Down4Sound, the online retailer with over a million followers on social media, has begun selling its house brand of car audio products through 12 volt brick and mortar retailers.
The full line will be available to dealers, said owner Jonathan Price.
The Down4Sound line includes car audio amplifiers, speakers and accessories. Powersports and marine products should be available very shortly followed by subwoofers in the next six to 12 months. Currently, there are 400 SKUs in the line that also includes wire and batteries.
Down4Sound will enforce a Minimum Advertised Price (MAP) policy. “We will enforce MAP. It’s how you get your brand to hold value,” Price said.
“Since we’ve been so successful with the direct-to-consumer business model, some people are going to their local brick and mortar stores requesting our Down4Sound brand…some people prefer to work with their local shop,” he said.
Price originally started Down4Sound as an online forum for car audio and eventually he brought a small order of Crescendo products and started selling to consumers online. He expanded his offerings, carrying brands such as Sundown, and then started selling his own Down4Sound products. His YouTube videos on car audio netted Price a large and loyal online following that helped to fuel his sales. (We’ll tell the full story in another posting).
So why should a brick and mortar retailer carry the products? Price said, “I would say the biggest reason to carry it is because of the popularity… the Down4Sound name is well known. We ship worldwide multiple times every day now. So for it to be reaching places 5,000, 6,000, 7,000 miles away, I mean, that says a lot,” said Price, who still seems to be in awe of his own success.
The products claim to be the best quality for the price. “We’re never going to be, and I don’t want to be the cheapest out there….Sometimes I don’t want to come out with a product but customers demand it. We listen to our customers. It took a little while for me to realize that I need to put my ego to the side and I started listening to my customers. Since I started doing that, it’s grown even faster,” Price said.
For example, among the many differentDown4Sound models of 6.5 inch speakers that can sell for up to about $400/a pair, the company also now sells a model SFX65 for $29/pair model. “People love them. We’ve sold thousands of them. They’ve been available for six months. They sold way better than I ever anticipated. I thought people wouldn’t buy them, but they buy 4,6, 8, 10 pairs at a time. You can fill your entire vehicle with speakers. They are using them in boats and ATVs, even though they are not even marine grade. They’re using them in that application because they’re like, ‘Man, if I get a year out of them, throw them away, get a new set next year, like I’m out $30 bucks. What’s the big deal?’ So, anyway, they’ve been an awesome product for us.”
In the case of a manufacturer defect in its products, Down4Sound will ship out a new one. It then sells the returned product under its refurbished area on its website.
It will be interesting and very reveling to compare Down4Sound amplifiers with the new US amps A/B amplifiers being Down4sound claimed their amplifiers were engineered by the US amps engineer. (They can copy the USA amps heat sink look and colors but the engineering they can never come close to, especially with off the shelf throw away designs.)
Ive been following Jonathan Price for over 10 years through youtube / Facebook, i love seeing him post about his success because i use it as motivation to grow my own buisness!!
STAIGHT UP..I like the guy and good job on the Amp ventures..There are alot of Neg. Comments and just people in general that promote Bad car audio products , but this guy has always Takin the legit high road with nothing but car audio in mind…Keep up the great work at Down4sounds..Can’t wait to Run one or two of those D4S amps in my ride…Thank you for your commitment in Car audio and most of us in the seen or industry support you 100….
Look at their website and no bad reviews. Go to BBB and research what people say about the company there and then decide if you want to buy from them. My friend bought an amp from them. It lasted three days and quit.. His system was more than setup for an amp like he bought. They’ve made nothing but excuses saying his system batteries….. Etc weren’t up to par for the amp but that’s Bs. Research company and then decide.
That is the Down4Sound difference !
Great seller, and products!
Johnathan Price is the hero the car audio scene needs! He is bringing us high quality prices at an affordable project! He is always sharing inspirational quotes and methods to improve our daily lives. Thank You so much for everything you do JP!
Good stories seem to be scarce these days…
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Article starts off discussing how to make sure your brand holds value.
Article finishing discussing some $30 speakers that are viewed as a throwaway product and “eh if they last a year that’s all good.”
That’s quite the funny juxtaposition.
Agreed 👍
That quote is the perspective of some customers, and value to them means bang for the buck. If you’re going to knowingly improperly use a low cost product and can get a year out of them, that’s a value to those particular customers 🙂