Aftermarket Autosound, Audio Component Sales Up in December

Manufacturer-to-dealer sales of separate audio components and aftermarket autosound products increased during December 2001.
Dollar sales of separate components, which include electronic audio components and speakers, increased by 14% to $123 million, compared to the same period in 2000, according to figures released by the Consumer Electronics Association.
Revenues from factory-to-dealer sales of surround sound speaker packages grew 224% in December to $23 million, contributing to a year-to-date total of $136 million.
Increases in aftermarket autosound dollar sales reached 8% during December 2001 to $115 million, with all speaker categories posting gains for the month. Bass speakers, particularly those over 12 inches, lead with more than 100% revenue growth. This helped to yield net overall revenue growth of almost five% in the speaker category through 2001.
Overall, total sales of audio equipment in 2001 decreased slightly by 6%, compared to 2000. According to Sean Wargo, senior industry analyst for CEA, “While total audio sales for 2001 did not recreate the record-breaking figures seen in 2000, historical data shows we’re still looking at a solid growth trend for the audio industry.”