Speaking as a product owner and not a shop owner, I appreciate Bang & Olufsen's philosophy that a good product has to be thoughtfully designed and contextually relevant. That there is not a strong force within the company to adopt every new technology, or to innovate beyond the needs of the user is a strength not shared by many technology companies. 

We function more like luxury car makers that balance technological relevance, with aesthetic values, emotional character, and usability. We only push forward in one value when it will not adversely affect other values. David Lewis is keenly aware of our role and has discussed how our products' emotional appeal allow them to stay relevant in our lives long after they're no longer state of the art.

For someone like me that carefully evaluates every purchase decision as to how that product will age and what I can predict its value to me to be once it's no longer "this year's model," the Bang & Olufsen approach stands apart from other electronics makers obsessed with pushing you into version 2.1.4a

For many reasons ... the OP's blog I have already commented on in another thread: I enjoyed his enthusiasm and much of what he said resonated with me.

As to "why" ... well that has changed over the years.

In the Sixties I wanted to buy B&O because I had just discovered Scandinavian style, but all I could afford was some a salt and pepper set for me mum :)

In the Seventies I was a wage earner and I could afford to buy B&O ... but only second-hand, but it was still for the reasons of style.

In the Eighties I fell in love with what B&O marketing called "Aladdin's lamp", and so it was style and what I have called on these forums "systems thinking" or "systems integration" that lead to my first significant, and brand-new, purchases over a period of two or three years.  And to be honest I have been pursuing the Holy Grail of wall to wall sound and (lately) vision integration ever since.

In the Nineties I made no purchases, but a friend gave me some RL 60s to babysit while he was overseas, and that was when I think I really fell in love with the B&O sound.  (And I liked the look of the RLs, but SWMBO never did, and so when my friend returned the RLs left us)

In the Naughties my B&O purchasing really took off with the first purchase being my BeoSound 2 which adore for its tactile nature, its looks, and the fact that it kept me sane during my travels away from home.

It was around this time that I also started being gifted other people's deceased relatives' B&Os, and so my little museum was created: an ode to nostalgia for the Scandinavian designs of wood, metal, and glass.

And then I extended my B&O shrine with eBay purchases as I tried to achieve my vision of a home surrounded by sound, but I never quite managed to achieve it with MCL82 technology and my Beosystem 5000s; only lately have I come close to this by using a BeoLink Active in PC mode with BeoLab 4s.

It was the later half of the Naughties that saw us quickly acquire a Beolab 6000s, Beosound 4, Beocom 6000, then Beolab 3s and Beolab 4s, Beolink wireless and then our Beovision 8.  Just love the visual experience of B&O and wish I had bought one years ago.

Now I am buying for simplicity of integration - I have given up on my Beosystem 5000s - I may even eBay them in 2011 together with all their speakers and cables and MCLs.

So in short :) 

1. Style
2. Systemic
3. Sound
4. Tactile
5. Visual
6. Simple

But I would also add:

• Hidden surprises of design - the little features that delight you every time you use them
• Ease of use
• Materials
• and having opened up the insides of the Beosystem 5000s, the robust build

I first saw B&O when I was 11 years old and knew instantly that I had to have it... Main reason why I liked it so much was the style and the quality of materials. Later I discoverd the ease of use, the build quality, the Beolink system and the sound and picture quality.

Sound quality has become more important to me and I will upgrade to Beolab 5's at some point. Main reason for not having them now is that my house has wooden floors that are not up to the job of handling the bass... 😁 I will get them as soon as I move.

Durh, only one reason anyone would ever buy B&O of course, cos it's all made in Denmark innit 😕

Good topic on a positive note !

My reasons for B&O

1. Style and Design

2. Ease of use / seamless integration of audio and video

3. Longevity

4. Quality and Sound

5. Worldwide service promise that works (having lived in many countries I can attestate to that)

Many of the B&O users don't want to run for latest / latest technology but for systems that seamlessly integrate and that are not obsolete or unsupported after a year or two.

In general, I really don't care where my electronics are made.  I am mostly wary of furniture made in the far east because of the chemicals used, and my reactions to chemicals is also the reason my long-time gf isn't using Macs anymore. I react very strongly to the plastic and rubber used on newer Macs (be they portable or stationary).

When I bought my first Beolab 5s, I bought them almost solelybecause of the audio quality. That my gf could live with the design was a plus, and they sure as hell look better than "real" studio monitors.  For all I care, they too could be made in the far east. Yamaha makes some wonderful stuff, for instance.

I have since parted with my BL5s because we moved, and our new home wasn't really able to handle such powerful speakers, so I've downsized for the time being (to another brand as well).

I will be buying the BV10 in 32" partly because it is the right size since I don't like big tellies, but it looks nice, and it's damn difficult to find a small flat screen television with reasonable audio quality in this day and age.

Depending on features when it is out, I might purchase the BS5 Encore and Beo6, if those two in combination can compete with my Logitech Touch/Duet in everyday practical useage.

For years, I have thought that B&O didn't make much for someone like me. Their tellies were too big, the tech behind their stereos too old, and the feature set of their "digital audio" was always way behind the curve. Then came the BS5 which fell flat on its face compared to what else is out there available to us who have used digital media  (streaming, editing, storage etc.) for a decade or more, but now it looks like the future might actually hold a B&O stereo for me.  It's as if they really listened, and brought out not only a telly to someone like me, but a 2-way remote (!), and a more fully featured BS5.

In short, I will be re-buying some BL5 speakers when I get some more room again, but I only buy products that fits my needs and wants, no matter how nice a given product looks. Even nice stuff like B&O.  I have never really contemplated the BC9000, even if it's really, really nice to look at. I only use my cd's when I unwrap the packaging and rip them to my harddisk. Then they're stored.

1. Integration! Havin one remote for everything is simply wonderful! Also the multiroom linking is a highlight.
   
2. Picture & Sound quality. I do not need the latest features of everything, but what I have should work perfectly.
3. Design: I want products that are somehow special and not seen everywhere. 

In my teens and early twenties, I was attracted to B&O by the visual design - always looking "modern" - but of course couldn't afford it. Eventually, in the 70s, I got a (still gorgeous) BeoVision 3500 and a "music centre" with cassette player. The cassette player stopped working, and the TV needed bashing occasionally to restore the picture... so I went off B&O and moved to Sony - less beautiful but more reliable.

In the 90s, I returned to B&O, and have remained a fan ever since - but not of everything!

I have been very impressed with the BeoCom 6000, 5 of which have given excellent service for more than a decade (unlike the BeoCom5, which just plain did not work, and was returned).

A (literally) black mark for B&O is the BeoMedia black hulk of a box - which offers less functionality than an iPod nano at several hundred times the size and price.

I loved the sleek lines of the MX4002 TV, but least favourite TV was the Avant (ugly beast).

The BeoLab 6000 speakers are a timeless beauty, and have been for a long time.

The feature I like most beyond visual design is the single remote control for all devices, and the ability to share sources in different rooms (long before it became the norm with other manufacturers).