TomK

Probably wundering WTF this has to do with anything in our world of mobile audio. However, with the price of gas causing us to bend over and take it with rock salt, especially for what's forecast for this summer, what effects do you think this will have on the industry ....... if any????


Do you think there will be a further drop in consumer interest due to the costs of owning and operating a vehicle, especially considering the age group we're dealing with as being the core of the industry??

Product prices going up due to transportation costs............... which will further hurt the above ?!!??!?

People coming out to shows......... klill them completely or still think that people will show???



Any other thoughts ??!?!?!

MR2NR

iTrader: (66)

My bet is that we will first see it at the distribution level with a shipping surcharge due to the price of fuel. It's all about the bottom line there. As far as most of our target clientele go, they are still going to be driving just as much as they already were, they are just going to ask their friends for a little more gas money. For the most part our target market lives at home, they hate being at home so they head out with their friends. They for the first real time have got their indipendence, clled a drivers license and they are going to be absolutely everywhere that they can go on 4 wheels. With at least the BC and AB economy growing like a uncontrollable monster, these kids have more money than ever to spend in stores like mine. I really don't see it hurting our target clientele too much at all.

t raver1 smith

there is so much money in Red Deer that I doubt we will see any effect except at the dist. level. the cost of goods will undoubtly go up quickly to offset fuel costs. the only effect that will have on me is at the dealer level.

Team Shadow

i think as it did with the hurricane that hit new orleans(when the gas shot up fairly high, especially near the affected areas) there was a very low turn out in finals. competitions went down and it truly was talked about at finals. i remember seeing the heads of the sanctions talking about it and it was said that it affected spectator and competitor turrn out.

if these shows were affected then im sure that all around north america....there would be alot of change in how audio competiions were and are handled. csots might increase...cost might go down as incentives. only time will tell.

My best guess would be that a finals similar to spring break would be in order seeing as how it is a very popular show.

this is just a different area of car audio that was affected that concerns me.

TomK

So you don't think that the costs involved with todays youth "going out" will zap cash they may want to spend in our industry ??? I hope you are right. If some time in the near future we don't start an up-turn in the industry as a whole, I think there's going to be a lot more doors closing.

*sigh*

I still remember the good ole days when car audio was the in thing and everyone was into it hardcore. Competitions were loaded down with competitors and everyone was mad crazy about being part of it.

Team Shadow

well everything affects. big store chains are stealing alot of cunsumers. money is harder to come by and people watch thier dollars closely. The cnd dollar was at a record high at 0.888 yesterday...making internet sales accross the border even more juicy. its a culmination of things....definitely. i think as long as you can sell the passion...which is what we try to do at west coast extreme spl.....then you got the consumer.....gas prices or any other prices are irrelivant. cause we have a small crew of dudes that go to shows...and our gas prices are at $1.15 in vancouver...and we have more guys going to shows and more guys travelling farther than ever before. we have show after show in bc and that wasnt like that 3 years ago.....and by what i hear it was like that in the 90s.

sorry last thing.....i really think its cyclic. is that a word....comes and goes in cycles. i think if there is a low there will then be a high again....i really hope and think so. Some new form of technology will come out(possible the 42 volt car) and then everything wil shift in our favor again...no?

i think every young dude with a car will want a system.. educate them when they are young and you will have a life long consumer. stereos will be as much needed as getting rims or a body kit are now.

The Icon

Of course gas has affected the industry, I have been getting that feed back from the USA for 3 years now, kids drive around less so there’s less use for a big thumping sound system to impress there friends. ( of course a 69 dollar fart can the size of a coffee tin hasn’t slowed down in sales )
How about casinos? Every since casinos were aloud to be opened a ton of money gets eaten up( or VLT’s in bars lounges/ every place ) governments cleaning up but its zapping the life blood out of every one, not just us.
There’s so much more then the Internet going on here but no one cares to look into it.

High bread cars are a joke they cost a fortune, and diesel has gone up higher then gas now so there’s no recourse. The average joe needs his car to get to work. That should be a sales pitch for car audio shops but when your gas bills doubled in the last 3 or 4 years your now looking at less money and stock stereos are looking pretty good.

It is what it is people we just have to get more excitement in the industry as a whole, Doesn’t matter how much you advertise your dealer is the most important key, they can take a potential customer and sell them what ever brand they believe in.
My take anyhow.

Team Shadow

well it definitley all affect.....did you see that the dolora rose again 89 cents. some canadians must be cruising ebay as we speak.

The Icon

that’s exactly what I thought of too when I saw that

JRSTAR

Hi all, im new to the black void, but my two sense about the gas prices are this, i moved from sask. to B.C one year ago. At that time gas was $.95-1.00 in sask. in Chilliwack were i moved to it was just under $.70. It sucks that it is now 1.15/l but hey i dodged the huge prices for a year, and hopefully it will go back down to a reasonable price sometime soon.