ARCHIVED FORUM -- March 2012 to February 2022READ ONLY FORUM
This is the second Archived Forum which was active between 1st March 2012 and 23rd February 2022
It is sad that so many B&O shops are closing with just a few B&O owned shops remaining, however I dont think it is altogether surprising.
I mostly shop local but high streets in general are changing massively, they have become mecca to ladies fashion - I went into an M&S shop the other day and 2/3 of it was dominated by female fashion, the remainder was kids or mens clothes. The same with the high street, make up shops, nail bars, places to eat, fashion shops, discount shops. No music shops, HiFi or TV shops or anything that I would be interested in. No more traditional pubs where you can smoke an e-cig and have a pint without kids running round and people eating gastro lunches, no more junk/antique shops in fact nothing that would entice a 50 year old make into a high street. Maybe John Lewis though but hardly worth the effort after driving clogged streets and extortionate parking charges.
The situation doesn't get better on the outskirts of our major towns and cities, what with parking restrictions everywhere - I can understand the argument for being green but train prices are also extortionate.
Unfortunately the majority of the general public prefer to buy TV's or Hifi's from out of town retail parks alongside the likes of B&Q, Pet and Garden places etc.
I don't know what the answer is and am saddened that our high streets have become so uninteresting - the B&O shops closing make them even less interesting. Fortunately it's not all bad - there are places like Norwich that do have a B&O shop, do have record shops and everything else that appeals to both men and women - and it is worth the 60 mile drive.
I'd be interested to know what peoples views are of their high streets and if there is a trend that the shops are closing where the clothes shops dominate or if it is due to a change in consumer purchasing habits - maybe if it is a change in habit combined with clothes shops then a move maybe to have B&O in John Lewis in the same way they do in Selfridges and Harrods - at least we would be able to get to see new stuff in the flesh and compared to the competition I am sure they would do very well?
As with almost everything in the UK, we follow the US. I say almost everything, and that's true, but one thing we do follow the USA in is consumerism - and how we shop, and eat...
We're generally 10 years behind, in my experience.
When I was in the Motor Trade it was all small independent garages. A customer would spend all day Saturday and Sunday driving round to the various garages, make a shortlist, go back and test drive, then return to the one garage to negotiate a deal and make the purchase. That was how it was done.
I flew over to the USA and was astonished by the lack of small independents, and the sheer scale of the 'super dealerships' with 1,000 or 2,000 cars. All fixed price, all cheap thanks to the volume/scale, fixed prices - and a one-stop shop as they'd have pretty much any variation of any car you wanted. One place, one 'trip', get it done, buy the car, enjoy the rest of your weekend.
That was in 2002. Now, in the UK we have Cargiant, Unbeatable Car, Available Car, all stocking thousands of cars.
If you're a big brand in a big city in the USA, the scale will carry you. If you're a small independent looking to set up a new business, the rents hamstring you to a point where it's just not worth bothering. Same in the UK.
The younger generation also seem more comfortable dealing with 'brand names' - wether that be Costa, Starbucks, Game, Cash Converters, and so on... Rarely (if ever) do I see a 'young person' in an independent specialist hi-fi store saying "So, what's the best speaker dock / which are the best headphones?" and so on. They read online reviews, stroll into the big discounter, and buy them - in a sealed packet. (We're back to marketing here.. AGAIN)
In the US, when I've been, you do get these 'slightly out of town' Mini-Mall areas. They usually have a Subway, a restaurant, some small shops and independent businesses (usually nail bars and therapy practices) where the local community drop in. I can't see a B&O Dealership in any of these though...
Here in the UK, as the urban population grows and grows, and more people own cars - and there are less places to park them, we're shying away from town centres. Personally, I'll only go into my local town if I have to. No longer do I think "I'll go have a wander around the town centre" like I used to. I'd always end up buying something when I did....
I think there's a gap in the market for 'Boutique Destinations' for developers. Somewhere out of town, where land is cheaper and parking is plentiful, where the rents don't have to be sky-high. Maybe something part-funded by the government to boost businesses and create jobs? Who knows...
