Well the industry has taken its toll on another retailer.

Paul Phillips Car Sound who have been in Commercial Rd Prahran for over 23 years have called it a day.

Having known the boys for all of that time I for one am sad to see them go.

All the best to the boys in whatever they decide to do next.

Phil Kent

Definately a loss and a reflection of the current downturn in the industry.

One of the questions I asked of Paul "What Next".
Well a three month holiday for the first time in 24 odd years, then have a think about it all.

Who knows, we may see a smaller operation in the future.

Good luck to them either way, and we wish them all the best with whatever it may be they choose to pursue

Well i've dealt with Paul on several occassions over the past 5 years, and he has always gone out of his way to help me out, whether it was a sales enquiry or just to have a good yak about Car Audio.

I wish him all the best.

"Downturn in the industry"

I'd say "shaking up of our industry".

Those of us who can stick out the next three years of the prostitution of the industry will triumph, as did the specialists in the US.

It doesn’t take long for enthusiasts to realise that REAL advice and GREAT service just isn’t available in a “discount house” “warehouse” or “barn”.

I'm sick of hearing about the "downturn in the industry" in the last year I've moved store, grown, taken on a significant importation business and more than quadrupled retail exposure. DOWNTURN MY ASS!

Phil

Word it as you please Phil. Sales fugures speak for themselves.

If retail side of things was doing so well you wouldn't be looking into the wholesale/distribution market rather than retail.

You must be doing something right

[ June 22, 2003, 08:55: Message edited by: Dr. dB ]

i think its definately a down turn and there are a reasons I can come up with..

Do people agree/disagree ?

1. Obviously the net helps a lot of people DIY installs and people arent willing to pay the bucks to have installations done by the pros; as well as easy access to second hand equipment from around australia where it used to be restricted to the local trading post.

2. A lot of cars now have integrated stereos and are very difficult to change and this is being combined with the ability to upgrade stereos from the factory and i believe that a lot of people are taking this easy route. This is evidenced in New falcon, commodore, accord euro, mazda 6 and a lot more.

Had my first system done at Paul Phillips when I was 18. Paul really looked after me. Best wishes to him in any future ventures.

Ok phil, point taken but take a look inside a Strathfield Car Radio store and be sure to notice the floor space dedicated to car audio by this car audio store chain...

the downturn is mostly from the absence of your bread and butter customer, this is due to camrys and commodores comming standard with (according to the customer) adequate audio systems.

Also, home entertainment, wholesaleing, mobile phones and so-on are not car audio. Yes, they bring bread and butter money like alot of other non car audio things now sold by car radio stores.

How many car audio shops now also sell mobile phones? Just about all of them. A good example of how most businesses in car audio retail have changed to make money.

Do you only retail car audio products Phil???

R