[navin]

I think car audio wont explode like the mobile market. Audio is a much older discipline. Very few use a system other than one that the dealer installs so I dont see huge market changes. India will remain a small market untill our disposable income and awareness grows.

[esteem_lover]

Originally Posted by navin

I think car audio wont explode like the mobile market. Audio is a much older discipline. Very few use a system other than one that the dealer installs so I dont see huge market changes. India will remain a small market untill our disposable income and awareness grows.

audio as u say is a much older discipline than anything else... but i feel the car audio market has already started to explode considering that every 8 out of 10 car buyers look to up the system which is already there or to buy themselves a new one. perhaps what u r saying is that the market for high end systems have not yet really come out into the open.

[low_bass_makker]

now how we will consider what a high end system is.

Will it have subs or not
will it have amps or not
will it have componet kit or not
??????????

[jinu_joseph]

Here I think the biggest problem is the lack of knowledge among the general public on the various features of the ICE compoenents. Ignorant people like us rely heavily on the installer to give us correct information which is generally not true. Even when you compare to the mobile industry, it started booming only when general public began to understand its features and possiblities.

I think the same holds good for car audio also.. till people are not made aware of the various options and its advantges or disadvantages things wont pickup.

[low_bass_makker]

Originally Posted by jinu_joseph

I think the same holds good for car audio also.. till people are not made aware of the various options and its advantges or disadvantages things wont pickup.

I think jinu bhai has said a valid point till the person buying the stuff does not know what he his buying why he will buy that stuff.

also if one buy expensive stuff then only the costlier stuff will become cheap in india......

[gunbir]

Originally Posted by jinu_joseph

Here I think the biggest problem is the lack of knowledge among the general public on the various features of the ICE compoenents. Ignorant people like us rely heavily on the installer to give us correct information which is generally not true. Even when you compare to the mobile industry, it started booming only when general public began to understand its features and possiblities.

I think the same holds good for car audio also.. till people are not made aware of the various options and its advantges or disadvantages things wont pickup.

So in your opinion, TBHP is a step in the right direction. Yes, we all feel this is true and that is part of why we spend so much time here...

As for the car audio market... NO. it will never be as large as the Telecom industry. Simply because those kind of numbers dont exist in car audio. But we look forward to development of end-user awareness and also, importantly, dealer development... Unfortunately some of the leading brands out there like Sony, Kenwood etc, are not interested in developing installer knowledge or skills. They are not bothered if an installer screws up your install/car. They are only bothered about sales. They can sell amps that have "Made in Japan" stamped on them, when that is a lie. And most consumers accept that at face value. Like we have said many a time here, you as an end-user need to be more demanding, do more research. DO NOT get suckered into buying crappy products.

Do you have any recommendations on what are the best ways to increase customer awareness. Do ads in car magazines help? I mean, they are only ads, they do not create awareness about ICE, but only about their own brand. If a brand like Dhoom advertises in Autocar, do some customers actually start taking it seriously? Do you think its high time India had a Car Audio magazine?

At the end of the day, there is a lot of work to be done... and we are committed to getting it done... Cheers.

[esteem_lover]

Originally Posted by gunbir

So in your opinion, TBHP is a step in the right direction. Yes, we all feel this is true and that is part of why we spend so much time here...

As for the car audio market... NO. it will never be as large as the Telecom industry. Simply because those kind of numbers dont exist in car audio. But we look forward to development of end-user awareness and also, importantly, dealer development...

They can sell amps that have "Made in Japan" stamped on them, when that is a lie. And most consumers accept that at face value. Like we have said many a time here, you as an end-user need to be more demanding, do more research. DO NOT get suckered into buying crappy products.

Do you have any recommendations on what are the best ways to increase customer awareness. Do ads in car magazines help? I mean, they are only ads, they do not create awareness about ICE, but only about their own brand. If a brand like Dhoom advertises in Autocar, do some customers actually start taking it seriously? Do you think its high time India had a Car Audio magazine?

