Raw Data Report: Tech

Each day, Wall Street is flooded with stock research offering a multitude of conflicting investment opinions. As such, TickerMine is not in the business of providing more opinions. We believe that accurate raw data points can be used to gain insight in to the stock selection and valuation process.


57% of Apple (AAPL) Stores Report Customer Waits of Under 30 Minutes for the New 3G iPhones

Tickermine consulted Apple stores nationwide earlier this month as customers lined up for Apple's new 3G iPhones. Our surveyors asked how long is the wait for the next appointment at the genius bar? Do you have Air Macs in your store right now? Are there any Apple stores opening in this area soon? And do you either have the new 3G iPhones now or foresee getting one tomorrow?

23 stores were consulted for the poll. 57% of those we interviewed reported customer wait times of less than 30 minutes. 26% said it was more like 45 to 60 minutes. 4% reported customer wait times of 2 1/2 hours while 17% boldly said they weren't taking any appointments that day. (Appointments started the day after our survey.) 87% of those polled reported having an Air Mac in store. Only three people of 13% reported having none. 83% of those interviewed said there were no new Apple stores planned to be opening in this neighborhood any time soon. But 17% said new stores were coming. Finally 96% of those we interviewed said the new phone was either in stock currently or coming the following day. Only 4% said they had none.

iGo (IGOI) Products Selling "Very Well" vs. Competing Brands, Say 63% of Retailers

iGo Inc.'s best selling products are power adapters (60%), a stowaway keyboard for mobile devices (17%) and a travel mouse (11%), according to TickerMine's latest survey. The top selling power kit is one designed for the Motorola (MOT) RAZR (34%), followed by those for the iPhone and Blackberry (26% each).

When asked what types of products people are buying most often, 57% of stores said power adapters, 31% said accessories, and 11% said cables and parts. iGo products are selling very well compared to competing brands, said 63% of stores surveyed. iGo was named the best brand for adapters and other blue tooth products by 43% of stores. Motorola (29%) and Plantronics (PLT) (11%) also received mentions.


Dish Network Corp (DISH) sees major returns on its receivers, Survey says

Tickermine conducted a survey with the DISH network corp. this week. This was just after the company announced it was adding four high definition [HD] local markets: Albany - Schenectady - Troy, N.Y.; Chattanooga, Tenn.; Lansing, Mich.; and Syracuse, N.Y. Tickermine approached Office Depot stores around the nation and asked: Do you receive returns on dish network receivers? If so how many each day? And are these returns going up or down?

30 stores were consulted for the poll. We found that six respondents or 20% of those polled were not receiving any returns on the dish network receivers. But 24 respondents or 80% said they were. 17 respondents or 71% of those interviewed said they were receiving between one to three receivers each day. Eight respondents or 29% of those polled said four to seven receivers were coming in daily. And of the stores that will accept returns, 42% said the returns were going down, 38% said the returns were going up and five respondents or 21% said the number of returns was just the same.

Nikon (NINOY.PK) Coolpix S50C On Top At Staples

Half (50%) of the thirty-four Staples (SPLS) stores across the country, interviewed by Tickermine, stocked and sold the Nikon Coolpix S50C digital camera. Twenty-five stores (67%) sold the Sony (SNE) Cyber-shot DSC-G1. Employees of the stores that carried both cameras were asked which of the two cameras was selling the best. Six stores (67%) reported that the Nikon Coolpix S50C was selling better.