Azione Scraps $1,000 Marketing Fee, Cuts Quarterly Member Dues

Azione Unlimited, the fledgling start-up buying group founded by former HTSA Executive Director Richard Glikes, has shaved $250 per quarter off the dealer member dues for the organization, Glikes said Tuesday.

The group originally targeted quarterly dues of $1,250, which it scaled back last month to $1,000 (CED Jan 4 p1) following dealer pushback due to “tough” times. At the time, the group had set a dues structure of $4,000 per year, including a credit of $1,000 toward marketing materials. “We are now charging $3,000 a year and supplying marketing on an ‘opt in’ basis,” Glikes said. Dealers can choose to take advantage of the marketing -- including website development, a bi-monthly newsletter, and a brochure for new clients -- “at their own pace,” he said.

Azione is targeting custom retailers and integrators with a minimum of three years in business and annual sales volume of $1.5 million or more, it said. Azione had an original goal of 50 dealers during the first quarter, and Glikes told us Tuesday that it has shaved that target to 40 dealer members. “We are on track,” he said, and “we will end the year with 150,” he said. Glikes had hoped to have a spring meeting when we spoke with him last fall, but he told us Tuesday now the first meeting will be in July “as we need to hit critical mass before we hold meetings."

Azione also added three new vendor members -- Peerless AV, Salamander Designs and SunBrite TV -- to bring that list to more than 20 companies, it said. Previously announced manufacturer and brand members include Sharp, Samsung, Panasonic, Panasonic Professional, LG, Lexicon, Revel, JBL Synthesis, Digital Projection, Sonance, Universal Remote Control, Stewart Filmscreen, Sonance, Monitor Audio, Surge X, Perfect Path, Liberty, JL Audio, Integra, IC Realtime, Epson, Canon and Certified Cyber Solutions.

The group earlier announced five charter members: David Daniels, CEO of Electronics Systems Consultants, Aspen, Colo.; Mike Thul, founder of Thul Electronics, Vail, Colo.; Andrew Oxenhorn, president, JL Audio; Keith Haas, director of sales for Integra; and Philip McPhee, global sales manager for Harman’s Luxury Audio group.