[Distribution Hot People] Luxury Audio Chosen by The Beatles... "Popular Among Men in Their 40s and 50s"

Bowers & Wilkins Direct Store No.1
High-Quality Hi-Fi Listening Room Realized
Additional Stores Planned to Open Within the Year

"The main customer base for hi-fi audio consists of men in their 40s and 50s. Bluetooth speakers and headsets are popular among people in their 30s."

Kim Isu, Chief Buyer of the Electronics Team at Lotte Department Store.

On the afternoon of the 10th, at the Bowers & Wilkins store in Lotte Department Store Main Branch in Jung-gu, Seoul, Kim Isu, Chief Buyer of the Electronics Team at Lotte Department Store, said, "Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the domestic audio market has grown significantly, and interest in high-end products has increased," adding, "With easy access to various information through YouTube, the entry barrier has lowered."

Bowers & Wilkins is a traditional hi-fi specialized audio brand established in the UK in 1966. Buyer Kim explained, "The most famous example is that it was used as monitoring audio at Abbey Road Studios, where the British group The Beatles recorded," and added, "It has been adopted as a premium option in world-renowned luxury cars such as Volvo and Maserati. It is a coveted audio brand among experts and enthusiasts."

The Lotte Department Store Main Branch store is the only directly managed first store in Korea. Buyer Kim said, "The main branch has the most speaker brands such as Bang & Olufsen and Devialet, and there is high demand for high-end brands. When Bowers & Wilkins releases new products, they are launched here, and limited edition products not sold elsewhere are also available," introducing, "Currently, the highest-priced products consist of speakers and amplifiers costing over 100 million KRW. Bluetooth headsets are in the 1 million KRW range, and Bluetooth earphones range from 400,000 to 600,000 KRW."

They have also created a high-quality hi-fi listening room. Buyer Kim stated, "The listening space was designed to allow the most faithful sound to the original by considering the distance from the speakers, sound reflection, and soundproofing. Sofas, plants, and other items were arranged to give the feeling of listening at home," and added, "On average, about five groups use the listening room daily, with no time limit. Those truly interested in audio sometimes stay up to an hour."

The goal is to open additional Bowers & Wilkins stores by the second half of this year. Buyer Kim emphasized, "The response at the main branch store is so good that we plan to expand stores by the second half of this year or early next year," and added, "High-end audio is still mainly sold through boutiques, and honestly, it is difficult for non-enthusiasts to visit. However, department stores have the advantage that anyone can easily access the store and experience the products."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.