📈 Growing Demand for Supersize TVs
This holiday season, retailers predict strong demand for 8-ft-wide TVs, like the TCL QM-8 Q-Class Mini-LED, introduced at NYC's Pepcom Holiday Spectacular event. Circana reports supersize TVs made up just 1.7% of TV revenue in early 2024, but XXL screens—ranging from 98 to 115 inches—are expected to stand out in a sluggish market. Best Buy, seeing interest spike, doubled its inventory, stocking models from $2K to $25K, now on display in 70% of stores. Experts say affordable prices and advanced tech are fueling consumer interest in these colossal screens.
📉 Prices Drop, Sales Spike
The average price of XXL TVs has dropped from $6.7K last year to $3.1K, Circana says, thanks to improved production. Samsung’s first 98-inch TV in 2019 was $99K; today, similar models start at $4K. These screens offer sharper, vibrant picture quality. Buyers like Anthony Ash, who paid $5K for a 98-inch Sony, enjoy a cinematic experience at home. With larger screens, users are closer to the action—sometimes with people on screen appearing life-sized.
📲 Shifting Viewing Habits
More people are embracing large screens, inspired by increased tablet and phone use. Data shows overall TV revenue fell 4%, but screen sizes grew as people spent more time at home. Circana noted that TVs sold in the U.S. have increased an inch annually for 15 years, with the pandemic accelerating the trend. According to Samsung’s James Fishler, viewers now see TVs as a social experience, drawing friends and family together for sports events or movie nights.
📏 Ready for XXL? Considerations and Constraints
Retailers emphasize the logistics of installing these huge TVs. Best Buy's Geek Squad team checks entryways to ensure delivery fits, and an AR feature on the Best Buy app helps customers visualize XXL screens in their homes. Even with limited space, experts recommend sitting 6-12 feet from a 98-inch TV. While Best Buy’s Blake Hampton notes that big screens allow multi-screen setups, buyers like Jon Abt of Abt Electronics recognize space as a challenge. He calls it a "niche business" with big potential for those who can accommodate the size.
Would you buy a massive TV for your holiday splurge?
