CHAINS RING SALES OF AT&T TELEPHONES, ACCESSORIES

JOEL ELSON

Several grocery chains are selling AT&T telephones and accessories following AT&T's closure of its own retail outlets. "Now that AT&T has closed its retail stores, supermarkets are positioning themselves with these products," said Phil Mullen, vice president at Pezrow, a broker in Ramsey, N.J., who is handling sales for AT&T.

A&P, Montvale, N.J., is expanding its AT&T telephone sets in the chain following successful tests conducted at 40 New York and New Jersey stores since June, Mullen said. "AT&T telephones sales are doing rather well merchandised in a housewares aisle, along with small kitchen and personal-care appliances, at our larger stores in New York and New Jersey," said Mike Rourke, senior vice president of communications and corporate affairs at A&P. The phone sets carry price points of $19.99 to $79.99 in 10 phone stockkeeping units in a 3-foot set, and 14 SKUs in a 4-foot section. About 25 to 30 small accessories and wiring devices are also offered in the set, with margins overall for the complete mix in the 30% and over range. According to Mullen, Dominick's Finer Foods, Northlake, Ill., started testing the section at 20 stores in July, and Stop & Shop Supermarkets, North Quincy, Mass., began installing the sets chainwide about a year ago.

He said Wakefern Food Corp., a wholesale buying arm of the ShopRite cooperative, Elizabeth, N.J., also has had the program under a test-phase at 30 ShopRite units since May. SN was unable to contact the other grocery companies said to be merchandising the phones for additional comment.