Net-connected TV Holiday Sales to Hit 3 Million

DALLAS: Three million U.S. broadband households plan to purchase an Internet-connected TV during the 2010 holiday shopping season. So surmise the folks at Park Associates, a market research firm in Dallas.

Park Associates said nearly 25 percent of U.S. broadband households already own at least one connected TV device, and one-fourth have watched a paid movie-on-demand at least once in the past month. Parks Associates analysts predict ’Net-connected consumer electronics devices will be top sellers in this year’s holiday shopping season.

“Only 38 percent of U.S. broadband households plan to purchase a CE device this year, but it’s the connected CE and smartphones that will be the most popular items,” said Kurt Scherf of Parks Associates. “Connected devices are the future of content consumption and entertainment in the living room as they capture the broader trends of integration among different silos in consumers’ lives.”

PA said the 38 percent compared to around half of holiday shoppers intending to buy consumer electronics devices last year. Tight purse strings, the firm said. However, the Consumer Electronics Association reported that 58 percent of this year's Black Friday buyers bought a CE device, compared to 54 percent last year, indicating at least an early upswing.

-- Deborah D. McAdams