVs, a 50-inch model (PDP-5040HD) and a...

SAMSUNG ENTERS DVR ARENA WITH SET TOP DIRECTV MODEL.(digital video recorder)(Brief Article)
September 8, 2003... NEW YORK-Samsung Electronics America broadened its line of set top boxes last week while also entering the digital video recorder segment with a DirecTV, TiVo-driven DVR. The 120-gigabyte hard drive on the SIR-S4120R stores up to 100 hours...

SONY, PANASONIC TAKE LEAD IN JUNE RETAILER PRINT ADS.
September 8, 2003... NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y.-Retailers advertising four categories of consumer electronics products appeared to favor Sony and Panasonic over most of their competitors in June, an ongoing survey by Beyen Corp. revealed. Panasonic ads outpaced those...

SAME-STORE SALES UP FOR MOST IN AUGUST.
September 8, 2003... NEW YORK-A strong back-to-school selling season, coupled with improved weather in key markets, seemed to bring shoppers into stores in August. In turn, the HFN Comp-Sales Average showed a hefty 3.2 percent gain for the month, which...