I very much suspect that if the twin Uk crises of virus + crippled economy continue, then some audio makers (survival trumps sentiment/altruism … always) will cancel their UK reseller network and deal directly with the public.
A twin level system with entry-level catered for by the multiples + a high-end division via a series of sole-franchise showrooms demonstrating the entire brand-range in, say, 9 UK locations. No cross selling between the two ranges.
Here are my reasons – in no particular order – for believing this.
Enhanced cash-flow e.g. no longer any need to offer credit to re-sellers. All sales cash flow positive.
Some distributor / importers over-promising to everyone concerned and, likewise under-delivering
Strict full RRP uniformly across UK
SOR is now the norm, and the public like it.
Delivery efficiency, probably via Amazon
Specialist installation at, say, y% of the total price over, say, £x
Guaranteed trade-in value if bought via one of the sole-franchise outlets
And so much more.
So who might be the first to do this in the UK? Hard to speculate with any degree of certainty but my money would probably go for (a) a high-end / high brand-value specialist maker and then (b) a brand currently under the ownership of an Austrian investor. And I repeat, this is purely speculation.
But … who would you like to see start this ball rolling?
