High-performance audio and video manufacturer, Sherwood America Inc., has established a new Unilateral Minimum Resellers Pricing Policy (UMRP) for two AV Receiver products in the specialty distribution channel. This policy, which applies to the Sherwood Newcastle R-972 and Sherwood R-904N NetBoxx receivers, states that Sherwood will unilaterally cease deliveries of product to dealers that do not comply with the program’s minimum pricing for advertising and resale on these specific models.
“Our commitment to provide our customers with high-value products and excellent sales support led to the creation of this policy,” Sherwood’s senior VP for marketing and product development, Jeffrey Hipps, said. “Both of these new products feature unique new technologies, and to sell them we have selected audio-video specialist dealers with a strong commitment to proper product demonstration and sales support. This carefully selected specialty distribution chain deserves a level of profitability commensurate with their investment in staff, training and display facilities, and the policy is intended to encourage competition for the sale of Sherwood products in a manner consistent with the long term interests of both our dealers and end-user customers.”
The Sherwood Newcastle R-972 AV receiver is the first consumer product that incorporates the Trinnov Optimizer. Based on the $13,000 professional Trinnov processor, the R-972 is designed to provide spatial correction of the acoustic soundfield, literally re-positioning the acoustic location of each channel electronically so that the acoustic images of a recording are correctly positioned.
The Sherwood R-904 NetBoxx receiver is a compact high-performance receiver that has been designed with what the manufacturer calls “an unprecedented ability to play physical and Internet/streaming media without a PC.” The R-904 features Dolby Volume, the highest-resolution Dolby and DTS 7.1 audio formats, and “green” Energy Star digital amplification, and NetBoxx.
Sherwood has distributed terms of this policy to all dealers to provide guidance for the preparation of dealer advertising and the usage of co-op funds. The policy covers all forms of print, broadcast, direct mail, and online advertising, as well as in-store displays and offers for sale. Dealers that do not conform to the policy will no longer be shipped these products.