Lee
Don't forget Andrew, that the majority of 'consumers' are shopping on line! Of course, the high street is changing. The world is connected now, it's a smaller place. It's more European, it's international. I posted a really great article on how the younger generations are spending their income as it's certainly changed compared to say a 45 year old. Also, in today's economy, how many people seriously have £5K or £4K to spend on a TV or a pair of loudspeakers? Of course B&O shops are total history, for the UK at least. Record shops went out of business years ago when people started downloading and then streaming. Yes vinyl sales peaked for a short time but, most of those sales were from the novelty market - the people buying the Crosley record players for a bit of fun and 2. The collector buying the Pink Flloyd record and saving it, hoping that it would increase in value.
I disagree Lee. Certainly, certain people follow the USA but I believe that the educated of the UK follow European culture rather than the USA. The USA has 70% of people with obesity, 70% are RELIANT on pharmaceutical drugs, the country is trying to push GMO food on its people with no labelling even though they are totally aware of the cancers that are caused by them. Seriously, if you talk to younger, educated people, they totally shun what goes on in that country and certainly would not buy rubbish from Subway, McDonalds and 'pretend food' places. Maybe the 52% are pro USA in habit but there's the 48% of the UK that are a million miles away from that. And Lee, there's a night and day difference there. Go to a few universities and have a talk to the English and international Masters students - it'll give you a totally different perception than what you are mentioning!
It's also the fact that educated people have woken up to the true consequences of consumerism. They are buying less as there is zero reason to have a house full of 'stuff'.
Paul, I don't think talking to the international educated elite gives you an accurate reflection of the thought processes of the general public in the United Kingdom?
In todays economy, plenty of people have £4k-£5k to spend on Loudspeakers. These people are usually over 35-40 years old.
As for culture - the general view is that young Europeans look to the USA for mainstream cultural influence. Most of the world looks to America. When a country throws open its doors to capitalism and consumerism they queue round the block to have a burger from the newly opened McDonalds, or a coffee from the newly opened Starbucks.
I also disagree that educated people don't want 'stuff'. They do - but as they're 'educated' they want the coolest 'stuff'.....
Paul, where do you get this stuff from?
Paul W: Don't forget Andrew, that the majority of 'consumers' are shopping on line!
Don't forget Andrew, that the majority of 'consumers' are shopping on line!
Meanwhile, back in the real world.........
in July 2016, 14% of retail sales (excluding fuel) in the UK were made on-line according to the office for national statistics. This is forecast to increase to 21% by 2018.
Paul W: It's also the fact that educated people have woken up to the true consequences of consumerism. They are buying less as there is zero reason to have a house full of 'stuff'.
People aren't buying less, UK consumer spending has never been higher in absolute or real terms.
Just saying.
Duels:Meanwhile, back in the real world......... in July 2016, 14% of retail sales (excluding fuel) in the UK were made on-line according to the office for national statistics. This is forecast to increase to 21% by 2018. Just saying.
I voted out Paul for reasons I'm not going to bore other Beoworlders about, and I don't believe this is the place for political dogma.
But are you seriously suggesting that myself an airline captain, and all my collegues who voted out bar one, are uneducated morons?
Personally I find it deeply offensive, and is a detriment to this site that you are allowed to persistently continue to post this nonsense.
Beosound Stage, Beovision 8-40, Beolit 20, Beosound Explore.
Interesting but I think like all things the novelty will wear off - yes great for tins of beans and heavy stuff where you know what you are buying but for things you need to see, hear or feel I think people will start to move back to shops (I hope). In London there has been a massive rise apparently in the numbers of independent butchers, fishmongers etc as I suppose the educated people who watch the likes of Nigella want to sometimes during the week buy fresh and cook at home after being in offices and under pressure.
I haven't a clue where Paul gets his stats but the figures for US obesity are much less than 70% - in fact 40% for women and 35% for men - 29% for boys and girls but this figure also includes overweight so it is in fact less and shows a downward trend - in England 29%of women and 24% of men - figures vary for Scotland, Ireland and Wales - source is World Obesity Federation. I guess the stats for educated and uneducated as based totally on Pauls interpretation from the results of a recent referendum....
Chris Townsend: Personally I find it deeply offensive, and is a detriment to this site that you are allowed to persistently continue to post this nonsense.
I find it both fascinating and puzzling in equal measure that someone can actually be a caricature of themselves.
