Super Bowl-related television sales typically bring a bit of a boost at a time of year when there can be a lull in sales, said Craig Kantoris, co-owner and project manager at ConnectedLife Designs By The StereoShop in Greensburg.
A handful of recent customers looked to upgrade their screens in advance of Sunday’s championship game between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks.
“It definitely would be a lot more if Pittsburgh was in it,” Kantoris laughed.
The National Retail Federation estimates that 213.1 million adults in the U.S. plan to watch the Super Bowl.
About 121 million people plan to host or attend a watch party and the federation’s annual Super Bowl Spending Survey found that total spending related to the game is expected to reach a record $20.2 billion.
Food and drinks are the most popular Super Bowl-related purchase, followed by team apparel and televisions, according to the survey.
At Butch’s Sound & Vision in Harrison, owner Butch Abraham was expecting some customers to phone in at the last minute seeking television upgrades.
“I’ll probably get some calls in the next couple days,” he said Wednesday.
It’s pretty typical for the longstanding business — Abraham remembered one year when he and a crew were out until the wee hours of the morning on the eve of the Super Bowl installing televisions.
Kantoris recalled a similar busy time leading up to the 2006 Super Bowl when the Steelers won over the Seahawks. A spike in television sales this time of year can be helpful for the local businesses after the holiday rush when customers might be looking to spend a tax return or treat themselves.
Retailers typically lower television prices to Black Friday levels leading up to the Super Bowl. That can be a deciding factor for someone who has been looking to upgrade.
“They’ll finally pull the trigger,” Kantoris said. “If we were closer to New England or Seattle we’d probably be selling a lot more.”
