If you’re hoping to pick up a Sony or Samsung TV in the sales sometime in the future, you’re out of luck. The Wall Street Journal reports that both companies are fed up of third-parties slashing the price of their products — so they’re now enforcing minimum pricing on their TVs.
Giz Au Editor’s Note: We’re unlikely to see exactly the same thing here, Australian retail law being what it is, but if either company raises the bottom line price of its goods worldwide, it could still see a rise in the price retailers charge for their panels at the checkout.
It was rumoured that Sony was going to adopt a policy along these lines back in March, but the Journal reports that both companies have now started instigating the rules. From the report:
“Sony and Samsung confirmed that they began enforcing the new policy last month, but declined to say what they would do to merchants that didn’t follow their rules. People close to the industry predicted the TV makers would cut off financing they typically provide retailers to help market new products, and possibly even stop shipping TVs to offending retailers.”
For Sony, at least, it’s no doubt an attempt to claw back earnings, given its dismal performance of recent times. Samsung’s motivations seems less clear, because it’s currently doing rather well for itself.
While the policy will ruffle some feathers amongst consumers, it’s not difficult to imagine it becoming an industry-wide trend we just have to get used to. After all, Apple runs an equally tight ship when it comes to pricing, and it shows no signs of struggling. [Wall Street Journal via The Verge]