That was against a background of volume growth increasing at a higher rate than value growth during the early to mid 1990s, when prices were held down as Britain was struggling to overcome recession. Perhaps as a result of that process, clocks have tended to be seen as disposable, low value items. Clock manufacturers seeking to upgrade their products and debunk this perception have not been helped by the retail distribution system.
Most retail outlets display only a relatively small and basic range of clocks.
That is because of the limited floor space they are prepared to give to a product that does not tend to have a very high turnover or return compared to other products. Perhaps unfairly, clocks are considered the fodder dished out by catalogue shops which produce as much as a third of the sales value of the sector. This avenue for sales is followed by jewellers', variety and department stores. Indeed, consumer research places affordable pricing as being the most important criterion in selecting an alarm clock. Another common reason for choice is the illumination display on a clock.