I do actually think that Paul presents some valid arguments and would agree with him that a percentage of the UK/European populous are making very genuine connected efforts to move away from USA consumerism and lifestyle choices. I count myself as one of them. We cannot disagree about the obesity levels as this is very factual and the USA stands out in this regard. I have changed my lifestyle choices having looked at the USA (primarily) and seen the negative impact of the fast food industry and how this affects people - it's not a way I want to live, or look like. Many people look awful. They have really let themselves go with little to no self respect and then they rely on the medical industry (drugs) to support or 'fix' them, rather than taking the responsibility themselves to get well by working out at the gym and eating sensibly. It's a quick fix solution based society/model that doesn't work and while I agree with Lee that some people in the UK might follow that model (including the consumerism model) I am more inclined to agree with Paul that many of us see how ludicrous it all is and actually don't. I find myself so much less interested now in spending money on expensive items. I have a lot of money to spend if I want to, but I just don't want to as I have realised over the years it doesn't really give me all that much happiness, the latter of which is obtained from friends, relationships and experiences - not products.
I think that the forum is rather harsh with Paul and gives him a hard time when at times, he presents good arguments with validity. We can all agree there is a way of saying something and at times we can all improve and present arguments better, but please, stop bullying Paul as I am a bit tired of reading it in various forum threads. He's not like Flappo, who used to frequent this forum and was darn out rude and offensive on many occasions. I like you and respect you Paul. I find you interesting and filled with passion, wherever that might take you. And... as for possibly being bipolar as a recent member suggested, good for you! I am bipolar too and very proud of it! Makes us interesting and unique :)
Simon.
B&O products are V1-32, BS2, H95, E8 and an Essence remote.11-46 now replaced with Sony A90J 65”, Sony HT-A9, Sony UBP-X800M2 and Sony SRS-NS7.
Andrew: I haven't a clue where Paul gets his stats but the figures for US obesity are much less than 70% - in fact 40% for women and 35% for men
I haven't a clue where Paul gets his stats but the figures for US obesity are much less than 70% - in fact 40% for women and 35% for men
So that's 75% in total. Paul was nearly right
I'll also add that I am half Greek half English, and can tell you that the Greeks have never embraced McDonalds since it opened in Greece. The restaurants are often empty with Greeks being much more loyal to the Greek equivalent, which is a lot healthier. The Greeks are very passionate about keeping Greece Greek, and not losing their identity to the USA. I don't blame the USA for this, not at all, and I am not trying to be political, but I do want to give credence to Pauls arguments because I believe them to be correct and while the English may disagree (clearly judging by some of your responses) the Greeks and many other Europeans would understand exactly with what he presents, and that's fact.
Band'oh!
I respect you sticking up for Paul and my own view of the forum is that the more variety there is in views and opinions the better. That's the point of a forum.
But I would disagree with your comment that he is not offensive. See Chris's post above. He seems to be offended.
To my mind Paul posts extremely bold and provocative statements and opinions at times, quite deliberately. This is not a bad thing on a forum and he is perfectly entitled to do so. But one cannot be surprised if people react to being called (directly or indirectly) old, uneducated or vulgar. And one cannot be surprised if people react when one day they are told they should only buy £250 designer shirts and £6,000 bikes and the next that we should not be materialistic.
Paul gets robust replies to robust and provocative posts. He's not bullied. If he was he wouldn't spend so much time on here (as so many of us do). Paul is not here for the love of the brand, he is here to share his views of the world and life which is absolutely fine by me. But if you're going to lob hand-grenades about you shouldn't be surprised if some come back.
Again, respect to you for your posts.
I’ll give everyone my 2 cents on this. I’ve indicated similar thoughts in my recent thread comments. If it is too socio-econo-political….well tough! – just ignore it.
I’m a Brit. I travel the world with work going from work assignment to work assignment. Usually in 6month to 2 year stints. I go back to the UK for my home and holidays. I tend to develop a world-view model of things from the perspective of being paid very well but yet retaining working-class roots and comparing the various places I have lived. I am currently residing in the US Mid-West.
World-view goes like this.
