Why New Media Kept Me from Buying the Bose Companion 3 Speaker System

I got into New Media so I could be near where the cools, high-tech toys are called “tools.” Even moreso so I could listen to music all day and be lost in a stream of conscious, creative thought.

In the old office, I stumbled upon a Bose Companion 3 Multimedia Speaker System that I used to keep me sane late at night. Live concerts, rare classics, and the night would go on and on and on…

The new office doesn’t have a Bose Companion 3 Multimedia Speaker System. I stumbled about and only found a couple laptop speakers.

So I mustered up all my courage and went…I can’t believe I’m going to admit to this:  shopping.

So to the back of Best Buy I went last Sunday, hunting for my the system that kept me moving during the after-hours.

And there they sat on the back shelf at Best Buy:  the Companion3 Multimedia Speaker System – my late night career Novocaine. And to my surprise, it sat next to something even more ostentatious:  The Bose Companion 5 Multimedia Speaker System. They looked more impressive,  lording inches over the 3′s wimpy offering.

I started testing. The 5 did sound impressive, but not so much more than the 3. So I wondered, “Was the Companion 5 worth the $350+tax price tag?” I already thought the 3 was priced a bit high (Bose wouldn’t do that). So I started checking the box for specs.

There weren’t any specs. Not on the box. Not on the price display.

So I started asking the staff

“Anybody know the specs on the Companion 3 & 5?”

“They don’t publish them,” one of the savvier members noted.

And it dawned on me he was right.

Back when all I did was park cars, walk along the dunes, and listen to music, we used to talk this shop all the time. In fact, my Valet brethren would have slapped me for forgetting this crucial fact.

But times have changed since my valet days.

There’s no way Bose still doesn’t publish their stats.

So, I pulled out my iPhone. In this day of blogs, tweets, fan pages, Diggs, follows, likes, dislikes, instant publishing, syndication and my halfway-decent SEO skills, if Bose started publishing their specs I was going to find it.

And find it quick.

Sure enough:  nothing.

I did find the specs for the Klipsch THX Speaker system that was down the top shelf. It was almost a third of the price, good quality, and with 200 watts it was going to fit my needs.

And Bose lost a sale.

With all the information and data Niagraing from social media platforms, spritzing in mist of infomercial glitz and glam with the competition opening up their insides for the shoppers to pick, prod, and probe over will only prove to get a company soooo far.

I don’t care how pretty, petite and allegedly powerful Bose speakers are. Speakers a touch bigger from a company that is going to let me know what I’m getting for the money is going to get my money.

The $90 dollar glass of wine from the dregs of a $10 bottle in this case is allowing people to know they’re getting secure, powerful, magnetic shielded 200-watt THX speakers.

What is THX?

Ever been to a George Lucas or Pixar movie? When they do the impressive sound test at the beginning.

Yeah. That THX.

Would you care for another glass or should I just bring your check?

Are your products / services prepared to handle the scrutiny of online research?

(photo credit: allmustgo by Flickr)