Merchant Spotlight: Quality Mobile Video

Q: What inspired you to open an online store dedicated to electronics for people on the move?

Lorenzo DiMichieli: I was a college business administration student that worked for a 12 volt mobile electronics distributor. During my employment, I would walk in daily saying, 'I can do this' ... 'imagining this were my business what would I do differently?' I loved the business and wanted to have a business of my own. I continued to work for my previous employer to gain additional knowledge and ending up asking to leave after 4 years. During my request to leave the owner of the business asked what I intended on doing, I told him my idea of opening a retail internet business that specialized in Mobile Video. He loved the idea and became my partner.

Q: Since launching the store, where have you seen shifts in the mobile electronics market? What factors led to these shifts?

Lorenzo: The shift in the business has been very dramatic. The business when we first opened was a high margin low unit business -- those were the early years of video in a car. Today the business is a high volume low margin business because it is nearly a necessity to have a TV in the car.

Q: With over 16 years in the business, you have seen many new developments in mobile video technology. Which electronic brands or product categories have consistently retained their quality year after year?

Lorenzo: Quality is a very big issue as this industry has gone mainstream. This continues to be the single most difficult problem we face. The brands in this business arent widely known names. We aim to offer the customer a reliable way to find and experience non-well know brands.

Q: DVD headrests continue to grow in popularity -- what benefit do they provide families who are traveling long distances?

Lorenzo: The benefit to a video system is the occupation of the children. Children have a desire to learn and see things, but sitting in a car for extended amounts of time is simply something they hate, we all do. Children now have something to do while they parents are driving. They can watch education movies or just watch their favorite cartoon. Children are occupied and parents can stay sane.

Q: What is your best selling product right now? How about the top selling product category?

Lorenzo: Our top selling category is headrest monitors. They offer the ability for each child to watch there own program. This is great for families with more than one child.

Q: Many states in the past few years have banned radar detectors from vehicles. What resources are available for drivers to determine the legality of purchasing one of your detectors?

Lorenzo: Radar detectors are not a strong category for us. Our resources are dedicated to mobile video.

Q: What are some safe driving tips when using your mobile electronics in the car?

Lorenzo: The single greatest tip we can give is do not install a video monitor that displays anything other than navigation in view of the driver. Many people disregard this message. Texting while driving is dangerous, but watching a movie while driving is simply irresponsible. The second tip we try to emphasize is to use wireless headphones -- movie sound effects and soundtracks are very distracting to a driver.

Q: Your blog contains a large amount of audio and video clips about your mobile electronics. How has the blog benefited your business and helped customers with their purchasing decisions?

Lorenzo: The blog gives us a away to show customers ideas and products without actually trying to sell something. One thing our industry needs more of is educators. Mobile video will eventually become a necessary device, similar to a home TV. The only way that we can get it there is to make customers see the value of the device. For less than a single airline ticket, parents can have a device that makes road trips far more enjoyable for everyone while avoiding the hassle of airline travel.

Q: How do your online discussion forums connect potential new buyers with your store products? What topics are commonly discussed?

Lorenzo: Our online forums really need work. We would like to engage with our customers more through this avenue, however, due to is very small size, the forum is subject to spammers. This is an area of emphasis that we have planned for late this summer.

Q: What else would you like to share with us about Quality Mobile Video?

Lorenzo: We are dedicated enthusiasts that enjoy the business.