TV is in the middle of a technology revolution which has the potential to completely change the TV-viewing culture and experience. A range of technologies is contributing to this revolution including Connected TV, HDTV, 3DTV, time-shifted viewing and the ability to watch TV programs on a number of devices.

These are having a significant impact on how TV manufacturers, established broadcasters, advertisers and researchers engage with their target audiences. The capacity to entice consumers to vote, bet and buy (via tablets and smartphones) while watching TV means that the global TV landscape is offering broadcasters and brands new and unique business opportunities.

For consumers there may have never been a better time to buy DVDs, with prices falling and new avenues for purchasing appearing almost daily, but how has this affected the consumer mindset and where does this leave traditional retailers?

Online retailing is by no means a new entry to the consumer electronics market; in fact it’s been five years since Online first overtook Supermarkets in terms of % market share [1]. Consumers have long since embraced Online and its ability to compete on both price and choice (with supermarkets and traditional high street retailers respectively), especially in the realm of high price purchasing such as consumer electronics. In this case, Online represents a step forward in consumer purchase planning, with the internet offering access to a range of price comparison websites, manufacturer specifications and consumer forums to collate information before purchasing, offering the consumer the chance to be more methodical in their decision making than in the pressure cooker environment of a Saturday afternoon trip to the local electronics department.