Suggestions for Holiday Season "Extras"

The holiday season is almost here, and headphones are expected to be a top seller. With more options than ever, headphone companies are going to have to start offering various deals to make their products stand out. Since most headphones can be found at discounted prices on secondary sites like Amazon or Buy.com, headphone companies need to start offering some sort of "extra bonus" for purchasing their products on their official websites. Instead of offering a discount on prices which would limit profit, companies could offer an "extra" gift which is more beneficial and could be the difference between a great 4th quarter and an average one. Below are a few suggestions for some of the newer CelebHeadphone companies.

Sol Republic: While I appreciate the interchangeability of Sol Republic Tracks Headphones, let’s face it, hardly anyone actually uses this feature.  To jumpstart interest in this feature, Sol Republic should provide a free extra headband with new purchases.  Not many people are willing to spend $30 on a headband, but, once they have two, interest in customization could grow.  

House of Marley: Before any of their products were released to the public, the company said that each headphone would come with a "1love" bracelet. Well two years later there's still no included bracelet, but, luckily for them, it’s the perfect time of year to include one with every purchase for the holidays.

SMS Audio:  Everyone knows that 50 Cent has proven himself as the king of gorilla marketing, but his audio company, SMS Audio, hasn't excelled in this category.  One way to boost brand recognition is with extra merchandise. Although they currently offer some SMS Audio branded products on their site, all of it is extremely overpriced. Anyone who buys one of their t-shirts for $35, or a 50 Cent iPhone case for $40 is Ludacris (pun intended). If I were SMS Audio, I would offer free SMS t-shirt or hat with each headphone purchased. Not only would it be a cheap form of advertising, consumers would feel more inclined to spend the $300+ on one of their headphones if they knew they were getting a gift as well.

Soul by Ludacris: The California-based headphone company, V-Moda, has recently announced they would be offering a free pair of their Faders VIP earbuds with any purchase. While Soul doesn't have to go to this extent, they could offer a serious discount on their earbuds with each purchase of their over-ear headphones. Depending on the amount spent, each customer could receive a percentage off one of their earbuds.

What do you think of these suggestions?

House of Marley Positive Vibrations Headphones

The House of Marley Company was started with three principles in mind: Superior Quality, Eco Friendly and Charity.  The company ensures outstanding quality that even Bob Marley himself would be proud of; while also maintaining products that are sustainable, renewable and recyclable.  In addition to the eco-friendly aspect, the Marley Family wanted to give back a portion of their profits to the 1Love Fountain, which is an organization that continues to instill Bob Marley’s message of a more peaceful, clean and hopeful future.

The House of Marley has decided to divide its audio products by price points into three collections: Jammin’, Freedom, and Destiny.  Each collection has a variety of earphones, headphones and docks.  The product’s names bear some memory of Bob Marley.  Today, I will review the Positive Vibration on-ear headphones, which is part of the Jammin’ Collection. 

The Positive Vibrations have three distinctly different designs: Sun, Rasta and Roots.  Each design sports vastly different color schemes, which allows consumers to choose a style that best fits their personality.  We will be looking more closely at the Rasta design in this review.  The heavily padded headband is covered by a stitched canvas, which I like because it gives these headphones a unique look and feel.  One of the best features is the stylish cord, which is wrapped in fabric and engrained with Rasta colors.  Overall, the design fuses a rugged feel with a modern and youthful style.

As with all on-ear headphones comfort is a very important aspect.  Although these headphones do not pinch your ears like some other headphones, they do cause your ears to become warm during long uses.  This is mostly because of the snug fit, which in turn minimizes bulkiness when worn.

Now I will move onto the sound quality aspect of the Positive Vibrations.  Not surprisingly, these headphones sound much better with genres like R&B, Hip-Hop, Pop and Reggae. There is a good balance between treble and bass, with neither overpowering the other.   There is some slight sound leakage but that is to be expected with a lower priced headphone.  While sound quality is nothing special, the House of Marley’s target consumer will surely be satisfied with the overall sound quality.  If you decide to pick up these headphones, be sure to throw on a Bob Marley song, sit back, relax and feel the Positive Vibrations.

Price: $59.99

Available Now

Pros

• Rugged & Modern Design
• Included Carrying Case
• Fabric Rasta Cord

Cons

• Causes Ear Sweats
• Sound Leakage
• Average Sound Quality

Overall Rating: 7.5/10