"Sharp To Sell TVs Under Pioneer Upscale Brand In N America
TOKYO (Nikkei)--Sharp Corp. plans to begin North American sales of LCD televisions under Pioneer Corp.'s Elite brand in a move aimed at gaining quick access to audio specialty stores, where the luxury line is a big name.
To cultivate the large-TV market, Sharp will also seek to expand sales of its own Aquos sets at electronics volume retailers.
At audio specialty stores, Sharp will sell 60- and 70-inch Elite TVs. Existing Elite offerings include amplifiers and Blu-ray Disc players.
Sharp plans to introduce the world's largest 70-inch Aquos in North America this May for 700,000 yen to 800,000 yen*. The Elite TVs will have different designs and specifications from Aquos sets, as well as fetch 20% higher prices. Sharp will pay Pioneer royalties for using the brand.
For Pioneer, which has had no TVs in its lineup since pulling out of the plasma television market, the Elite products will round out its home theater offerings.
Sharp has a 9% stake in Pioneer under a capital tie-up formed in 2007. While the firms have cooperated on production of Blu-ray recorders through a joint venture, Sharp has never before sold TVs under another company's brand."
*$8500-$9650, £5300-£6050
TOKYO (Nikkei)--Sharp Corp. plans to begin North American sales of LCD televisions under Pioneer Corp.'s Elite brand in a move aimed at gaining quick access to audio specialty stores, where the luxury line is a big name.
To cultivate the large-TV market, Sharp will also seek to expand sales of its own Aquos sets at electronics volume retailers.
At audio specialty stores, Sharp will sell 60- and 70-inch Elite TVs. Existing Elite offerings include amplifiers and Blu-ray Disc players.
Sharp plans to introduce the world's largest 70-inch Aquos in North America this May for 700,000 yen to 800,000 yen*. The Elite TVs will have different designs and specifications from Aquos sets, as well as fetch 20% higher prices. Sharp will pay Pioneer royalties for using the brand.
For Pioneer, which has had no TVs in its lineup since pulling out of the plasma television market, the Elite products will round out its home theater offerings.
Sharp has a 9% stake in Pioneer under a capital tie-up formed in 2007. While the firms have cooperated on production of Blu-ray recorders through a joint venture, Sharp has never before sold TVs under another company's brand."
*$8500-$9650, £5300-£6050
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