General Forum

Re: Top 10 Dealers in Europe and U.S.A

Jonathan — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 18:11:37 GMT

Iused to quite like the little South Melbourne store. I'd have breakfast at one of the nearby cafes, then mozy on in for a lazy browse...

Re: Top 10 Dealers in Europe and U.S.A

elephant — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 15:11:29 GMT

One very good store is Newcastle's Gray Street for their after hour events ... I have tried to encourage the local Melbourne stores to do their own thing too

Newcastle was also good because their BeoLiving area in their basement illustrated three rooms including a kitchen

All three Melbourne stores are great because of their staff

I too like to visit B&O stores around the world, and even occasionally but from them when I have a need for something portable - A8s for example :)

OK BeoLab 4s too :))

I usually take pictures of the stores although I was told on one occasion that the store's policy was against their picture being taken !

Sadly over the years I have seen the smaller and more interesting stores disappear in both the UK and Australia

The only use some of the stores-within-department-stores had was to do comparison shopping of TVs so I don't miss their demise

The larger stores start to become "more of the same" with the consistent point of sale material

Not sure I would like to see B&O push for the super-store concept that Apple has --- I think that would be to the detriment of the smaller stores in surrounding areas and towns

Re: Top 10 Dealers in Europe and U.S.A

mjmedlo — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 08:54:08 GMT

I MUST recommend Dallas, TX in Highland Park Village.

Aaron is the manager. Very accessible and easy to talk to. I've noticed some B & O sales folks are a little 'uppity'. I've never gotten anything but the best service and treatment there.

If u get to the south I'd definitely stop in there and tell them hello.

MJM

Re: Top 10 Dealers in Europe and U.S.A

Jonathan — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 02:14:31 GMT

Matthew:

Jonathan:
One thing that I found different when I walked in to the stores in Europe was the pricing. I looked and saw that the speakers were about half the price of the equivalent here in Australia.

My wife and I lived in Germany for a few years during the 00's. Upon entering the local B&O store where I was working at the time (Bremen) I discovered the same incredibly cheap speaker prices like you did! I went away excited and started preparing a budget for a purchase, only to return a few days later to discover truth - price was for one speaker only

We also managed to visit Lucca during our time in Europe - a beautiful town.

I was ready to ship a container load of B&O back to Australia until I realised the pricing was for 1 speaker!!!

Re: Top 10 Dealers in Europe and U.S.A

Søren Mexico — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 23:39:39 GMT

1998 I bought a Beosound 3000 and 2 BL 4000 at Radio Loft in Aarhus DK, we went around Europe on vacation that year and would only have 3 days in DK before going back to Mexico.

Before leaving Mexico I contacted Radio Loft by mail and explained what I wanted and the problem with our time scedule, after a couple of mails I had a price for the items and free 120 volt convertion, as I asked how to pay, he told me "pay when you pick it up".

In DK at that time they had a WAT from 25 % i think it was, as we exported the items we could avoid that, but would have to get a an export stamp on the comercial invoice in the departure airport of Europe, for us Heathrow. The problem is, you will have to show the items and of course the invoice.

I told Loft that I would sign a voucher for the WAT amount and if he didnt get the stamped invoice back he could draw it on my credit card, he asked me, looking into my eyes "are you going to return the invoice", "oh yes. I will Fedex it from Mexico" I answered , "then we wont need the voucher" he said.

At my sisters house we unpacked the items, put all cables, paper work and smaller items into our check in bagage, bought two back packs, wrapped the BS in bubble plast and put it in one back pack and the same for the two speakers in the other, and took them as hand bagage.

In Heathrow we got the stamp, and they did not want to see the items

Arriving in Mexico there is a lottery in the costums, you push a botton and you get red or green light, if red, they check all your items, green you go right through, we got green, thanks heaven. Next day we send the invoice to Loft.

I have never before or after met a seller with such a confidence in his costumer, I would never do this with an unknown person and even with a known I would like some insurance.

Top 10, well, Nick in Sheffield and Loft are my favorites.

Re: Top 10 Dealers in Europe and U.S.A

Matthew — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 20:38:37 GMT

Jonathan:
One thing that I found different when I walked in to the stores in Europe was the pricing. I looked and saw that the speakers were about half the price of the equivalent here in Australia.

