Amazon Launches New Car Electronics Store
By Amy Gilroy -- TWICE, 11/3/2008
SEATTLE — Amazon.com formally launched a new mobile electronics section for car audio, video and navigation on its Web site last week. The section can be accessed at www.amazon.com/carelectronics.
Previously, mobile electronics were sold by individual sellers at Amazon.com but without an overarching area on the site. The e-tailer has enlisted top brands and leading retailers to launch the new store with more than 5,000 new and used car audio, video, navigation and security products.
By comparison, on a given day Buy.com offers more than 18,000 products in the same mobile categories plus accessories. eBay said it features approximately 20,000 car audio and video products, more than 2,000 car navigation products, and 16,000 car security products.
Director of the mobile electronics store, Faisal Masud, said the company is adding suppliers daily and that its total of 5,000 products does not include accessories. Initial brands at the mobile electronics store include Pioneer, Sony, Kenwood, Alpine, JVC, Jensen, Infinity, Rockford Fosgate, Dual, Clarion, Panasonic and Boss, as well as Garmin, TomTom and Magellan.
Sellers include such retailers as Crutchfield, Car Toys and Abt Electronics.
Masud said the store is also "going after the boutique brands that traditionally retailers would not offer," in addition to traditional leading brands.
Although car audio sales have been declining over the past several years, Masud said, "That's why it is a good category for us because we can expose categories typically that brick and mortar can't and we can create awareness just because of the amount of customers that come to Amazon."
Amazon.com is visited by 80 million users annually, the company said.
The mobile electronics section will also include an online fit guide and installation through the InstallerNet. The fit guide helps find the car stereo equipment that will fit the shopper's vehicle. InstallerNet lets customers prepay for an installation from a local installer. The site will also offer customer reviews and lists of best-selling items in car audio, car video and navigation.
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