Nortek Inc. released their fiscal first quarter results this week and they were mixed at best. The company showed a sales increase to $572.7 million, up 4.5% over the $547.8 million booked in the first quarter of 2014. However, the company saw its net losses increase from $8.6 million last year to $13.9 million in the quarter this year. And when it comes to Nortek’s AV businesses, sales in the quarter declined another 9.5%, although the loss attributable to this segment did show some improvement to less of a loss.
Strategy
Samsung Removes Its Brand Name From Smartphones Sold in Japan
Samsung Electronics has taken the unusual step of selling smartphones in Japan that do not bear the Samsung brand name. We’ve never heard of this before, but if you want a Samsung smartphone in Japan, you have to purchase a “Galaxy” smartphone.
Why has Samsung removed their brand name from smartphones sold in Japan? See more… [Read more…] about Samsung Removes Its Brand Name From Smartphones Sold in Japan
Sporting Goods Retailer Cabela’s Tells Customers to Disconnect from Tech
Company Seeks to ‘Rally Against…Over-Connectivity’
Cabela’s Inc., the world’s largest direct marketer of hunting, fishing, camping and outdoor goods, announced last week that it is partnering with country music star Justin Moore to launch a campaign to encourage their customers to disconnect from tech by supporting a Disconnect Day. Saying, “It’s no secret that a dependence on technology affects individuals and families,” the company plans to launch a multi-faceted effort to encourage consumers to “step away from their devices for a day of their choosing to enjoy outdoor activities.”
See more on how Cabela’s wants you to disconnect from tech… [Read more…] about Sporting Goods Retailer Cabela’s Tells Customers to Disconnect from Tech
Whew! First Hurdle Cleared: Banks Say They’ll Help Sharp
If you’ve been holding your breath, waiting to see what is going to happen to troubled Japanese giant Sharp Corp., you can now relax and exhale. The first significant hurdle the company faced on their race to survival appears to be cleared. Media in Japan is now reporting that Sharp’s two banks will support it through a restructuring with a ¥200 billion convertible loan.
But these bank loans come with strings attached. Read on to see what these are… [Read more…] about Whew! First Hurdle Cleared: Banks Say They’ll Help Sharp
HTSA & Nationwide Partner to Create HTSN
In a joint release this week from both Nationwide Marketing Group (NMG) and the Home Technology Specialists Association (HTSA), the partners announced the creation of a new entity that they call the Home Technology Specialists of Nationwide (HTSN). The announcement, that surprised many in the industry…and had some scratching their heads trying to see the fit…said that this new alliance will offer new business opportunities for their respective members and vendors. It also, largely due to the size of Nationwide, creates the “largest buying and marketing collaboration” in the industry.
Is this the organization of the future? Or are they just strange bedfellows?… [Read more…] about HTSA & Nationwide Partner to Create HTSN
Sonos Shoots Back; D&M Filings ‘Not Entirely Accurate’
The legal battle in the patent infringement case filed by Sonos, Inc. (Sonos) against D&M Holdings, Inc. dba The D+M Group, D&M Hodlings U.S. Inc., and Denon Electronics (USA), LLC (D&M) continues to heat up as lawyers launch new salvos against each other alleging – among other things – improper actions. In February, we reported that D&M’s legal team had filed a Motion to Disqualify the Sonos legal team, with the astonishing allegation that at one time these lawyers worked for both Sonos and D&M at the same time.
Now, Sonos’ legal team shoots back, saying D&M’s filings are “not entirely accurate”… [Read more…] about Sonos Shoots Back; D&M Filings ‘Not Entirely Accurate’
Hey Retailers – Forget the Millennials, Follow the Money
New data from market researcher Forrester Research Inc. suggests that retailers should forget about trying to attract millennials or other younger shoppers and instead shift gears to reach out to baby boomers. Why? Quite simply, that’s where the money is.
See the interesting results from this new research on buyer trends… [Read more…] about Hey Retailers – Forget the Millennials, Follow the Money
IBM to Invest $3 Billion to Launch ‘Internet of Things’ Unit
Momentum Building in Emerging IoT Market
See more on why we feel this story is significant… [Read more…] about IBM to Invest $3 Billion to Launch ‘Internet of Things’ Unit
Stunning Stories of Impending Doom Swirl Around Sharp
In just the last two days, Japanese and U.S. press outlets are releasing a slew of stories of Sharp Corp.’s impending doom in the form of a restructuring announcement that isn’t expected to be officially released until May. Nonetheless, multiple reports have emerged from a wide range of media sources including the Nikkei and Reuters news services with a relatively wide range of estimated job cuts – all citing unnamed sources.
See more on this recent whirlwind of reports on Sharp… [Read more…] about Stunning Stories of Impending Doom Swirl Around Sharp
Think Apple’s Watch is Doomed to Fail? Better Think Again
Apple, Inc. announced the coming availability of the Watch, its first major product in years, at a presentation earlier this month. Since that announcement, we’ve been struck by the lack of enthusiasm for the product amongst members of the TECH press. In conversations with colleagues, we heard many predict that the Watch is doomed to failure, in part because of this tepid response.
