Home Technology Specialists of America (HTSA) selected Meridian America as a preferred vendor, giving Meridian access to HTSA membership “while still maintaining a controlled distribution,” said Meridian America CEO Peter Wellikoff.
The partnership fits in with the high-end AV brand’s “less-is-more strategy,” which has been successful, he told TWICE. Under that strategy, Meridian America significantly scaled back its dealer base and product selection beginning in 2009 and, by June of this year, reduced its dealer base to 100 accounts from 250 as part of an effort to focus more resources on fewer, more committed dealers. As part of that effort, Meridian also adopted more of a luxury position in the AV market.
By the end of this year, the company expects its dealer base could grow to as many as 120 from the current 100, in part through the HTSA partnership.
Meridian previously did business with about a third of HTSA’s 61 members, and with the formal HTSA partnership, Meridian is able to participate in all HTSA initiatives and programs, Wellikoff said. Neither the HTSA member nor preferred vendor, however, is required to engage in business together. “This is still done on a case-by-case basis, although ‘preferred’ is the operative word,” he said.
To read this entire story, please click here to visit www.twice.com
