NPD Group Reports Consumer Tech Revenue Up, Sales Down

*December 4, 2006* – With holiday shopping in full swing, consumer electronics are drawing in more revenue but with fewer sales, reported market research firm NPD Group.In an NPD weekly study ending Nov. 25, the Saturday following Black Friday, consumer tech product sales grew 12 percent compared to this time last year.

"Consumers knew what they were looking for; they came, they saw, they conquered, and they went home with basically what was on their lists and not much else," said NPD Group vice president of industry analysis Stephen Baker in a press release today.Overall, consumer electronics drew in a higher revenue volume year-over-year but at a slower rate.

The most sought after items this season, according to NPD, are LCD and plasma TVs, particularly ones that measured more than 30 inches.

Digital cameras fared well too, ranking third after LCD TV and Notebook PCs as the top grossing consumer technology in 2006.  So far this year, digital cameras have made up 8.7 percent of the total revenue in consumer technology, totaling $182 million dollars.

The average price of a digital camera this year is $163, compared to $182 last year.