Portable Audio Sales On The Move In March

Total Audio Sales Up Nearly Ten Percent In First Quarter

18-May-00

Factory-to-dealer sales of audio products soared in March, with dollar volume increasing by 14 percent over March 1999 to a total of more than $721 million, according to figures released by eBrain Market Research, a service of the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA). In the first quarter of this year, sales are 10 percent ahead of first quarter 1999, at approximately $1.75 billion.Leading the charge of strong sales increases in March were portable audio products. During the month, sales in this sector grew by an amazing 35 percent over last March to $199 million. The most notable increases in the portable audio sector were in headset CD players and CD boomboxes, which grew by 68 and 34 percent, respectively. Total sales of portable audio products in the first quarter have grown by 17 percent over 1999 to $453 million.Sales of separate home components also showed tremendous growth, increasing by 16 percent over last March. The growth in components was fueled by strong sales of the three main components sub-categories: receivers, CD equipment and speakers. Sales of receivers have grown by 23 percent in the first quarter to a total of $132 million, with DolbyÆ Digital receivers comprising more than $100 million of those sales. Home CD equipment is also having a great year, growing by 17 percent in both the month and the year-to-date. This growth is largely due to particularly strong shipments of CD-R products. And finally, sales of home speakers grew by an astounding 39 percent in March, leading to a first quarter total of $116 million.Audio systems and aftermarket autosound also showed strong sales growth in the month, posting increases of 10 and three percent, respectively. Sales of audio systems are up by more than seven percent in the first quarter to a total of $384 million, while aftermarket autosound continues to draw the largest share of audio revenues. Aftermarket autosound has posted a three- percent growth in the quarter, to a total of nearly $554 million.eBrain Market Research is a service of CEA. eBrain is smarter research, providing the most comprehensive source of sales data, forecasts, consumer research, international research and historical trends for the consumer electronics industry.CEA is a sector of the Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA). CEA represents more than 600 U.S. companies involved in the development, manufacturing and distribution of audio, video, mobile electronics, communications, information technology, multimedia and accessory products, as well as related services, that are sold through consumer channels. Combined, these companies account for more than $60 billion in annual sales.CEA also sponsors and manages the International CES - Your Source for Workstyle and Lifestyle Technology. All profits from CES are reinvested into industry services, including technical training and education, product promotion, engineering standards development, market research and governmental and legal affairs support.