back to article Best Buy gives big boxes the boot

Best Buy has put its "big box" strategy under review worldwide, with management braced for considerable shrinkage. The US retailer set up shop in the UK last year - it has ten megastores with another on the way in Enfield - but has shelved plans to set up another 80 as hard-pressed shoppers spend cash on food and utility bills …

COMMENTS

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  1. Valerion

    Hope they stay

    I've bought a few things from them now and the experience has been overwhelmingly positive and a lot better than any experience with Currys et al.

    1. Annihilator
      Meh

      Hmm

      "a lot better than any experience with Currys et al."

      So is a swift kick in the unmentionables, but doesn't make it good.

      1. Captain Scarlet Silver badge
        Facepalm

        Well

        A co worker seemed to say they will check what you buy works before leaving the store, this I would be interested in if I ever need to use a shop as PC World's returns policy is a nightmare. The only time I had to use them because my router died on friday night and wanted to get back up and running asap, I was mischarged and only realised when I unboxed it at home.

  2. Timo

    for people who don't know how to use the internet

    My impression of Best Buy here in the states is that the place is made for people who have never heard of the internet or are too stupid to use it. Or maybe it is for people who can't wait for Amazon to ship the cheap stuff.

    I haven't been in one in at least a year and even then it was to cash in a gift card that someone gave me. I hate their pushy sales people and their slimy upsell for the extended warranty. I suspect everyone else hates those things too.

    1. Daniel 4
      Meh

      Or, if you know how to use the internet...

      Best Buy is where you go under two conditions: When you need something TODAY and don't mind spending the markup, or if you think that there is even a small chance you may need to return it (Best Buy has never given me a hassle returning anything that wasn't consumable, and I hate the whole return shipping process that goes with internet purchases). Other than that, they're pretty useless. Especially for their high margin items - as an example, for my personal use, I've NEVER been so desperate for a cable that I've spent Best Buy prices.

      That said, I've done a fair amount of business with them for those two reasons. I sort of shudder every time I walk through their doors, but the experience is at least consistent.

      -d

  3. CT

    We have to reduce square footage with our existing stores by shrinking the footprint

    ... or make the shops smaller?

    1. Marvin the Martian
      Boffin

      Alternatively, sell smaller products.

      All the desktop --> all-in-ones evolution helps that? It's just that monitors keep growing.

      I think the best way is to get rid of CPW shops (who just resell internet from the same companies and mobes/subscriptions from the same companies --- no reason to not have a purely virtual store).

      But then I'm always wondering how CPW survives; I've had to go in twice a year to just get mobile topup and each time it took 20+ minutes in a shop with 2-4 clients and 3-4 workers.

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Not competitive?

    I'm disappointed with Best Buy in the UK. They are not especially competitive. I was also surprised that they don't stock Lenovo products; perhaps they are not interested in the business market?

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I'm ashamed

    I use to work at Best Fraud. I never once lied while doing commission sales at Fry's. Hops on over to Best Buy and when I refuse to lie to get a sale my supervisor would take over and lie for me . If you didn't buy the cables (high margin items) surge protector and extended warranty we did have the computer in stock. The mangers bonus was based on margin . The store was 25% the size of the Fry's I worked in but did 5% of the revenue. Fry's sale droids might be idiots but at least they sold you products.

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Meh

    Reverting

    Smaller stores? Please don't say we're reverting to the days of my childhood in the 70s/80s when electrical goods were sold in little one-man shops, and that one-man was usually a grumpy old sod who didn't really want you in there. At least he knew what he was talking about and wasn't as driven by sales figures as some Best Buy droid, but you have to say the Big Box model has its advantages.

    It's all academic anyway, who but bored teenagers or clueless middle-aged couples go into a bricks-and-mortar electronics store these days?

    1. turnip handler

      Window shopping?

      Bricks-and-mortar electronics stores are great places to go to try out and play with tech stuff. I'd never buy from one, unless I needed something straight away, but for comparing equipment in real life rather than relying on internet reviews as to whether kit is good it serves a purpose.

  7. Jay 2
    Meh

    Nice to go and play

    I went into the new (as it was then) Best Buy near Southampton last year. I can't say that I was impressed by the prices, but at least they had lots of kit to play with.

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