In the last 20-odd years both in the UK and the US, there has been a shift from productive to unproductive work. By this I mean from productive to unproductive capital driven by Social agendas and not true Capitalism (Crony-Capitalism). This has resulted in the ubiquitous “rich getting richer, poor getting poorer” and the self-licking ice-cream of (any) government getting greedier and greedier with its own people.
Here in the US, I can attest (Paul_W’s obesity issue) that it costs me dollar x2 to eat fresh fruit, vegetables and meat than it does to eat out (or do a take-away). There is nothing I would call fine-dining or healthy dining here - just low-grade cr@p food – usually covered in cheese to add flavour (and calories). No one where I live looks like they look in Hollywood. Obamacare has caused medical insurance rates to multiply (rather than decrease). Outsourcing of jobs i.e. social globalisation is reducing wages and “good jobs”.
Net result. Disposable incomes going down – particularly with the young, people struggling and prioritising what they do spend their money on. My experience is that real people in the US are not particularly well educated (not their fault but the systems) and they are certainly not well-paid. In fact, I would say average real wages here are less than that of the UK.
In the UK, I see that we are taxed to an inch of our lives and the Rentier-class sucks the money out of the UK economy. As with the US, outsourcing of jobs i.e. social globalisation is reducing wages and “good jobs”. We are now a nation of coffee bars and bistros and although the food is certainly better than the US, its not exactly a well-paying industry. My partner can attest to that.
Net result. Disposable incomes going down – particularly with the young, people struggling and prioritising what they do spend their money on.
So in my world-view, it is not necessarily corporate commercialism which is the problem – that is business survivalism within the rules. I am for a free and fair market. True Capitalism which applies to both the big and little person. However, the powers that be prefer not to let us have a fair and free market.
Back to B&O, either they need to change their business model and either/or entice those with less disposable with significantly cheaper products (race to the bottom) or supply the Oligarchs with premier cost home entertainment products And guess what – that appears to be what they may be actually doing. However, I do question though how sustainable it is for them because their traditional middle-class customer base is evaporating and those that are left probably don’t like looking up or down at what is on offer.
Just to knock this why B&O stores are closing nonsense on the head.
TV viewing per capita. Top, the USA. Next and with the lowest levels of obesity and cancer on the planet.......Japan.
http://www.statista.com/statistics/276748/average-daily-tv-viewing-time-per-person-in-selected-countries/
Some interesting posts in this thread. All my life I've heard Europeans whine about "Ugly Americans" but it appears that there are a significant number of "Ugly Europeans" or "Ugly Brits" wandering about as well, who are perfectly willing to indulge in insulting stereotypes about Americans.
I guess ignorance, self-righteousness, and insular thinking is common world wide sadly.
Jeff
I'm afraid I'm recovering from the BeoVirus.
Bollox is bollox in whatever language its written! Ironically (in this case only) there was a thread of sense in the post - right up until it veered off into the Tofu fuelled, self-righteous newage hippy nonsense.
Why blame the americans, why not ourselves for forging the millennial generation (also known as the Kardashian generation), 70% of whom consider being able to post photographs of their genitals on the internet as a lifeskill or else thinks it makes them technically proficient. Maybe they've done a degree on reality tv or the complete history of Friends. Most consider manual labour beneath them. Why is being, fat, idle, uneducated and uninteresed anyone's problem but ours and our year upon years of insipid, ineffectual, politically correct, self serving governments.
Ban boring signatures!
We do appear to have gone off my original thread - thanks Paul! - your are entitled to your views as much as anyone else, however perhaps they could be expressed in a more educated, elegant way so as not to cause offence - if not then fine - they are always entertaining
Standing up for the US - most of the blogs about minimalism and simple living all originate from the US - there are a couple from the UK and non that I can find from Europe. They advocate the kind of life I personally would like to live. However most of the life lessons I have learnt - rightly or wrongly - on minimising, cutting down, buying good quality, eating healthily, spending time outdoors and not watching TV have been reaffirmed and the ideas born from these Americans - perhaps the reality is different and of course it is a small minority - but then America is a much bigger country than the UK.
I agree with Jowus in that money does not equal taste - back in college we called it socio economic grouping which was basically some people will aspire to one thing, one to another - in my years following college neither is right or wrong and we should respect peoples choices.
