No Reviews Yet at Hhgregg On New Sony 4K TVs; Availability Still Scarce

It’s hit or miss for customers looking for Sony’s Ultra HD TVs at hhgregg, we found in a search of the company’s e-commerce site Friday. As expected, prices are holding for Sony’s 65-inch XBR65X900A 4K model ($6,999) and the 55-inch XBR55X900A ($4,999). There were no customer reviews of either product on the e-commerce site.

We found a mixed bag of shopping opportunities as we plugged in various ZIP codes in hhgregg’s territory to check product availability. In the Pittsburgh area, one store in Cranberry Township could sell the 65-inch Sony model for store pickup only, while the other two Pittsburgh-area locations didn’t offer that option, or delivery. TVs ordered that day would be available in five days, according to hhgregg.com.

ZIP codes for Seattle, Denver and Houston -- where hhgregg doesn’t have a brick-and-mortar presence -- had prominent “not available in your area” notations. Customers in New York, Boston and St. Louis didn’t receive those notifications immediately, but after they clicked on the product a message came up reading, “not available in your area or temporarily out of stock” -- either in store or by delivery. There are no hhgregg stores in New York or Boston, but the chain does have a modest St. Louis presence.

Chicago’s North Riverside store offered free pickup in store or delivery of the 4K TV for $79, which included delivery and connection to one TV source and a disc player. Removal and hauling away of an old TV was included in the cost of delivery, but no specific information was given on how the old TV would be recycled. Indianapolis customers could pick up the Sony 65-inch in one store with a five-day lead time, and the other two stores weren’t available for the ship-to-store option. Of the dozen Georgia hhgregg outlets, three -- in Atlanta, Kennesaw and Alpharetta -- offered both $79 delivery and in-store pickup, again, with a five-day transit window.

Hhgregg CEO Dennis May said on the most recent earnings call (CED May 22 p1) that the retailer doesn’t expect Ultra HD to have a major effect on 2013 business but could have a “material impact” next year. The presence of Ultra HD TVs in the marketplace in 2013 is good for the industry in helping to boost TV average selling prices and to stimulate the consumer, he said. Samsung models are due this summer and LG TVs will hit hhgregg stores this fall, he said.

Questions to hhgregg about its strategy for Ultra HD in-store and delivery sales approach weren’t answered by our deadline.