Best Buy has once more been ranked the most truly effective CE retailer by Dealerscope magazine. Dell, HP and Walmart remain in the 2nd, third and fourth spots, followed closely by CDW, Amazon.com, Apple, Staples, GameStop & Target.

After battling with 2008 and 2009, the retailers listed in this year’s Top 101 CE retailers in the usa and Canada are once more experiencing a sales increase. These dealers rung up $238. 37 billion in sales throughout 2010, a 9. 78% within the $217. 13 billion earned last year.

This isn’t to express these retailers face a simple future. For just one, TV sales are slowing. Unit sales of plasma and LCD TVs increased only 2. 9% from 2009 to 2010, based on figures released by DisplaySearch. Whether Internet tv or 3D TV will lure customers into buying new sets this season has yet to be seen.

The economy might have showed signs of improving, but several significant regionals still couldn’t bear any risk of strain of such tough times. MyerEmco, Bernie’s Audio Video, Ken Crane’s and Ultimate Electronics shuttered their stores this past year, while 6th Ave. Electronics scaled back its operations. At the national level, BJ’s Wholesale Club early this season announced it had been closing five clubs: three in Georgia, one in Florida and one in New york.

Other retailers are poised for a brighter 2011. Huppin’s, long a single-site retailer, opened a satellite store this year; Vann’s launched its ON concept store; and Target planned to expand into Canada

Methodology
Dealerscope researched almost all large electronics retailers in North America-as well as hardware manufacturers selling direct to consumers-to develop its Top 101 registry. Information on electronics sales, total sales, store counts, and so on. was gleaned from available sources, including SEC filings, Hoovers listings, corporate press announcements, corporate homepages, various electronic business databases and the neighborhood press that covered specific retailers.

Dealerscope contacted each retailer, giving each the chance to verify or contest initial figures. Many confirmed sales estimates, although some privately held companies refused to disclose sales information. Others, both public and private, couldn’t or wouldn’t bust out CE sales from their overall merchandise mixes. Finally, some companies didn’t return phone calls or e-mails. In these instances, Dealerscope made a decision to publish its best estimates.

When listing CE sales, we included electronics sales generated by corporate sales, in addition to sales to the government and education markets. When listing overall sales, we now have excluded revenues earned by the credit offerings at some chains and other revenues peripherally associated with retail sales. Store counts cover only those venues in the U. S. and Canada that actually sell gadgets. CE estimates contain sales of pre-recorded media.

All sales and store count data should be considered Dealerscope estimates.