Sling Media’s retail act is going south of the border as the company starts to hawk the Slingbox 350 in Mexico starting Friday, March 7.
In Mexico, the Slingbox 350 device will carry a suggested retail price of 2,999 pesos (US$225.96), and will be sold at “leading retailers” and online at www.costco.com.mx and www.slingbox.com.mx. That suggested price is higher than what the Slingbox 350 is fetching online at Best Buy, which currently has it on sale for $149.99, $30 off the model’s regular price through the retail CE chain. Sling Media spokesman Brian Jaquet pointed out that the retail price for Mexico includes local sales taxes that can be up to 16%.
Friday will mark the first time Sling Media is selling product in-country in Mexico, and follows similar retail initiatives kicked off in Brazil last fall and in El Salvador last July, Jaquet said.
To facilitate its most recent retail move, Sling has launched a dedicated site with information and video-based tutorials at www.slingbox.com.mx. The company has tapped Eckhert to supply distribution and technical support for the product in Mexico. Eckhert will also offer a direct one-year warranty on all Slingbox 350 purchases made in Mexico, Sling Media said.
The Ethernet-based Slingbox 350 supports video quality up to 1080p HD, and can run on several platforms, including PC and Mac browsers and SlingPlayer apps that run on iOS and Android-powered smartphones and tablets.
Sling Media has no immediate plans to sell its higher-end model, the Slingbox 500, which has built-in Wi-Fi and integrated access to the Blockbuster On Demand app and the subscription-based DishWorld service, at retail in Mexico.
"We feel the 350 is the best product for this market currently. We'll evaluate other product options in the future," Jaquet said.