At the end of the day, there is a lot of work to be done... and we are committed to getting it done... Cheers.

more importantly, they dont care if u buy from the grey market, cos ultimately it is a sony/kenwood and not a forged one and they somehow get their share, forget the dealers & distributors

[jinu_joseph]

See advertising is only part of the strategy.. in the eg: u qoted.. if Dhoom releases an ad in the magazine will it be successfull.. no way.. but if the customer who saw the ad and then went to 3-4 dealers and all of them told the customer that dhoom was a good brand, then the customer will definitely think of investing in the product especially if priced competitvely.

On the other hand even if a reputed brand runs an ad campaign, but i go to the installer and he bad mouths the brand then that brand is not going to sell.

I think the final strategy would have to be a combination of Brand Awareness, Quality Awareness and Dealer Discipline.

So i guess companies like Harman, Kenwood etc would have to open demo shops in key cities probably in malls where they show case their offerrings. This would not only increase Brand Awareness but also allow the potential customer to understand what real Sound Quality is by hearing the offerring??. I mean how do i understand good sound quality if all i Know of ICE is the DHINCHAK beats you hear in the autorickshaw

Such companies will have to start investing in ICE Garages, rather than piggy backing on Car Accessories outlets. Sony has started doing this with Xplod showrooms.

If showrooms are too expensive Another thing I always thought should be possible is the mobile showroom.. where for eg: an installer (with a big budget, probably backed by a Company would have a dedicated set of demo vans, which could be used to go to venues to show case the products.

Forums like this one helps a lot and is a blessing in disguise but only for people who are keen in doing research before installing ICE. Unfortunately this set is in the minority. The majority still rely on what little knowledge they have or on the installer.

So yes there is a long way to go.. but sooner or later market forces will make the players bail out or increase their committment.

[Bass&Trouble]

Originally Posted by jinu_joseph

See advertising is only part of the strategy.. in the eg: u qoted.. if Dhoom releases an ad in the magazine will it be successfull.. no way.. but if the customer who saw the ad and then went to 3-4 dealers and all of them told the customer that dhoom was a good
people who are keen in doing research before installing ICE. Unfortunately this set is in the minority. The majority still rely on what little knowledge they have or on the installer.
.
.
.
.

So yes there is a long way to go.. but sooner or later market forces will make the players bail out or increase their committment.

Bravo bravo, all well said.

The real dampener actually comes along when the distributors educate consumers, installers etc. and then someone like NIP (an example), after sourcing all the advice, goes out and buys something unofficially.

[esteem_lover]

Originally Posted by jinu_joseph

See advertising is only part of the strategy.. in the eg: u qoted.. if Dhoom releases an ad in the magazine will it be successfull.. no way.. but if the customer who saw the ad and then went to 3-4 dealers and all of them told the customer that dhoom was a good brand, then the customer will definitely think of investing in the product especially if priced competitvely.

On the other hand even if a reputed brand runs an ad campaign, but i go to the installer and he bad mouths the brand then that brand is not going to sell.

So i guess companies like Harman, Kenwood etc would have to open demo shops in key cities probably in malls where they show case their offerrings. This would not only increase Brand Awareness but also allow the potential customer to understand what real Sound Quality is by hearing the offerring??. I mean how do i understand good sound quality if all i Know of ICE is the DHINCHAK beats you hear in the autorickshaw

Such companies will have to start investing in ICE Garages, rather than piggy backing on Car Accessories outlets. Sony has started doing this with Xplod showrooms.

Forums like this one helps a lot and is a blessing in disguise but only for people who are keen in doing research before installing ICE. Unfortunately this set is in the minority. The majority still rely on what little knowledge they have or on the installer.

So yes there is a long way to go.. but sooner or later market forces will make the players bail out or increase their committment.

hear hear....well said jinu....took the words right out of my mouth, pal

[gunbir]

Originally Posted by jinu_joseph

If showrooms are too expensive Another thing I always thought should be possible is the mobile showroom.. where for eg: an installer (with a big budget, probably backed by a Company would have a dedicated set of demo vans, which could be used to go to venues to show case the products.

Thanks guys... some vaild points made and duly noted...

[low_bass_makker]

this thread should be renamed as "This will happen in India"

navin ji where are u......

[navin]

I am just waiting for the market to Xplod. :-)