We look at this site because we either love the old B&O or the new - neither is right or wrong and either doesn't equal taste or education. Just as voting in or out in the UK is not a measure of ones education - I know lots of people that voted either way and not for uneducated reasons, but for reasoned arguments, so I doubt that can be used as any measure of education and many of these like Chris are in high powered jobs that require tremendous skill and knowledge, some aren't and they voted to stay in! Anyway, this thread isn't about the rights and wrongs of brexit - we voted to leave and the world hasn't ended - we are meant to be an international community on this site that share, respect and learn from each others cultures - let's keep it that way.
Back to my original thread, which I apologise should have been posted in lifestyle, and did not mean to cause this argument - do we still have high streets that we want to visit or has the world, apart from East Anglia, UK, gone Mall and clothes shop crazy and where does the future of B&O lie - yes, the Play range is incredibly important and will draw in and suit young customers - but what about the rest of us?
Jeff: Some interesting posts in this thread. All my life I've heard Europeans whine about "Ugly Americans" but it appears that there are a significant number of "Ugly Europeans" or "Ugly Brits" wandering about as well, who are perfectly willing to indulge in insulting stereotypes about Americans. I guess ignorance, self-righteousness, and insular thinking is common world wide sadly.
So true. As German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer once said: "In ordinary life, we hardly realize that we receive a great deal more than we give, and that it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich."
With all of the hype surrounding the internet, entrepreneurs, small-business owners and marketers often overlook the importance of offline marketing. An offline-online blend is vital to a successful marketing strategy. They should be more focused on delivering value and evangelizing their customers at every possible touch point. The use of social media is very important in this, be involved in the same social media channels as your customers. Do a exercise in human psychology and find that focus has to be on social and content marketing.
B&O has not yet managed to defy the trend and adapt its business model to the changing times. With online retailing giants like Amazon dominating the electronic retail segment, B&O has to come up with new strategies to retain its loyal customer base. They simply have to choose a new strategy “price match guarantee” which matches the prices of its products by with the lowest ones available online. By doing so, the retailer could been able to capture customers who otherwise would have simply visited its stores to browse electronic products and ordered them later online. They have to support also their dealers a lot more as they actually do now, because unlike the big online retailing giants a dealer has to pay all of those people who work in its stores and the overhead of rent and electricity, etc.
The strategy B&O is following now comes with a cost to dealers and puts the retail store margins under pressure, forcing the company to restructure its business operations.
At the end, it’s all about understanding people to create a real human connection between the customer and brand.
"Believe nothing you read and only half of what you see, let your ears tell you the truth."
Hi Jeff,
I'd like to apologise for my recent posts, which having read back, I feel very uncomfortable about having written and submitted publicly. I can't explain what my mindset was at the time of writing and I am not really sure either why I felt I needed to jump in on the back of Paul W's comments. Either way, my views were attacking and stereotyping towards the USA as you suggested and I regret saying them. Perhaps my own low mood was starting to kick in and at these times I can be quite negative and not always exercise self control, although no excuse.
Sincere apologies for any offence caused, Simon.
There is a B&O shop in Colchester - near the castle
BAND'OH!: Hi Jeff, I'd like to apologise for my recent posts, which having read back, I feel very uncomfortable about having written and submitted publicly. I can't explain what my mindset was at the time of writing and I am not really sure either why I felt I needed to jump in on the back of Paul W's comments. Either way, my views were attacking and stereotyping towards the USA as you suggested and I regret saying them. Perhaps my own low mood was starting to kick in and at these times I can be quite negative and not always exercise self control, although no excuse. Sincere apologies for any offence caused, Simon.
Thank you Simon! No harm done. We do have one or two posters who can't seem to help themselves, I usually don't say anything but the stereotypes get tiresome after a while. Appreciate your thoughts.
Sorry you're having a low mood, but I can relate. I tend to try and behave here as it's more of an international forum and you never know who is from where, but on a US political forum you should see how I post! Something of a Jekyll and Hyde thing, my natural sarcasm comes to the fore quite a bit there.
I will say that in my trips to the UK I have found the people to be wonderfully polite and helpful, and I think most Europeans who come to the States find the same. Stereotypes often fade when you are with people face to face thankfully.
