Here’s more positive news in car electronics for 2011.
The NPD Group provided us data on car electronics sales to consumers MINUS all navigation (so even in-dash navigation is NOT included). It showed car electronics sales for January and February were up 3 percent in units and 4 percent in dollars, compared to a year ago. It also said that average selling prices for the category increased.
Also, NPD data showed a 3 percent gain in January and February even INCLUDING in-dash navigation (but excluding portable navigation and video-in-a-bag type products), according to one industry source. This data set was not confirmed by NPD, itself.
We know this is confusing and we wish we were privy to all NPD data, but we publish the snippets of data that we are able to obtain.
Several car amplifier and speaker suppliers as well as an OEM integration supplier said their sales climbed nicely this year, even during March thus far. And they attribute the gains to an improving economy, not just customers receiving their tax returns earlier this year.
It’s certainly not all rosy out there, particularly with uncertainty around gas prices, but we’re noting that sales looked good in January and February in some metrics.
Source: CEoutlook and The NPD Group
