Wal-Mart to gain Olevia brand of flat-panel TVs

Retailer Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) will be adding the Olevia brand of consumer electronics to its shelves in the near future, as Taiwanese company Kolin announced today. Olevia, a brand commonly seen in the electronics departments of rival retailer Target Corp. (NYSE: TGT), will help parent company Kolin try to increase shipments 50% in 2008, according to the company.

Does Wal-Mart really need another generic brand of flat-panel televisions on its shelves? The argument could be either way, although the television display areas of all Wal-Mart Supercenters I've seen are packed full. It's not like the Olevia brand carries weight like the Sony or Panasonic brand. Count the sales surge in flat-panel maker Vizio into the lineup and where will Olevia fit? In terms of pricing, at the very low end with bargain-basement brand names like Westinghouse, most likely.

Olevia's 42-inch flat-panel televisions have reportedly been hot sellers in China as of the end of last year, which led to Wal-Mart asking for a supply of the brand's flat-panel products. It's unknown what size televisions will see daylight on the shelves of Wal-Mart and Sam's Club stores in 2008, although Kolin president Frank Li has said his company has secured a contracted supply of 62-inch high-definition LCD panels from Sharp, one of its handful of vendors for flat-panel screens. Wal-Mart better make room for those huge flat-panels if indeed it intends to stock 62-inch sizes on those display walls. Maybe Sam's can just suspend the displays from those high warehouse ceilings? Just a suggestion.