12/3/2003 -- Kenwood Joins Net Enforcers

Discussion in 'Mobile Electronics News' started by The_Ancient, Dec 8, 2003.

  1. The_Ancient

    The_Ancient Full Member

    Kenwood Announces Partnership With Net Enforcers

    December 3, 2003 -- Long Beach, Calif. - Citing the need to protect the interests of authorized dealers and consumers, and to safeguard its own intellectual property rights, Kenwood USA Corporation announced it has partnered with Net Enforcers Inc., a company that tracks and monitors resellers and trans-shippers who sell products on the Internet without manufacturer authorization.
    A Kenwood official said Net Enforcers would also help Kenwood identify companies whose sales practices violate dealership and distribution agreements they have with Kenwood, potentially resulting in termination of reseller agreements.

    "We take our distribution policy agreements very seriously and view non-compliance as cause for immediate concern and prompt action," said Mike Roberts, vice president of mobile entertainment for Kenwood USA Corporation. "We cannot tolerate dealers or distributors who transship products in violation of distribution policies, and we expect only those dealers authorized to sell online to do so, and to offer only the products authorized for online sales." Roberts said that only a select few Kenwood dealers have agreements allowing online sales of selected products or lines of products, but that most did not.

    Authorized online retailers include Tweeter, Best Buy, The Good Guys, Crutchfield Electronics, Circuit City, and Sears for mobile electronics, while home electronic e-tailors include Best Buy, The Good Guys, Crutchfield Electronics, Circuit City, Electronics Express, Sears and Vann's.

    Kenwood said it also was examining whether products sold by unauthorized dealers or via unauthorized channels were indeed covered under its manufacturer's warranty, and it urged dealers to remind customers that obtaining products through authorized channels is their guarantee of receiving full warranty benefits.

    "Only by rigorous enforcement of distribution policies can we protect the interests of fair-minded dealers and consumers," said Roberts. "It takes tremendous manufacturer support to ensure the market success of our products and the satisfaction of the customer. Anything that undermines the distribution programs we've instituted harms our marketing strategy, harms the honest dealer, and works against the long-term interests of consumers. Consumers who buy products outside authorized channels are just asking to be disappointed in the sales, installation, or servicing of those products. And the companies or individuals that sell them the products, or that facilitate such sales, are doing a disservice to everyone, except, of course, themselves," Roberts stated.

    Roberts said Kenwood was one of many companies in the consumer electronics market working with Net Enforcers to aggressively eliminate unauthorized sales. "We see eye-to-eye on this issue with many other makers of CE products, including some of our toughest competitors. We all know how important this issue is to maintaining the health and vitality of the business, and I'm sure we're going to be successful in ensuring a level playing field for dealers and a reputable, reliable market for consumers."