DEALER FINDS SUCCESS IN EMBRACING OEM INTEGRATION AS THE FUTURE OF THE SPECIALTY CAR AUDIO INDUSTRY

Clearwater, FL (August 20, 2008) – “OEM integration solutions represent the future of the car audio industry.” Over the last year, this has been the marketing mantra of Peripheral Electronics®. And, with good reason: more and more car manufacturers have begun putting advanced OEM systems in their vehicles, and as a consequence today’s consumer is looking to cost-effectively expand his/her factory system as opposed to completely replacing it. While some dealers in the US have argued the accuracy of these statements, thousands of others have enthusiastically accepted this paradigm shift…and are now reaping the profits.

One specialty dealer in particular – 919 Motoring in Raleigh, North Carolina – has seen incredible success by embracing Peripheral’s philosophy regarding OEM integration. According to 919’s owner, Shaun Reilley, “Over the last year, I began to notice that fewer and fewer people were coming in looking for radio replacements. This was partially because of stiff competition from large retail chains like Circuit City and Best Buy. But, it also had to do with the high-quality systems that manufacturers are installing in cars direct from the factory. Instead of looking for radio replacements, a majority of my customers were coming in looking things like iPod integration and Bluetooth hands-free devices to upgrade their system. Combined with really good speakers that work with the factory amplifier, that’s all the customer really needed.”

As a result, Sean did something many car audio retailers would find uncomfortable at best…he built a car audio display featuring a factory radio. “I put up a wall display with a Scion factory radio that showcases the Peripheral Media Gateway and lets consumers play with all its features. They can see for themselves how easy it is to use, and how much safer it is to control your iPod through the stereo controls while driving than to use the click wheel. It made a huge impact, and interest in the PXAMG shot up immediately.”

In addition to servicing the car audio needs of his in-store customers, Shaun’s adoption of OEM integration as a major part of his business has attracted the attention of yet another breed of client: car dealerships. He is currently in talks with a regional Honda dealer to provide PXAMG interfaces and HD Radio systems for all their new and late-model pre-owned vehicles, and is looking to do the same for Toyota, Ford and Chevrolet dealers in and around Raleigh.

Ron Freeman, CEO of Peripheral’s parent company, AAMP of America™ had this to say about Shaun’s bold marketing efforts, “Shaun at 919 Motoring is an excellent example of the growing number of specialty car audio dealers in US that have recognized the industry shift toward OEM integration and embraced it. And, that’s why we’ve made a total commitment to providing our dealers with both the OEM technologies and the technical know-how they need to meet the demands of the industry and their customers.”