Can someone tell me what B-Stock is? Is it devices with cosmetic imperfections or is it more than that?
B Stock
- Thread starter Hems
- Start date
Usually ex-display, ex-demo, cosmetically imperfect, items returned by customers as not suitable, or anything the box for which has been opened for whatever reason.
The_Lhc
Well-known member
I guess it depends on each manufacturer's description. According to David at Frank Harvey Hi-Fi, KEF B-stock, for example, typically has minor imperfections in the finish of the speaker cabinets, sometimes so small it's difficult to find them if you don't know where to look. In that case it shouldn't affect the sound quality at all.
YMMV with other manufacturers however.
YMMV with other manufacturers however.
Yep, whereever I've worked previously B-stock performs to spec and only has some cosmetic blemishes. This applies to both speakers and electronics.
Sales samples, exhibition/show stock, photography samples, samples that have been out for review, all go into B-stock.
Very often they are reworked and repackaged at the factory, so are pretty much 'as new' but can't be sold as such. I've even seen cosmetically perfect stock graded to B-stock because of a dirty outer carton...
Sales samples, exhibition/show stock, photography samples, samples that have been out for review, all go into B-stock.
Very often they are reworked and repackaged at the factory, so are pretty much 'as new' but can't be sold as such. I've even seen cosmetically perfect stock graded to B-stock because of a dirty outer carton...
plastic penguin
Well-known member
Andrew Everard:Usually ex-display, ex-demo, cosmetically imperfect, items returned by customers as not suitable, or anything the box for which has been opened for whatever reason.
In the old days they used to call it "shop soiled".
In the old days they used to call it "shop soiled".
Frank Harvey
Well-known member
Let's be quite specific about this, as it's quite easy to mislead by some comments.
B Stock is always purchased from the manufacturer by the dealer, in the same way that normal stock is. It has not been returned to a store by a customer and then resold as B Stock.
There are many definitions of B Stock, and they do differ depending on the manufacturer. They are usually minor blemishes at worst - anything worse is never resold back to dealers (although there are one or two places that do take this substandard stuff). It could be ex show stock, imperfect cabinets, faulty from new stock that has been repaired, products that have been loaned to dealers, and so I found out recently, stock that other dealers can't be bothered to sell off themselves (although that product was swiftly returned as it ws substandard). It can also be "old stock" where speaker manufacturers may have changed cabinet manufacturers and they have some old ones left.
Whatever the reason for it being B Stock, it performs exactly as a brand new, unused product would, and comes with the normal full manufacturer's warranty. It won't sound any different. I've bought B Stock myself over the years from a few different manufacturers and never had any issues. As already mentioned, it's hard to see why some products are B Stock. Blemishes are invisible to the untrained eye, and some speaker cabinets have a minute nick in them, which usually takes at least 5 minutes to locate.
The most common items are gloss finish speakers, especially black, as they have to be perfect to sell as new - it's very easy to mess up this sort of finish, so w see a lot of gloss black B Stock from many manufacturers. With speakers, it is only cabinet issues, and with electronics, it could be casing imperfections/damage - if any drive units or electronics have been damaged or are faulty, they've been replaced and fully tested to normal spec.
At the end of the day, it's a chance for those that want something a little better than their budget will allow, especially as we're all tightening our belts as the government squeezes more and more out of us.
B Stock is always purchased from the manufacturer by the dealer, in the same way that normal stock is. It has not been returned to a store by a customer and then resold as B Stock.
There are many definitions of B Stock, and they do differ depending on the manufacturer. They are usually minor blemishes at worst - anything worse is never resold back to dealers (although there are one or two places that do take this substandard stuff). It could be ex show stock, imperfect cabinets, faulty from new stock that has been repaired, products that have been loaned to dealers, and so I found out recently, stock that other dealers can't be bothered to sell off themselves (although that product was swiftly returned as it ws substandard). It can also be "old stock" where speaker manufacturers may have changed cabinet manufacturers and they have some old ones left.
Whatever the reason for it being B Stock, it performs exactly as a brand new, unused product would, and comes with the normal full manufacturer's warranty. It won't sound any different. I've bought B Stock myself over the years from a few different manufacturers and never had any issues. As already mentioned, it's hard to see why some products are B Stock. Blemishes are invisible to the untrained eye, and some speaker cabinets have a minute nick in them, which usually takes at least 5 minutes to locate.
The most common items are gloss finish speakers, especially black, as they have to be perfect to sell as new - it's very easy to mess up this sort of finish, so w see a lot of gloss black B Stock from many manufacturers. With speakers, it is only cabinet issues, and with electronics, it could be casing imperfections/damage - if any drive units or electronics have been damaged or are faulty, they've been replaced and fully tested to normal spec.
At the end of the day, it's a chance for those that want something a little better than their budget will allow, especially as we're all tightening our belts as the government squeezes more and more out of us.
mickeycomms
Well-known member
I agree with the comprehensive explanation above - bottom line is that they are 'mechanically' perfect and fully warranted. I have previously bought some £3K speakers (which there was no chance I could have paid the full price for) B stock for half price....Tatty boxes which nobody ever saw in my loft! and a couple of really trivial blemishes. Had I paid full price I would have complained about two insignificant imperfections on principle, but at the price I paid, the more I saw them, the more I smiled - especially as none of my family or visitors ever noticed them....I have also had a factory refurbished ipod....as per brand new but it came in a boring plain brown box for 40% off .... in my humble experience B is for Bargain, not Botched !
FrankHarveyHiFi:It has not been returned to a store by a customer and then resold as B Stock.
Although of course it may have been direct-sold by the manufacturer and then returned.
Although of course it may have been direct-sold by the manufacturer and then returned.
Frank Harvey
Well-known member
But my point is that retailers don't sell returned stock as B Stock. Or at least they shouldn't.....
All B Stock, whatever the reason for it being originally returned, will have passed through the manufacturer before reaching the retailer who is selling it on. If it doesn't, the manufacturer can't guarantee the quality of what the customer is buying.
Like I said, just clearing up any possibility of confusion
All B Stock, whatever the reason for it being originally returned, will have passed through the manufacturer before reaching the retailer who is selling it on. If it doesn't, the manufacturer can't guarantee the quality of what the customer is buying.
Like I said, just clearing up any possibility of confusion
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