Sony closes 20 stores in USA.

Well, two anonymous sources told me about this a couple of days ago and now it’s official (sorry sources If I didn’t post it in time on SAR). Sony US will close 20 of their own stores!

This is the official press text from Sony:

SAN DIEGO, Feb. 26, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — Sony Electronics today announced plans to restructure its organization to maintain its competitiveness in an evolving consumer electronics market.

In line with Sony Corporation’s Feb. 6 earnings announcement outlining an estimated headcount reduction of roughly 5,000 employees globally, Sony Electronics confirmed a total staff reduction of one-third by the end of the calendar year, affecting approximately 1,000 employees across all sites. In addition, in an effort to further streamline costs and continue focus on existing partner relations, Sony announced the closure of 20 U.S. Sony Stores

“While these moves were extremely tough, they were absolutely necessary to position us in the best possible place for future growth,” said Mike Fasulo, President and COO of Sony Electronics. “I am entirely confident in our ability to turn the business around, in achieving our preferred future, and continue building on our flawless commitment to customer loyalty through the complete entertainment experience only Sony can offer.”

Sony maintains its position as a leader in the electronics industry, pushing the limits of innovation with products and experiences exclusive to Sony. It continues to drive its industry leadership in premium products across all of CE, including all-things-4K, and further plans to reinforce its market leadership through strengthening its 4K product lineup and bolstering 2K models in 2014, with a continued commitment to the future success of its U.S. television business. The company will place an increased focus on its premium products – including its digital imaging line, high-resolution audio, and full suite of professional solutions – while leveraging its strengths in hardware, content and gaming.

There are no further details at this time.