<P><FONT face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size=2>J.D. Power and Associates </FONT><A href="http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/?epi_menuItemID=989a6827590d7dda9cdf6023a0908a0c&epi_menuID=c791260db682611740b28e347a808a0c&epi_baseMenuID=384979e8cc48c441ef0130f5c6908a0c&ndmViewId=news_view&newsLang=en&div=-368872822&newsId=20041117005247"><FONT face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size=2>today reported</FONT></A><FONT face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size=2> on how consumers will be looking for specialized service from salespeople rather than just the lowest price, particularly when making high-end electronics purchases. The study, which measures customer satisfaction with electronics retailers based on responses from more than 9,600 recent purchasers of digital cameras and high-end televisions, is based on four factors that define the customer experience. In order of importance, they are: sales personnel, store services, store environment and store merchandise.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size=2>The inaugural study finds that consumers buying high-end electronics seek more information about the products and technology from the retailer and are willing to pay more for these products if they also receive the one-on-one service necessary when buying technologically advanced products. After reading the study, this orientation is found at specialty electronics retailers but doesn't address the large number of consumers who are increasingly making their electronics purchases online.</FONT></P>