My wife and I lived in Germany for a few years during the 00's. Upon entering the local B&O store where I was working at the time (Bremen) I discovered the same incredibly cheap speaker prices like you did! I went away excited and started preparing a budget for a purchase, only to return a few days later to discover truth - price was for one speaker only

We also managed to visit Lucca during our time in Europe - a beautiful town.

Re: Top 10 Dealers in Europe and U.S.A

Jonathan — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 18:59:49 GMT

I travelled to Europe last year and visited a few stores...

The one almost accross the road from Harrods was great (I hated Harrods though). Helpful, knowledgeable staff that were happy to spend time with someone who was just browsing.

The stores in Munich were really good too. I had a day to kill so I decided to walk around the city. I visited all the B&O stores there, and all were really friendly and helpful. I saw the massive Beovision 103(?) inch TV at one of the stores in Munich. The guy told me it was the only one on display in any of the B&o stores in Europe!!

One thing that I found different when I walked in to the stores in Europe was the pricing. I looked and saw that the speakers were about half the price of the equivalent here in Australia. I spoke to one of the salespeople exclaiming the prices were very cheap. He then explained that the price was for 1 speaker, not a pair!! It then made sense...

The oddest place I saw a B&O store was in the tiny fortified town of Lucca in Italy. It was closed so I couldn't go in, but it was just so out of place!

Re: Top 10 Dealers in Europe and U.S.A

Evan — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 18:01:27 GMT

Washington D.C. Logan Circle is a nice place to check out. I'm pretty sure every single product was out on display, very impressed. They even have a full BeoLiving setup.

Re: Top 10 Dealers in Europe and U.S.A

TripEnglish — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 17:53:43 GMT

I would also highly recommend Newbury Street. Full of staunch and hearty New England men.

Re: Top 10 Dealers in Europe and U.S.A

auclutch — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 17:47:57 GMT

I definitely enjoyed shopping at the Boston store on Newbury St. Seemed more like a family run business and I believe it's an independent store. The staff were friendly not just to the customers but to each other which made everything more pleasant. The pleasantries ultimately resulted in a couple sales while I was there last year. I particularly enjoyed their integration of other nonB&O (can't remember if it was lumitron?) systems which allowed you to use the beo4 and beo5 with lighting and other systems that are not sold here in Korea. After checking, I found that the voltage wasn't the same as here so they coulnd't be used, but hope to find such products at a differnet B&O location with same voltage. So far, no luck. :) Much different than the service on (edited: and removed store locations as I don't want to trashtalk stores) where I felt like, "you no buy, you leave."

I also recommend the one on Greene St. in Soho (I think that's the address). The ambiance and service there was nice. The one in Dallas, TX showed true southern hospitality.

For me, part of collecting and using B&O is not just the experience of owning and using high quality products but also the entire shopping experience, remembering what it was that sparked the purchase (whether a friendly gesture, a nice chat with a knowledgeable salesman, an unbelievable CD or just plain awesomeness in the product or product layout) and when sales or customer service staff are pleasant it makes the entire journey all the more rewarding. just my 2 cents.

Re: Top 10 Dealers in Europe and U.S.A

folkdeejay — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 17:37:20 GMT

TripEnglish:

. Mention this thread and get a free coffee with purchase of any speaker system.

tht is genuinely funny.

Re: Top 10 Dealers in Europe and U.S.A

TripEnglish — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 16:48:24 GMT

That's it. Not a well known city unless you're in this area. Mention this thread and get a free coffee with purchase of any speaker system.

Re: Top 10 Dealers in Europe and U.S.A

expoman — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 16:08:16 GMT

TripEnglish:

I'm just north of NYC, hence my extensive travel recommendations in the other thread!

So by that do you mean Greenwich? Since Boston is more northeast.

Re: Top 10 Dealers in Europe and U.S.A

TripEnglish — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 15:54:52 GMT

I'm just north of NYC, hence my extensive travel recommendations in the other thread!

Re: Top 10 Dealers in Europe and U.S.A

bayerische — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 15:40:44 GMT

I can easily recommend the B&O shop on Kluuvikatu in Helsinki, Finland.

Superb atmosphere, good and friendly service.

Trip, were's your store located?