Best Buy, Wal-Mart sales on the strength of fast analogue to digital TV switch

Many know that the date set by the FCC for the transition from analogue to digital broadcasts all is February 19, 2009. In the coming years there will be a mass of commercial and news reports talking about the transition.

People who do not use cable / satellite TV and have older who lack digital tuners just get a blank screen when change occurs. The Boston Herald reported that MassPIRG, a group of consumer protection, was a mystery shopping excursion to some of the major electronics retailers including Best Buy, Circuit City, RadioShack, Target and Wal-Mart during the months of October and November 2007.

According to the group, sales to employees of the stores he visited routinely given inaccurate information about digital television converter boxes and the coupon program sponsored by the U.S. government To offset the cost of converters for consumers.

The mystery shoppers reported that some employees of a treaty on sale in converter boxes with more features and a higher price, and even some employees said they would have to buy new digital TVs continue watching after the transition.

MassPIRG secret sent to buyers 132 stores in ten states and found that, overall, 42% of the employees did not know the date of transition and that 81% of employees gave bad information on the transition. The report also said 78% of the employees gave incorrect information on the programme of government converter coupon.