The recession is causing a massive consumer shift: No longer do Japan's famously finicky and brand-conscious shoppers assume imported and no-name electronics are as cheap in quality as they are in price.
As products from toasters to laptops carry increasingly similar components and special features — and as consumers increasingly seek bargains — price is becoming as important a distinction here as it is in most countries.
Lesser-known manufacturers, which have seen success around the world for years, are finally cutting into the sales of homegrown electronics powerhouses like Sony Corp. and Panasonic Corp. And opportunities are opening here for retailers catering to consumers who are comfortable seeing electronics as commodities.