OnStar Signs More Than 1,600 Retail Locations
More than 1,600 retailers, including all nationwide Best Buy locations, will sell OnStar's new $299 rear-view mirror system that offers OnStar services like automatic crash response, hands-free calling and turn-by-turn navigation.
Pontiac-based ABC Warehouse's 43 locations are among the retailers.
Best Buy, OnStar's first strategic retail partner, will offer on-site installation for $75 to $100, while the online retailer Crutchfield will sell the product nationwide with referrals to third-party installers. A range of service plans will be available, starting at $18.95 a month or $199 a year. The retail mirror goes on sale this spring.
OnStar announced the product at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on Jan. 4, offering OnStar service for the first time in non-GM and older GM vehicles already on the road.
The mirror is validated to work on 99 percent of the top 20-selling non-GM vehicles over the last 10 years, or approximately 55 million cars and trucks, with more validations in process.
The new retail product provides the key features that have made OnStar's "blue button" an icon, including stolen vehicle location assistance, one-button access to emergency and roadside services, and Bluetooth connectivity.
"Our customers have been asking for years to add OnStar in the cars and trucks they already own -- so we're confident there will be strong demand for the OnStar product right out of the gate," said Greg Ross, OnStar's vice president of business extensions.
Ingram Micro is the exclusive master distributor for the retail mirror, responsible for distribution and logistics, merchandising, installation and technical support.
"OnStar is a strong brand name that will drive significant numbers of first-time customers into 12-volt and consumer electronics retailers," said John Soumbasakis, Ingram Micro's senior vice president of specialty solutions. "As a safety product, many drivers view OnStar as a 'must-have' rather than a 'nice-to-have' purchase. Ingram Micro looks forward to helping retailers make the most of this unique opportunity."
In addition to Best Buy and Crutchfield, several regional retailers will carry the mirror, including:
* ABC Warehouse of Pontiac, 43 locations
* Al & Ed's Autosound of Van Nuys, Calif., 18 locations
* Car Toys of Seattle, Wash., 49 locations
* Columbus Car Audio of Columbus, Ohio, three locations
* Drive-In Autosound of Colorado Springs, Colo., six locations
* P.C. Richard & Son of Carteret, N.J., 65 locations
* Sound Of Tri-State of Wilmington, Del.; three locations.
Retailers interested in selling the OnStar product and service can visit Ingram Micro's OnStar site at www.ingrammicro.com/onstar, e-mail OnStar@ingrammicro.com or call (877) 733-6770.
For more information on OnStar's innovation and the new OnStar mirror, visit www.onstar.com.
OnStar is a subsidiary of General Motors.
