copy/paste from:

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/news_press_release,118803.shtml

 

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill., June 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Bang & Olufsen America Inc., the North American provider of high-end home theaters and custom multi-room music systems, announces today its on-line presence with the nation's leading online retailer, Amazon.com, to offer convenient e-commerce sales for United States residents. Together with Amazon, Bang & Olufsen brand enthusiasts can now access select Bang & Olufsen products such as telephones, earphones, accessories, remote controls and compact portable audio systems such as the state-of-the-art BeoSound 2 mp3 player, BeoSound 1 audio system, and the BeoSound 3 portable audio system with SD card and alarm clock functionality. Bang & Olufsen's online sales approach through Amazon.com is unique as it offers widespread consumer accessibility of an exclusive brand portfolio, yet is delivered in a completely personalized manner and customer-centric approach.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060413/CGTU021LOGO-a )

Sales through Amazon will be available for United States customers only. "We are pleased to offer an alternative solution for those Americans who don't have direct access to any one of our Bang & Olufsen showrooms throughout the country," states Kim Gravesen, President of Bang & Olufsen America, Inc. "Synonymous with our vision of producing high quality products that provide the ultimate user experience and convenience to the customer, we are confident Amazon will employ the same philosophy to the handling of our award-winning products."

A Unique Approach:

Bang & Olufsen has taken a very personalized approach to online sales of its products on Amazon.com. A Bang & Olufsen specialist will send every customer who purchases through Amazon.com a warranty registration form allowing customers to register the item purchased for support throughout the life of the product. The Bang & Olufsen specialist will represent the individual Bang & Olufsen showroom located closest to the customer's residence. The specialist and showroom will then be available for technical expertise and high quality customer services.

Bang & Olufsen's collaboration with Amazon.com exceeds a typical buyer-supplier relationship as it employs customer convenience and face-to-face interaction with the brand -- representative of a true bricks and mortar business model, combined with the benefits of the virtual store front. It will bolster consumer confidence among online customers, as B&O products will be sold through a highly reputable, authorized on-line sales channel as Amazon. The result is a full cycle, centralized and personalized on-line sales structure that benefits the new customers, Amazon, Bang & Olufsen and its individual showrooms in the United States.

ABOUT BANG & OLUFSEN

Founded in 1925 in Struer, Denmark, Bang & Olufsen a/s is world renowned for a distinctive range of quality consumer electronic products that represents our vision: Courage to constantly question the ordinary in search of surprising, long-lasting experiences. The Bang & Olufsen Group manufactures a unique range of televisions, music systems, loudspeakers, telephones, medical, and multimedia products. With more than 2,400 employees, and products sold in more than 60 countries worldwide. Further information about Bang & Olufsen a/s is available from http://www.bang-olufsen.com/

ABOUT BANG & OLUFSEN AMERICA, INC.

Headquartered in the Greater Chicago area, Bang & Olufsen America Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Bang & Olufsen a/s of Struer, Denmark. It was founded in 1970 and provides support and development for 54 retail outlets in the continental US, Mexico, Dominican Republic and Canada. http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060413/CGTU021LOGO-a" mime-type="application/octet-stream"/> Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060413/CGTU021LOGO-a
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com Bang & Olufsen America Inc.

CONTACT: Monica Gartner, Public Relations Manager, of Bang & Olufsen
America, Inc., +1-847-590-4920, Cell +1-847-736-7937, mcy@bang-olufsen.dk

Web site: http://www.bang-olufsen.com/

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_e/105-0228307-9140473?url=search-alias%3Delectronics&field-keywords=olufsen

Same line of "not service-intensive" products that have been available on their e-store. 

Cuts down on the cachet a bit IMHO..

Think this is the official storefront:

I agree - this is unnecessary as these items have been available online for some time. I guess they are trying a more common channel to sell to non B & Oers. Lessens the brand in my opinion.

They probably had to find some sort replacement for their existing storefront proovider. That thing seemd to be very far behind and then at some point you will hit issues with security etc ... is not easy to outsource something like that.

However, look at the prices.

Using today's GBP:$ exchange rate, a BS1 retails at GBP660 and a BS2 for GBP230 including the A8's.

Yes, it does cheapen the brand but that's America for you.

 

10% 

I think the exchange rate has more to do with these prices than any kind of magical American cultural influence over MSRP. :)