Will 3DTV be a headache for retailers??

[ADWyatt]

Just recently, Samsung's first 3DTV models were announced for pre-sale at various internet sites. (The 55" unit really caught my interest. Apparently available in late March, it will be sold for as low as $2,832, and if I've read the specs correctly, it will include the wireless transmitter for use with 3D glasses, which will not be included with the set.)

I can't imagine anyone buying a 3DTV without first viewing a demonstration at a brick-and-mortar retailer. This will prove a bonus for such stores, but it could also be the harbringer of monumental headaches for the sales staff.

3DTV is like a chain; only as strong as its weakest link. In this case, the weakest link is, beyond all doubt, the glasses. Now, I'm not talking about the inconvenience of customers donning these things to watch 3D demo material; I'm referring to the fragility of the glasses themselves. At CES last month, the failure rate of active-shutter glasses was surprisingly high. More than one-fourth of these glasses became worn out and non-functional in less than two days. The failure rate might have been zero if the glasses had been handled with care and respect by the people using them, but that was really asking too much with such a large crowd.

You can see where I'm going with this. When a store such as Best Buy sets up its 3D display area, how will it handle the madding crowd? Will the store tether glasses to a cable, inviting abuse and vandalism, or will it allow customers to see 3D only after a salesperson retreives the glasses from a drawer and gives a sales spiel while potential buyers stare at the screen?

Either scenario is bad. The former needs no elaboration, while in the case of the latter sales staff can be tied up catering to customers who really have no intention of buying.

And then there's the spectre of brand overkill, when you have too many 3DTVs from various companies, and too many people who want to see the quality difference of the many brands and models. Chaining glasses to a display will be a big mistake, as these expensive opticals will be very easy to break and scratch, making them a target for careless children and vandals.

So while strong customer interest in 3DTV is desired by any retailer, I can easily see how a brick-and-mortar establishment will find the new generation of TVs to be an endless migraine. I especially pity the non-commisioned salesperson who may have to deal with this continually, starting in the latter half of 2011.