Bang Olufsen Beoplay EX Atelier Lilac Purple Price Hike Without Explanation

 

Bang Olufsen have released the latest version of their Atelier edition Bang Olufsen Beoplay Ex's, and the colour is purple, or "Lilac Purple" as they called it.  The price of these is £599, a full £150 over the price of the standard model, with no explanation or justification.

We are quite used to brands charging more for special editions, or versions with some difference to other models.  Indeed Bang Olufsen themselves regularly engage in this practice for good reason.  For example, the Beosound Level costs £1,199 with a black fabric cover, or £1,499 with a wooden cover.  Or the special edition art covers for the Beosound A9 costing at least £200 more than a non-art version.  Yet both of these make sense.  Wood costs more than fabric to make, and art-versions involve contracting an artist.  But what is the reason for charging more for these atelier editions?

Seemingly nothing.  In fact this appears a new version of Bang Olufsen's long-standing policy regarding their Beoplay ranges of periodically releasing so called special editions with no discernible difference other than celebrity branding.  Something they still appear to do with other ranges, see their current Beosound explore Fernando Alonso edition for £30 over the standard model.  

In our view, these atelier versions are pretty silly, and are a good example of how to throw good money after bad.  No doubt theres plenty of consumers willing to throw an extra £150 to get a purple colour dot, but for our money the standard model at £349 is more than good enough, and these special editions shoudl be ignored and ridiculed for what they are, a waste of money.