Best Buy betting on TVs up to 136 inches this holiday season

Zoom out: Best Buy said Monday it has doubled its selection of so-called XXL TVs — televisions 97 inches and up — this holiday season compared to last year.

By the numbers: XXL TV prices typically start around $2,000–$3,000, but Best Buy tells Axios it plans holiday deals. Last weekend, a 98-inch TCL QLED Google TV, with a regular price of $2,999, was on sale for $1,699.

• Select stores will also showcase their largest screen yet, a 136-inch model.
• Over the weekend, the retailer's website listed a 136-inch model for $129,999.99, "on sale" for $20,000 off. The Hisense TV is roughly 10 feet wide, 6 feet high and weighs 320 pounds.

The big picture: The emphasis on TVs comes at a tough time for consumers, with inflation rising and the labor market weakening.

• TVs, on the whole, are actually cheaper now than they were a year ago. Inflation data out last week shows television prices have fallen more on a year-over-year basis than almost any other category the government tracks.
• But over the last two months, those prices have begun rising quickly.

Best Buy early holiday plans

State of play: Best Buy is among the first major national retailers to unveil early holiday plans, which include its new digital marketplace, new gaming consoles, more computers with AI capabilities and sports merchandise from Fanatics.

• Best Buy said its first sale of the season is Sept. 27-28.

What's next: Though it's only mid-September, expect more retailers to share their holiday shopping plans soon and roll out more merchandise next to Halloween sections.

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