Let me also add quickly that B&O has a distinct advantage in the custom arena as most of their competitors don't have showrooms and clients & designers/architects alike prefer to see something work and get a feel for it before buying. Having working lighting control, entryway management, closed circuit cameras, etc. in the showroom means

jk1002, You're absolutely right. Some stores, mine included, have manipulated their showrooms to showcase custom concepts even on the showroom & window displays, but I agree that a genuine store concept change is called for. The BeoLiving room is great, but it doesn't really communicate all the concepts that go into making a room like that

[quote user="jk1002"] Can you spill the beans trip? Who buys the beoliving installations? I know I will at some point invest in that in a couple of years - I do want a small TV with that though. [/quote] I'm assuming you're not asking for actual names! But if you mean a "profile," I can try, but the clientele are very diverse

[quote user="rghaleb"] I think B&O are doing really well. if there's one thing they should work on its their products' prices, I know they're of exceptional quality and all that but by now B&O are much more well known around the world than 10 years before, I think they actually might be the most well known luxury manufacturer

[quote user="linder"] Trip, You probably have done many installations for the MC Mansion crowd who maybe don't care as much about quality but just want everything to be bigger. [/quote] Not a single one I can recall. Maybe a few A8 sales, though! McMansion owners seem generally interested in broadcasting their wealth. B&O doesn't

I have about as much experience as anyone in the field with the MLGW. The key word is "Gateway" The MLGW is a communication device and not an automation processor. The MLGW gives the user the ability to issue commands from a B&O product to an attached automation processor (Crestron Processor, Lutron HW Processor, etc) and monitors attached

[quote user="bayerische"] I have not the first hand expertise from sales that Trip has, but I'm sure that USA and EU is very different markets for B&O. [/quote] I think you're right. The US client does not value build-quality or design as highly as the EU market. I think this results in our clients having a higher income threshold

Petra, That idea comes and goes internally. The 60 sq. meter concept was an example of this and there are a few of them in place. The issue is generally that the stores are independently owned and so the owners are reticent to take on the prospect of opening a retail shop without a product line to support it. I would say with what's coming out that

[quote user="dilznik"] Trip, what do people in your store ask about? Like the average person that comes in and, you know, isn't a crank. Like someone who may or does actually buy stuff? Do people ever come in and buy something brand new for decent money, let's say $5k or whatever a pair of BL6000s (seems like a reasonable starter speaker

[quote user="Pestria"] Trip A couple of points to clarify my thoughts: 1. I think what you call Lifestyle, I call understanding your customers and their needs - and then building products to fit - so no real argument there. I'd still ban the word though as it suggests 'gloss' over substance. To the end user it may, so if you want