As for McDonald's, I don't eat there more than maybe once every two years when I'm on the road and there's no other option other than going hungry. But, even in foreign lands they are successful, which kind of boggles my mind. They do have decent coffee though, and much cheaper than Starbucks!
5:8:13:There is a B&O shop in Colchester - near the castle
Re positioning, i doubt that B&O would find much joy in John Lewis, though i'd love to be proved wrong.....they stand a chance of selling some units in Selfridges and Harrods, as some of the customers are flush, and there is a bit of feel good about shopping there......John Lewis is a more functional experience, and far from the worst, but i suspect very few of their customers are of a mindset to drop 5k on a tv.......
Re the changing face of the high street, its a bit depressing in that they are so generic....in some ways thats isn't all bad, where we have lost in variety, we have probably gained in average overall quality and consistency, and i;m not fan of the coffee and sandwich chains....i am optimistic to a degree though, as when it pertains to food, for numerous reasons i guess, there has been a decent increase in independent food providers, from pop ups, to butchers and fruit and veg stores - i see some of this around me, and my supermkt visits have dwindled happily, so its made a real difference....mayeb just a London thing, but still.....
Back to how this all pertains to AV, a lot of comments above have taken a very critical macro view, and some of the critiques of the modern economy are fair, but i look at this differently.......like it or loathe it, people in general value convenience over quality, we see this when it comes to music, and with people generally listening to music a lot more whilst mobile, the money goes into quality headphones first....thoughts about spending premium+ money on a B&O system are very distant........the question for B&O is whether there is enough of an audience for them to be profitable, i certainly hope so......i've got plenty of pretty well off friends in London, virtually none of whom have any B&O product, nor even considered a purchase.....
BAND'OH!: I'll also add that I am half Greek half English, and can tell you that the Greeks have never embraced McDonalds since it opened in Greece. The restaurants are often empty with Greeks being much more loyal to the Greek equivalent, which is a lot healthier. The Greeks are very passionate about keeping Greece Greek, and not losing their identity to the USA. I don't blame the USA for this, not at all, and I am not trying to be political, but I do want to give credence to Pauls arguments because I believe them to be correct and while the English may disagree (clearly judging by some of your responses) the Greeks and many other Europeans would understand exactly with what he presents, and that's fact.
I completely agree with you and Paul! As the time passes I spend less and less in always replacing my goods for the latest out and prefer to spend my money in several travels every year to enjoy my life with friends and family or for my social life. Some years ago I was really crazy (even addicted) in B&O, luxury watches, or design furnitures but now that I'm maybe more mature in my early forties I noticed that having 3 B&O HiFi in the same room or 5 Rolexes at the same time, or to buy a new expensive sofa every 3 years doesn't make me more happy... Of course I enjoy to live in a nice place that reflects my personality with stuff that I like but LIFE for me is something else now than only consuming and I try not to be influenced by the masses anymore.
And yes Goody's burgers are much more popular and tasteful then McDo and being 5-6 times / year in Greece, I think that despite the severe crisis imposed by IMF and EU, they try to enjoy their lives and probably much more than the 'sheep of Panurge'...
Just my 2 cents!
Try http://www.miraggio.gr it's much less expensive and a very beautiful place.
Sandyb:Re positioning, i doubt that B&O would find much joy in John Lewis, though i'd love to be proved wrong.....they stand a chance of selling some units in Selfridges and Harrods, as some of the customers are flush, and there is a bit of feel good about shopping there......John Lewis is a more functional experience, and far from the worst, but i suspect very few of their customers are of a mindset to drop 5k on a tv....... Re the changing face of the high street, its a bit depressing in that they are so generic....in some ways thats isn't all bad, where we have lost in variety, we have probably gained in average overall quality and consistency, and i;m not fan of the coffee and sandwich chains....i am optimistic to a degree though, as when it pertains to food, for numerous reasons i guess, there has been a decent increase in independent food providers, from pop ups, to butchers and fruit and veg stores - i see some of this around me, and my supermkt visits have dwindled happily, so its made a real difference....mayeb just a London thing, but still..... Back to how this all pertains to AV, a lot of comments above have taken a very critical macro view, and some of the critiques of the modern economy are fair, but i look at this differently.......like it or loathe it, people in general value convenience over quality, we see this when it comes to music, and with people generally listening to music a lot more whilst mobile, the money goes into quality headphones first....thoughts about spending premium+ money on a B&O system are very distant........the question for B&O is whether there is enough of an audience for them to be profitable, i certainly hope so......i've got plenty of pretty well off friends in London, virtually none of whom have any B&O product, nor even considered a purchase.....
