One-third of consumers plan to buy an HDTV set within the coming year, but among those shoppers fewer than one in four say they definitely will purchase a 3DTV, according to the results of a study from Retrevo released Nov. 1.
The Retrevo Pulse study of 1000 people conducted online in October revealed that of the 33 percent of respondents who said they planned to buy an HDTV within the next year, 55 percent said they would not buy a 3DTV, 23 percent said they would buy a 3DTV if the price difference for the added capability is small and 22 percent said they planned to buy a 3DTV.
While the price premium charged for a 3DTV begins to erode, consumers are shifting their reasons for being reluctant. According to the results of Retrevo Pulse study, 40 percent of respondents said there isn't enough 3-D programming available, and 30 percent said 3-D glasses remain a problem.
A blog posted by Retrevo digesting the results of the survey foresees "a rough road ahead" for 3DTV. It could be a few years before glasses-free 3DTV looks good enough to attract greater interest.
If the difference in price between a 3DTV and an HDTV goes away, there wouldn't be a reason not to purchase a 3DTV, the analysis said, but 3-D viewership will remain low until more 3-D programming becomes available. The commentary pointed to 3-D games as a wildcard that potentially could spur sales of 3DTVs.
