Samsung Says It Was Plasma Sell-Through Leader January to April

Citing NPD revenue and unit sell-through data, Samsung said it was the plasma sell-through market leader in the U.S. with 41.3 percent of TV units sold from January through April this year. That’s a bump of 2.8 percentage points over the comparable 2010 period, it said. Samsung also held a leading 45.2 market share in dollars, it said. Samsung’s 2011 lineup includes 19 plasma models across eight product series, its broadest selection of plasma TVs to date, it said.

The market-share numbers don’t reflect a promotion Samsung began the last week of April, bundling two pairs of active glasses with LED and plasma 3D TVs. At the time, the company also said it would sell its SSG-3100GB 3D active glasses for $49 at retail beginning May 1. The strategy was to enable a family of four to outfit itself for 3D viewing for less than $100, eliminating the high cost of glasses as one of the impediments to consumer interest in 3D. Samsung noted that the offer for the free kit was limited-time only, offered at the discretion of the retailer and that “some models might be excluded in a given week.” Customers buying the D7000 and above 3D LED TVs or the D6500 and above 3D plasma TVs continued to receive Samsung’s 3D starter kit including two pairs of active 3D glasses, three Shrek movies on 3D Blu-ray and a voucher for Megamind 3D on Blu-ray.

Later in May Samsung opened its own fulfillment webpage for consumers “who do not otherwise receive 3D glasses” from a retailer either as part of a bundle or part of the glasses promotion. The company said it would provide two pairs of 2011 3D battery glasses directly to consumers who bought a 3D TV between April 24 and June 25 and could provide proof of purchase that they had not received the starter kit when buying a TV. Samsung said it would launch a new glasses marketing program on June 26 and that details would be provided before that date.

NPD didn’t meet our request for additional plasma market share data by our deadline. Samsung’s gain likely came at the expense of rival Panasonic. In the all-important 3D glasses segment, Panasonic will refresh its active-shutter glasses line in July (CED, May 11 p1), with prices coming down to under $100 a pair, a company executive told us, stressing the importance of a sub-$100 price point. The company’s flagship VT series 3D TVs come with one pair of active-shutter glasses.