Zenith T-line Televisions Models

[drh4683]

Every so often I run across a Zenith TV model with a "T" prefix model number. These were slightly different sets than the regular model year lineup that used the yearly alpha code prefix (Zxxxx for 1969, Axxxx for 1970, etc.). If you look up these "T" line models in the big 3 ring binder Zenith TV catalogs, they were part of what Zenith called the "Royalty Series". They made this series for both B&W and color sets from about the early 60's until the mid to late 70's. After looking through the catalogs for a common theme behind these models, I'm going to assume the "T" was used in the model prefix because it stood for Royal"T"y, just like the "S" models for hotel/motel/institutional use stood for "Special".
The pictures for these T-line models in the big catalog was usually less detailed artwork, like these were the "lesser" Zenith's that didn't even get full marketing attention. From what I can tell these T model sets had slightly different styling from the rest of the standard model year offerings, maybe also with a cheaper tuner like a super video range instead of a super gold video guard. Control panels would be the same physical layout, but maybe they'd change a brushed aluminum control panel insert for one with a metal woodgrain pattern instead, or maybe a slightly different speaker grille. Small changes in the details. Supposedly they were made for retail in department stores? So what exactly was the intent and benefit behind the T-line sets and who sold them?

[zeno]

S, SS, T, ST, V, & SV sets were mostly big box store sets.
IIRC true institutional sets were S models also. The were not in the
big sales book or pass outs. Sometimes we could get them if there was an overrun & usually referred to as drop ins. In that case the Zenith
salesman would add a page to the big book for us.

Institutional sets ( hotel, school, hospital etc) came with no labor warranty. Sales were handled by the distributor but a local dealer was offered any
delivery, contract etc sales. Sometimes the salesman would throw you a
bone on a big sale also. He could sell from the regular line also & handled
"personal use" deals for us.
Pricing was like this.
An E4025W 19" non remote sold at $450, we made $70-$80 on it.
The equivalent institutional was abt $280.

Story time.
I had one of the above sets come in & the customer refused to pay labor.
He did bring the sales slip. A local school bought a dozen but half were for
him & his buddies. This meant war. I ratted him out to the school super, Zenith distributor & Chicago. Added the PD also since they may have
been stolen. He lost his job, not sure anyone else did. Dont get mad, get even !

73 Zeno
LFOD !

[drh4683]

I'm curious why Zenith made this special T model series just for the big box stores? Why not just offer the the regular model lineup lineup (X, Y, Z, A, B, C, etc.) across the board including at the big box stores? Zenith already had lower end basic models in the regular lineup as well. So I'm not sure what the intent or advantage was.

[Electronic M]

I think the idea was to make them slightly striped down and different from dealer models so if K-Mart was undercutting the local TV only dealer it wasn't on the exact same model...Thus the dealers wouldn't gripe about being under cut on a specific model and when John Q Public walks in to a dealer ship and asks why the $50 difference on a 23" console the dealer could claim the box store set was lower quality and had less features thus the different model and price.

[zeno]

It also makes price comparison impossable. Customers usually dont like to admit being around. Unless he brings it up with a good dealer. Then you
can explain the real "insides" differences. Pricing was usually close
but big boxes had 1 week sales where they sold for about dealer cost.
That hurt.

73 Zeno

Originally Posted by Electronic M

I think the idea was to make them slightly striped down and different from dealer models so if K-Mart was undercutting the local TV only dealer it wasn't on the exact same model...Thus the dealers wouldn't gripe about being under cut on a specific model and when John Q Public walks in to a dealer ship and asks why the $50 difference on a 23" console the dealer could claim the box store set was lower quality and had less features thus the different model and price.

[dishdude]

The boss would tell customers the big box stores sold "derivatives" that weren't the same quality as our store. The slight change in model number nomenclature would be his proof.

[JohnCT]

Originally Posted by zeno

...but big boxes had 1 week sales where they sold for about dealer cost.
That hurt.

Or even under..

Back in the 70s, we would buy our Zeniths from Plymouth Electric (NH CT) and RCAs from Eastco (MA). Several large local TV/Appliance stores belonged to a buying group that we didn't and often sold TVs for less than we were paying for the same models.

I started buying from what we called a "transshipper" which was a big box appliance store that also sold to smaller dealers below what the distributor charged. I recall we were paying $75 or more less on a console than we paid through the distributor. We weren't big enough to hurt them and selling us a few dozen pieces at a time kept their numbers up.

One day, the RCA salesman came in and saw some RCAs on the floor that he didn't sell me. We got into a shouting match and I basically told him I didn't want to pay retail from him. He shouted back that I wasn't paying "retail". I shouted back that if Brands Mart was *retailing* RCAs for less than I was paying, then I certainly wasn't paying wholesale.

I don't think it was too much longer when RCA and Zenith terminated the contracts with the distributors and started selling direct with no middlemen.

John

[bgadow]

I find the first hand information very interesting; it answers some questions I had.

I've often wondered what type of dealer agreements a store might have had & whether any allowed an exclusive area, or forbid the shop from selling other brands. I've seen ads for some old TV shops that listed so many brands I have to wonder how they had room for even one of each!

Our hometown TV shop sold GE & Zenith c.1980 when my dad decided to buy a new console. He really wanted a Zenith but the owner talked him into the General. I've often wondered if this had to do with profit margin? It's hard to imagine any other advantage. A few years later he went GE only, until adding RCA after the buyout. Later on he advertised as a GE "stocking dealer". He did have a decent size storage area added on, and moved a lot of appliances. Maybe this got him a better deal? Just before he exited the TV business I was shopping for a VCR and really wanted to give the business to him (as he was a good customer of mine). He had a big stack of RCA's for something like $189 while the same model (perhaps slightly watered down) was $129 at Wally World. I remember when I pulled out my credit card to pay the owner's son pulled out his calculator to see if he had enough markup to absorb the card fee! I had to wonder why he didn't just drive over to Wal*Mart and buy them? I'm thinking it would have been cheaper and he wouldn't have to buy such a volume.

Eventually Lowes started stealing away his lucrative business of selling all the major appliances to new homebuilders, so he retired.

[JohnCT]

We were one of two RCA dealers in our town, the rest were pretty much Zenith. Everyone sold a second line. We used to sell Philcos and Admirals (and some others at times) behind the RCAs.

In the mid 70s, we took on Zenith. While there wasn't really a protected area written in stone, the Zenith salesman didn't want to add more dealers. Since we were a large service center with a great reputation, we picked up the Zenith line.

I don't recall the Philcos or Admirals (or Emersons) having more profit margin, but they provided a lower cost alternative for someone who needed a new TV but wanted to save a hundred bucks or so.

But back then, dealers either went "whole hog" for sales or service, rarely both. We were service oriented and maybe moved 300 pieces a year tops.

The dealers who were more sales oriented would buy in larger volume at get better pricing than we did, but it wasn't much. Those who joined a buying group (a great initial expense) got much better pricing.

John