Top Projector Manufacturers Named in Annual Reseller Survey

If you’re looking for product quality and reliability above all else in your next projector, you won’t go wrong with a NEC product. That’s one of the conclusions of Pacific Media Associates’ Annual Reseller Survey, released Dec. 9. The survey, in its eighth year, is a compilation of projector resellers’ opinions about the manufacturers whose products they carry. It is widely recognized as the authoritative source of independent, unbiased ratings of the manufacturers of large-screen displays, which are defined as producing a 25-inch diagonal or larger picture on a wall or screen from an electronic signal. The 2002 survey includes opinions from 221 resellers, many of which rank among the largest in North America.

Overall, Mitsubishi came out on top, thanks to its top scores in six of the 25 aspects of marketing support, products and after-sale support addressed in the survey. Of the eight most important aspects rated, however, NEC ranked top for product quality and reliability and for after-sale return/repair programs, and Hitachi was first in product price/performance and product availability. The resellers said Sharp has the most knowledgeable after-sale support persons; Mitsubishi has the most capable dealer reps; and Eiki and Sanyo tied as the top-rated manufacturers for on-time product delivery. The survey ranked the aspects according to their importance, with product quality/reliability at the top. Scores in each category were weighted based on importance.

“Because of the extremely competitive nature of the professional front data/video projector market, manufacturers strive mightily to offer sales and marketing programs that are attractive to resellers to ensure that resellers give their brands high priority,” says PMA president William Coggshall. While Mitsubishi, Hitachi and Eiki topped PMA’s composite list of the 25 different aspects, Coggshall notes that “15 different brands were tops in one or more of the individual aspects, indicating an overall high level of satisfaction by the resellers.” For more information, visit www.pacificmediassociates.com.