Hi Michael, Yes in B&O terms 25,000 units in 6 mths is amazing. As a example the BeoSound 1 sold a tiny 100,000 in its 10 years!   All small compared to say the iPad which has sold 20million in 1 year!

I think i was slightly out of touch with B&O prices is the BS5 really £4500 and BL3 now £2900 if so im really really shocked! There's no wonder B&O are in such financial difficulty with prices like that. Gosh, it almost makes the BV10 a bargain!  For some reason, I thought the BL3s were £2300

beo_d:

More information:

http://www.bang-olufsen.de/beonews/New_product_category.wmv

Very interesting - I watched it twice, and probably should watch it a third time to pick up all the nuances

If I were a dealer I think I would be pleased with the strategy - broaden the base (new casual products and channel, if airport stores then they must be portable :) and in a world of instant gratification if they were noise cancelling headphones you could use them on the flight !) and  create more touch points in the market (hotels, cars, ... I also think they should go after up market stores and restaurants, I can always tell when the background music is going from Bose or something better - when I hear the difference I go looking for what speakers are being used ! particularly if they couple that "enterprise" solution with something like an iPad, I was at a restaurant the other week where the music iPad was on proud display showing the cover art as part of the decor)

In some ways its a bit like the Apple virtuous circle strategy ... the iPods created the awareness, the Apple retail outlets built the momentum, the iPhone expanded the awareness and leveraged the customers' early investments in content, and the follow on products (the Air et al, the iPad, and perhaps even the ATV) broadened the revenue streams and create more lock in and loyalty

all in all I am impressed, but I suspect it will take around 6 months before they can execute the plan and we will see the results

Hi Ed, Interesting reply,.  If, I too, were a dealer I would be pleased in the strategy.  Wishing them all the best for execution.  Thanks to Beo d for the link. 

Hi Paul, if you think the prices are high, I should send you the Australian price list lol.  Prices are high, but then again they have a lot of competition at that price point, even from 'regular' brands such as Pioneer and Yamaha.  

Nice point from Elephant. Yep, it would be very cool to see B&O products in restaurants!  We have a lot of coffee houses near us that have their iPods proudly on display with nice looking B&W speakers dotted around the walls!

I wonder which boutique hotels and Maldives/Ski lodges are going to be the first to have BS8's in their properties! Exciting times!!!

There was a little coffee shop in our town that had a 9000 up on the wall. I noticed that everyone had arranged the chairs facing towards the unit much like a fireplace. Talk about making a statement.

Alas, that row of shops is now gone thanks to some sort of redevelopment that brought us another Big Box.

Paul Winn:

Nice point from Elephant. Yep, it would be very cool to see B&O products in restaurants!  We have a lot of coffee houses near us that have their iPods proudly on display with nice looking B&W speakers dotted around the walls!

I wonder which boutique hotels and Maldives/Ski lodges are going to be the first to have BS8's in their properties! Exciting times!!!

This is a picture from a hotel i Stockholm (Nordic Light Hotel)

(more pics: http://www.nordiclighthotel.se/sv/Upplev-hotellet/Bildvisning2/)

OMG it looks like you've just died and are waiting in Heaven's waiting room!

Paul Winn:

OMG it looks like you've just died and are waiting in Heaven's waiting room!

B&O heaven!