Chris Townsend:I was in John Lewis just today looking at their LG OLED TVs(very impressive) and they were £4,995. There was a fair crowd looking at them too.
But how many of these spectators will end up buying it? I think it's the same for B&O. Not enough customers willing to spend that much.
Just my two cents.....
I think, that there are three reasons, why they have to close.
1. Missing advertisments: If someone has never heard of the brand, why should he look for a shop
2. "B&O only" means no compare. If you see another tv next to a B&O you see the differences, if there is not the possibility to compare you see just nice looking expensive devices. You cannot compare the sound (and size and the design) of the beolabs to other brands or the picture quality of the tv's
3. "B&O only" means for many people a barrier to go in, because it is just for the "rich people". If you don't go in, you won't buy, even if the money was there.
Problems like a grubby shop, where you can see dust in the shelfs are not B&O specific, but in a "B&O only" shop it must not happen when you represent a premium manufacturer. Accessories like cables have to be in the shop, because the cables are specific. The beoplay line has to be in a B&O shop either, not the note, that you can buy it cheaper online. All these "small" problems are in "my shop around the corner". So i buy 200 km away. I really felt a shame, when a friend told the story of his first B&O experience: he was told to take the beovision 11 from the shop exhibition for the full amount of money, while he was asking for other colours - now he has an LG. Another friend wanted to add BL18 to his Sony tv. They could not tell him if it is possible or not - he has bought other speakers.
yeah, difficult to know how they're perceived, beyond just being very expensive and very stylish.......i'm hopeful up to a point, as Apple et al have shown that there is a market for tech to be stylish.....they might need to mindful that the price of achieving that style, and yes ease of connectivity, doesn't get out of hand, then they have a future....and i dont see the mainstream TV manufacturers at least getting anywhere near B&O's design standards........when i was in Selfridges last week, there was still no comparison, style wise, between the Beovisions and the rest......anyway my BV14 arrives on friday, reasonably excited....
StUrrock:What limited company is it owned by?
Brigantinus: 3. "B&O only" means for many people a barrier to go in, because it is just for the "rich people". If you don't go in, you won't buy, even if the money was there.
Correct. And just about everyone I know is in some way affected by financial changes: GBP falling, Brexit-worry and so on. If you have a retail store, on the high street, aimed at the general public, you have to sell products in numbers to make it work, realistically.
I've mentioned this a couple of times, but I walk past my local B&O store at lunch, on the way back from town, and there's no-one ever in the store. How they make a sale on, say, a Wednesday, is beyond me.
A B&O store is now a very strange experience for me, for two reasons:
1) Dealers are more reluctant to take trade-ins, unlike in previous years, and, if they do, the amount they offer is relatively small - you'll be lucky if you get much more than £1000 for a BV11-40, where a BV14-40 is over £5000. Until a few years ago, I had a working cycle of trading in my B&O TV. I'd buy one, keep it two years, trade it in against the latest model and the dealer always supported me with a decent trade-in price, making it very viable. Not now. Those days are gone.
2) They don't have much stock. Like I've mentioned above, I've been in a few stores and have decided to make an impulse purchase, to then find they don't have the product in stock....but they can order it. Surely the entire point of going in to a retailer is that you can pick up the product, in person, and you don't have to wait for delivery?
w5bno123:What about questioning the small independent AV installers that are also limited businesses running their businesses mainly from a van???
Just a brief note about the B&O dealer in Colchester, UK. According to their letter heading they are a B&O franchise owned and operated under a franchise agreement by Intelligent AV Solutions Ltd. I have bought TVs, speakers etc. from them. They are invariably helpful and courteous, and always seem ready just to have a chat about B&O.
One factor that I have found useful when hearing/ reading about opinions which may differ from mine, is to remember the old adage that it is not what you are looking at which is important, but from where. Or, as someone once wrote, "nothings good or bad but thinking makes it so" , or something like that.
Villarsch