The New Home Theater Shopping Experience
March 1, 2007
The New HT Shopping Experience
Try out your home theater before you buy it.
BY KRISSY RUSHING
Shopping for a home theater is not like shopping for a pair of shoes. You can’t simply go to the store and pick one out. However, the process of getting the theater of your dreams in your own home has gotten easier than ever because more and more homeowners – from the newbie to the more technically sophisticated – are installing home theaters. According to Parks Associates, a leading high-tech research firm, penetration of home theater systems stands at an estimated 28 percent of all U.S. households. That percentage accounts for basic setups to intricate home theaters that can range in price upward of $250,000. As demand for these high-tech havens rises, the onus is on the specialty A/V retailer to make the shopping experience easier and more turnkey than ever before. That’s why many of them are turning more and more to lifestyle-inspired design centers to let consumers experience something akin to what the final product will be like in their own homes. This article is designed to teach you what to expect and what to know before you shop. [continued…]