Buyers are willing to shop warehouse clubs and discount stores for consumer electronics but are generally unhappy about the service they find there, a new study from The NPD Group found.
Consumers are more likely to buy low-end electronics costing $200 or less at discount retailers or warehouses than big-ticket purchases such as TVs and computers.
Fifty-eight percent of those surveyed liked the brands and the prices at warehouse clubs and 65% said the same about discount stores, but many reported poor staffing levels or insufficient product knowledge among salespeople.
“Buying through these channels is a trade-off between low prices and low levels of service,” NPD Vice President for Industry Analysis Stephen Baker said in a statement. “As products get more complicated and interconnected, getting good, reliable customer service is going to outweigh getting lower prices for some consumers.”
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