A lot of audio enthusiasts bash B&W for their mediocre on-axis & off-axis FR measurements. But it seems the general public doesn't mind. So as long as B&W sales is good, B&W won't go Internet Direct.
You know how Amazon often gives 50% discounts on previous AVR models (Denon/Marantz, etc.) ?
It would be interesting to see if they will give huge discounts on those KEF Blades & Reference speakers.