CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA — April 16, 2007 — Crutchfield, the nation's first integrated marketer of consumer electronics products, announced today that it is the proud recipient of the inaugural e-tailing excellence award' based on the e-tailing group's 9th Annual Mystery Shopping Study. The award recognizes top performing retailers that excel at online customer service and includes measurements of the contact center, online metrics, email to the merchant and live chat. Crutchfield proudly met all of the criteria established relative to customer service and communication.

"Crutchfield consistently demonstrates that the web self-service model can be both efficient and profitable for the retailer, while at the same time offering the customer everything they want and need in a timely, efficient manner from the moment they get onto the website until the product arrives at their doorstep," said Lauren Freedman, president of the e-tailing group. "Crutchfield is particularly deserving of our 'e-tailing excellence award' because of their dedication to customer service and pursuit of excellence across channels."

To qualify as "top performing" Crutchfield was ranked using benchmarking criteria extrapolated directly from results of the survey. Crutchfield demonstrated exemplary performance in all areas, including search relevancy, hours to answer email, number of clicks from product selection to checkout and business days to receive items.

"We have always been committed to providing our customers with the very best online and telephone service and support, so we are pleased to be honored by the e-tailing group for our achievements," said Andy Stevenson, senior director of Crutchfield.com. "Our unique approach to personalized attention is what keeps our customers coming back time and time again."

Crutchfield handles nearly two million telephone, e-mail and live online interactions with customers each year, offering sales, service and support in both English and Spanish. All purchases also come with free lifetime technical support from Crutchfield's staff of highly trained support technicians.

About Crutchfield Corporation
Crutchfield Corporation, which celebrates its 33rd anniversary in 2007, is the nation's first integrated marketer (catalog, call center, and Internet) of consumer electronics products. Since its introduction in 1974, the Crutchfield catalog has been a respected authority on car and home entertainment products, winning multiple awards for quality, design, and usefulness. Crutchfield's Sales, Customer Service and Technical Advisors are noted for their high integrity, product expertise, and technical support. They are available by phone, e-mail, and live online chat. Crutchfield.com offers a convenient, full-service shopping destination to buyers of car and home audio/video products. CrutchfieldAdvisor.com is an all-information website that serves as a single comprehensive source about consumer electronics. Crutchfield was the first vendor-authorized audio/video retailer on the Internet and is one of only two retailers to have won BizRate's coveted "Circle of Excellence" award seven times.

Media Relations Contacts:

Bridgette King
Crutchfield Public Relations
Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
(954) 937-9616
bridgette@getthescoop.com

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