TIVO Business AnalysisTiVo BUSINESS BACKGROUNDTiVo is a small black box containing a digital video recorder that allows viewers to watch what they want, when they want to watch it, allows instant pause and replay of live TV by storing information on a hard drive. The TiVo service represents what has been called the "personal television industry": total control over how you watch television. The company has established manufacturing partnerships with established companies such as Philips and Sony, and has also made some agreements involving distribution through retail chains such as Best Buy, Circuit City and Sears. In summary, the product was designed and developed by Tivo, then licensed for manufacturing and sold in retail channels as a consumer electronic device. The price range is between $499 and $999, plus an additional $9.95 monthly for TiVo service (with the option to pay $99 annually or $199 for the life of the service). Sales, expressed in terms of the number of subscribers, have grown steadily over the 14 months of Over the company's lifetime, however, they have grown at a much slower pace than expected, given the size of the market and satisfaction of consumers. It's no wonder the company has endured losses during its short existence. However, it is disturbing to note that there is no evidence of the expected “take-off” in sales, especially during the holiday shopping season.