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Thiel Goes to Online Sales with Amazon.com

by Clint DeBoer — July 07, 2010

Thiel logo

World renowned loudspeaker company Thiel Audio has announced that seven models from their award winning lineup have become available through Amazon.com for the US market. These models include the architectural products, bookshelf speakers and subwoofers.

“We believe that online commerce for high performance audio will include the largest retailers such as Amazon,” explained Ken Dawkins, Vice President of North American Sales for Thiel. “Our relationship with Amazon will position Thiel advantageously for the future as more consumers rely on the Internet to research and purchase premium products,” Dawkins continued. Because Amazon.com offers goods within almost every category that people shop for, the online retailer also has the unique ability to cross-merchandise Thiel with other high performance products from any category, promoting growth for the Thiel brand as well as providing increased visibility for the high performance audio marketplace as a whole.

The list of Thiel models available on Amazon.com include the PowerPlane 1.2 and HigherPlane 1.2 in-wall and in-ceiling speakers, the revolutionary PowerPoint 1.2 aluminum on-wall/on-ceiling speaker, the DewPoint outdoor speaker, the legendary SCS4 and MCS1 bookshelf/center-channel speakers and new subwoofer product to be unveiled later in 2010. “We are confident that there are numerous potential customers who may not be close to a local Thiel retailer but have an existing comfort level with Amazon and want access to the brand,” Dawkins related.

Dawkins also envisions the increased brand exposure through Amazon.com as a powerful tool for all Thiel dealers. “Amazon has the unique ability to exhibit and sell any product at any price point, making Thiel visible to every demographic in all communities throughout the USA,” added Dawkins, who noted that the Internet retailer has done a superb job of expanding their presence in the audio industry.

About Thiel
Thiel Audio Products Company is a privately-held engineering-driven organization that performs research, design, and manufacturing of loudspeakers for the highest quality home music and video sound reproduction. Our products incorporate a variety of technological advancements in driver design, acoustical construction techniques, and crossover design. All our work is directed toward one end: to provide the most realistic sound reproduction possible. THIEL’s product range includes surface-mount speakers, in-wall/in-ceiling speakers, subwoofers, bookshelf and theater speakers as well as THIEL’s world famous floor-standing speakers. Prices range from $990 (each) for the PowerPlane® and HigherPlane® to the flagship CS3.7 at $12,900 per pair. (www.thielaudio.com)

Discuss This Article

PENG posts on July 09, 2010 22:15

It is about time higher end products are made available for online purchase. I would have no trouble purchasing well established high end products such as those by McIntosh, Krell, Thiel, Dynaudio, KEF and yes B&W too without demo.

walter duque posts on July 09, 2010 21:38

IMO, this is what I think. When I hear the name Klipsch, this https://www.klipsch.com/na-en/products/heritage/ is what comes to my mind. That's the only Klipsch that I know. I did own the Cornwalls back in 75, great sounding speakers for the times. They are using highly respected names and cashing on them. Not to trash anybodies brand preferences, take brands like Klipsch, Kef (where is the flat piston driver that put this company on the map?), Mourtand Short, Polk, Altec, JBL, DCM, Schnell and now Thiel, this list could go on and on.. These are well know brands. So why not produce a speaker that costs let say $100.00 to manufacture in China, retail it at 1K and discount it at 50% off, still not a bad profit marging, right? And everybody is making money. And people are getting sucked into this game. I just hate for many of us to be taken for a ride like this, that's why they call it selling out. Thiel is an excellent speaker company and I sure hope they don't go that route.
That's like Nakamichi, Akai and Teak Plasma TV's, what a joke?

GordonW posts on July 07, 2010 17:25

Oh no…

IMHO, IME, this is likely the surest way to kill the Thiel dealer network. Once you allow on-line sales (which, usually, results in on-line deep discounting, possible because on-line dealer have very little overhead, since they don't have demonstration facilities), the brick-and-mortar dealers will find it hard to support the overhead necessary to do proper presentation of the speakers. Which will result in a similar situation, to what many brands are finding themselves, now… all their traditional dealers (with demo rooms) are going away, and the ONLY way you can find anything about them, is by some internet review… which may or may not be by someone who knows what they are talking about. Who would, in sound mind, be willing to spend serious coin on a speaker that they can't demo in person?

Regards,
Gordon.

Seth=L posts on July 07, 2010 15:43

I guess they figure since Mr. Thiel has passed they would that they would do exactly the sort of thing he would never have gone along with. Next you'll tell me they have started making them in China.

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About the author:

Clint Deboer was terminated from Audioholics for misconduct on April 4th, 2014. He no longer represents Audioholics in any fashion.

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