Okay.. rarely if ever (apart from the naming of the business back in 2005) do i ask for help to do with LifeStyle AV from BeoWorld Members. I try and keep it as low-key as possible and mention the business as little as possible, as promised some years ago.

This time though, i need the collective wisdom of our members around the world!

I have added an extra feature to the website to help people make an informed decision when it comes to marks on B&O products called 'inspect the damage'.  Here is an example. If you click on the wording in red you will see the mark next to a british pound coin. Anywhere else in the world, this would mean nothing unless you had a spare British pound coin in the house!!

All well and good for phones which in the main can be used only in the UK if with PSTN bases, but what about something that can be used anywhere with a 220v supply.  Bear in mind the marks are always small - (i don't sell 'trashed' items so a Coke can would be no good.  It has to be something universal (i.e something that can be recognised worldwide) and small...

We thought about Biro pens, but nib/tip sizes differ - we thought about a matchstick, but that's not very 'B&O' and not everyone smokes or has real fires (plus matchsticks can vary in size), plus many more.. We are really stuck here!

If anyone is unhappy about me mentioning LifeStyle AV, i am of course happy to pull this thread immediately - i just find that when i'm truly stuck, there's always an answer from a clever brain on BeoWorld!

Lee

Hi Lee,

Interesting....

What about the shirt button ?

It is allways the same size all around the world ....

and everybody knows how big is it.

A cricket bail! If they don't know what size it is, they damn well should, what!

Great idea Lee, why not just use part of a tape measure. This way anybody anywhere can see the size of the mark. Sort of like those L shaped ones they use at crime scenes. CSI fans wil know what I mean

 

Craig

How's about a AAA battery? Although I agree with Peter re:- the cricket ball

 

Chris.

Hi Lee,

Like you we go into the tiniest details in regards to condition, weve toyed with something similar ( and although quite easy to show on the beocom 2 finish for example) you risk exaggerating some slight imperfections in a photograph just to get it to show up on camera.

We used a millimeter ruler, one close up shot and another from a normal distance showing the whole ruler and product to keep the imperfection in perspective, this is where it all fell down as from a distance you need something with a point.

It will be interesting to see what people come up with in this thread

jason

It just came to me .............a finger 

jason

What a fascinating poser!  I think you're right in that people can better relate to some common object, even over a ruler.  And the shirt button idea strikes me as brilliant for a start.  But Martin, do we use the placket button, or the sleeve/collar button?  They're not the same!

Ultimately you may have to resort to an english/metric ruler I suppose...but give us a minute to ruminate (and for some of us 'marinate')

Medogsfat:

How's about a AAA battery? Although I agree with Peter re:- the cricket ball

 

Chris.

I agree on the AAA battery. What is cricket???

Christian:

I agree on the AAA battery. What is cricket???

THIS is a cricket - the balls are much smaller

 

Chris.

Medogsfat:

Christian:

I agree on the AAA battery. What is cricket???

THIS is a cricket - the balls are much smaller

 

Chris.

Bail - not ball. Anyone knows that the ball will be too big! The fine indentations on the bail will allow any discerning gentleman to determine accurately the size of any imperfection!.

Especially one taken from India's 2nd innings in the 1st test - it will be virtually untouched.

 

Chris.

Ah - just occurred to me. Anyone looking will be doing so from a computer terminal right? So make it easy & instant for them and use something like a USB connector/dongle... anything like that will do the job.

Or to encourage them to start buying, use the chip part or VISA/Mastercard logo of a chip & pin credit card.... once it's out they may just decide not to put it back.

 

Chris.

Very pleased India won - they needed some cheer and Tendulkar scoring an unbeaten century is guaranteed to bring joy to an awful lot of people.

How about some parts from a broken Beo4 controller - say a non functioning LCD screen for elephant sized damage, the central rubber pad with the 4 coloured keys for man sized damage and a standard sized cut out key pad number (eg SAT, 0, TEXT or STOP) for smaller child like damage?

Okay, I will keep thinking!

I think the point is to show how minor any imperfection might be, a broken beo4 may give the opposite impression

jason

 

why not use the corner of a mastercard or visa, without the numbers showing, everyone in the world knows the size of the hologram

 

Jon

Hi Russ, difference between those buttons are minor.

But what I think it is interesting is that shirt button is synonyim of elegancy and B&O is all that 

I think a match is a good comparison to a damage

How about the head of a needle?

Because, in the end, your are looking for a needle in a haystack ;-)

(This is serious marketing talk...., the same saying exists in German, maybe worldwide? Some comments of french/spanish speaking members?)

Ralf

Oh, get a needle with a red head. Alert/attention etc.

With Photoshop you might even be able to engrave B&O on the head (more B&O like)....

Ralf

Whit the Photoshop you can make all scratches to disappear

A lentil?

Sorry, just back from the pub.

Whatever you do chose, (match, button etc) this may still mislead prospective buyers from Texas.