Focus on photography made sense

Digital SLR cameras have been a staple of Target’s promotional mix this holiday season and for good reason. New data from NPD shows that sales of DSLR cameras surged 44% in November, and the average selling price increased 7% to $812. The DSLRs featured by Target typically cost less than that, although the retailer frequently sought to boost the transaction size with incentives to purchase an additional lens. For example, Target’s circular this week featured a 10.2 megapixel Sony A330 for $499.99. Its ad for the week of Dec.13 to 19 featured a 10.2 megapixel Nikon D3000 for $499.99 with a Nikon 55-200mm lens for an additional $199.99. The retailers’ holiday gift book distributed Thanksgiving weekend, with prices good through Christmas, featured several models, including a 12.3 megapixel Nikon D5000 for $799.99, a 10.1 megapixel Canon EOS Rebel XS for $599.99 and the Sony A330 for $599.99. It was promoted this week at $100 off.

Target also was active with DSLR’s well in advance of the holiday season. The week of Nov. 1 to 7 it offered a $100 gift card to consumers who bought the Canon EOS Rebel for $569 and a compatible Canon 75-300mm lens for $199. The $100-gift-card offer was also featured in the circular for the week of Oct. 11 to 17 to those who purchased the $599 Nikon D3000, Sony A330 or Canon Eos Rebel DS with an additional lens.

NPDs figures show the surging in DSLR sales was offset by a 4% decline in November sales of digital point and shoot cameras as average selling prices decline 8% to $127.