Corrected: Alpine Electronics announced its first half of the year results, claiming sales in the North American aftermarket increased over 9 percent compared to last year.
While sales of car radios, amps and speakers remained flat, gains in car Audio/Video and AVN navigation systems helped push the entire aftermarket segment into high single digit increases over the same period last year.
Sales of the INE-S920HD and INE-Z928HD navigation receivers using a new platform, contributed to the growth, said Alpine Marketing Planning Manager Kunihiko Sato.
Alpine said marketing conditions in North America were “harsh,” despite company efforts to expand its head unit, amplifier and speaker sales, and to move into the Brazilian market, according to a financial report for the period from April 1 through September 30.
Total sales for the company, including OEM and information and communications rose 9.4 percent, but net income fell over 66 percent due to the price of goods, a challenged economy in Europe and other factors. Total sales for the 6 months were the equivalent of $1.3 billion and net earnings were approximately $9 million.
Alpine increased its OEM sales to automakers during the period, increasing sales in this segment by 9.1 percent over the year earlier.
Source: Alpine Electronics
Richard sounds like a TRUE specialty retailer………
If you do not take care of your customers……………
Your customers will take care of YOU !
I’ve ran auto sound specialty retail stores for over 20 years now. We no longer sell Alpine. Alpine became too demanding on Their products. They required a small Stereo dealer to carry most everything they offered and agree to meet quartery/Annual purchase quotas to be an Alpine dealer. The specialty dealer’s best advantage against the majors and internet is to offer better fitting to our customers. Alpine wanted me to sell their Products reguardless if I believed it to be the best value or fit for a particular customer’s needs. They believe the ” A stocked dealer is a loyal dealer” plan. My loyalty is to my customer’s interest & my business “CAR PLUS”. I have customer’s that ask about Alpine, but I move them to the products that we do carry in the store, Kenwood, Sony, Pioneer, JVC. Maybe if Alpine had put forth a more dealer freindly Distribution program, More specialty independents would be selling their products.