Analysis by Patrick Avenell

Dick Smith’s new management team is celebrating their new roles by slashing prices by up to 50 per cent on a huge range of consumer electronics products in a one-day sale scheduled for tomorrow (Wednesday 4 December 2012).

If this sounds a little snide, consider the media release sent out by Dick Smith’s PR company:

“Dick Smith is under new management, and to celebrate it is inviting everyone to its very first sale for friends and family, old and new. This Wednesday 5 December, Dick Smith stores across Australia are having a get together for one night only, from 5-8pm.”

The excluded stores are: Logan and Rockhampton in Queensland; Box Hill in Victoria; and Busselton, Kalgoorlie, Bunbury and Albany in Western Australia.

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Within two hours of Dick Smith announcing this sale, Current.com.au received an email from JB Hi-Fi proclaiming its own “Wicked Wednesday”, with prices also slashed by up to 50 per cent.

In years gone by, retailers had traditionally waited until after Christmas to clear stock at heavily reduced prices: The Boxing Day Sales. The sales now begin before Christmas with retailers in the consumer electronics industries pivoting between one-day-only online sales, such as the Click Frenzy debacle, and bricks and mortar sales.

Current.com.au is interested to know what rival retailers think about these pre-Christmas sales. Please feel free to leave a comment in the box below.

(copied from Dick Smith and JB emails)

Dick Smith Sale:

10% off iPods, iTunes, Digital SLR
15% off TVs, HP and Compaq Computers
20% off Ink and Toner Printers
25% off Home Theatre Systems, Digital Photo Frames, Memory Cards
30% off Helicopters, Navigation, iPad and Tablet Cases and Accessories, Digital Camera Bags and Accessories, Batteries, Headphones, Appcessories, MP3 Accessories, Mice, Keyboards, Home Networking, Mobile Phone Accessories
50% off HDMI Cables, Surge Boards, Indoor and Outdoor TV Antennas, AV Senders, Wall Mounts

JB Hi-Fi Sale:

20% off DVD & Blu-Ray Movies, TV Shows & Box Sets (available Tuesday 4/12) (excl DVD & Blu-Ray Devices, TVs, Factory Scoop and Pre-orders)
20% off CDs (excl CD Devices, Factory Scoop and Pre-orders)
20% off Music DVDs (available Tuesday 4/12) (excl DVD & Blu-Ray Devices, TVs, Factory Scoop and Pre-orders)
50% off JBL Speaker Docks
30% off Car Sound (excl Audio Visual, Screens, Navigation & Factory Scoop)
15% off Compact Digital Cameras (excl Sony, Polaroid, Go Pro, No Rules & Factory Scoop)
30% off Pioneer Products (excl Pro-DJ, Headphones & Factory Scoop)