Best Buy Goes Online in U.K.

[vansau]

Best Buy Goes Online in U.K.

Best Buy is (finally) bringing its retail experience online for customers in England.

U.S.-based Best Buy has become a recent presence in the English retail scene. While it may be a newcomer to the country's shores, the company is trying to make up for lost time, having revealed that it's now letting customers shop on its website, too.

Best Buy opened its first store across the pond back in May and now has seven retail locations open around the U.K. However, the company hasn't had an online presence in England until now.

According to Marketing Week:

The retailer claims its e-commerce site will "incorporate the wealth of expertise and advice offered by Best Buy's in-store team, as well as invite and involve the opinions and recommendations of consumers".

As well as a transactional site BestBuy.co.uk will provide content designed to replicate the in-store service offered by its "Blueshirt" team of technical experts and guide consumers.

It includes 350 "Inspiration and Advice" guides, interactive video guides and "plain English" articles on the latest technology products to help consumers make the right purchase decisions.

This online launch comes at a time when Best Buy's major competitors in Britain, Dixons and Comet, have unveiled some major campaigns of their own to capitalize on the upcoming Holiday Season. Dixons recently started a Star Wars-themed marketing campaign and Comet started a loyalty scheme at the same time as it changed its branding.

Whether or not Best Buy's new online store is enough to make it a serious competitor in the home electronics market remains to be seen. Since I'm based out of the United States, I have no comparison to draw between Best Buy, Comet, and Dixons. Have any of our U.K. readers been able to shop at more than one of these chains and draw an opinion about whether one is better than another?

Source: Best Buy via <a href=http://www.marketingweek.co.uk/sectors/retail/best-buy-goes-national-with-online-launch/3020161.article>Marketing Week

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[dududf]

*snip*
The retailer claims its e-commerce site will "incorporate the wealth of expertise and advice offered by Best Buy's in-store team, as well as invite and involve the opinions and recommendations of consumers".
*snip*

...

Ha ha! Oh god my sides man, my sides.

Last time I went there and I went to the tech division, the guy didn't know what the difference between a gpu and a cpu was. Nor did he know what a motherboard is.

Fuck, if you have to go to best buy for its technical prowess, then you best also go to a museum, and make with your ancient relatives in the section regarding Neanderthals.

 

[Actual]

*snip*
The retailer claims its e-commerce site will "incorporate the wealth of expertise and advice offered by Best Buy's in-store team, as well as invite and involve the opinions and recommendations of consumers".
*snip*

...

Ha ha! Oh god my sides man, my sides.

Last time I went there and I went to the tech division, the guy didn't know what the difference between a gpu and a cpu was. Nor did he know what a motherboard is.

Fuck, if you have to go to best buy for its technical prowess, then you best also go to a museum, and make with your ancient relatives in the section regarding Neanderthals.

Well, we're used to the tech "specialists" of PC world who aren't hired if they've ever seen the insides of a PC, so Best Buys offerings shouldn't be too surprising.

I'm not sure we have a gap for Best Buy, surely they're going to have to spend ludicrous amounts of money to makes themselves relevant in an already saturated market.

Also, these pictures from their website are a massive turn-off:
http://www.bestbuy.co.uk/_format/images/RHPromos/services-r1.jpgThey're just so ....American. Notice how the geek squad member actually looks geeky, and is in black and white to really emphasise that.

 

[Loop Stricken]

I wasn't aware they even existed in this country. You'd think they'd have one in Birmingham.

 

[DoomGnomes]

Over here Comet and Dixon are pretty much the same. They are both quite good if you want a washing machine but not much else. I can't see why Best Buy would be any different. We have enough specialist shop to cover most things, also Tesco and Argos sell everything.

 

[rees263]

From my limited experience of Dixons and Comet, I would say that I associate Comet more with white goods and Dixons with cameras and laptops etc. However, Dixons to my knowledge also owns PC World and Currys, the former needs no explanation, and the latter I would say is the equivalent of Comet (in my mind).

I can't say I'm at all familiar with Best buy, but from the sounds of it they offer pretty much all of the above, so I imagine their success will come down to how competetive their prices are, how convenient their shop locations are, and how they raise awareness of their stores - after all not many Brits will know they exist. I doubt that customer service and advice will play a major factor. I don't see their staff being significantly better or worse than those of their competitors, so it will probably be a minor factor comparred to the above ones.

 

[Morgan3rd]

Prices of a brick and mortar store, Online!

 

[ZakCanard]

I wasn't aware they even existed in this country. You'd think they'd have one in Birmingham.

You've got loads of them in Birmingham, you just don't realise it. Best Buy bought Carphone Warehouse about 18 months ago.

 

[xhable]

As a nerd I've always been disappointed by the lack of technical knowledge I find in PC world, Comet & Dixons. I can't see best buy stepping up too the mark either.

They rarely have the obscure connector I'm after in a hurry and can never provide advice that I'm confident in trusting. The two things I look for in a store.

 

[Nickolai77]

Don't have much experience in Dixons or Comet...but if Dixons owns Curry's and PC world then from shopping there i can say their services are fine, not unique or brilliant, but good enough.

I think Best Buy will do quite well so long as they maximise their advantage in being an online store i.e- cheaper prices and do plenty of advertising online.

Also, i don't mean to sound PC but England isn't synonymous with the UK, as it leaves out our Welsh, Scottish and N Irish friends. Usually Britain or just the UK is more correct.

 

[dark_taint92]

Oh, I'm sorry writer, I didn't realise that Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland weren't part of the UK any more, just England. How silly of me.

Idiot.

What the hell are you on about where in the article did he refer to anything like that?

If best buy can supply me with a Trackerball mouse I'll be happy because neither comet or dixons actually have them nor do they know what one is -_-

 

[Outlaw Torn]

Oh, I'm sorry writer, I didn't realise that Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland weren't part of the UK any more, just England. How silly of me.

Idiot.

The article says that the store has gone online in the UK which, last time I checked, included England. You don't have to mention the other countries every time you say something about the UK you know. Or would you prefer the article was rewritten as such:

Best Buy is (finally) bringing its retail experience online for customers in England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland were also nearby at the time but unavailable for comment.

U.S.-based Best Buy has become a recent presence in the English retail scene, but not the Scottish, Welsh or Northern Irish scenes which Best Buy has not become a recent presence in.

 

[Earthmonger]

Oh, I'm sorry writer, I didn't realise that Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland weren't part of the UK any more, just England. How silly of me.

Idiot.

What the hell are you on about where in the article did he refer to anything like that?

If best buy can supply me with a Trackerball mouse I'll be happy because neither comet or dixons actually have them nor do they know what one is -_-

Screw Best Buy and their bullshit. Don't support them. They're the Wal-Mart of electronics stores, and therefore, utter scum.

Get your trackball straight from Logitech. New model came out last month.
http://www.logitech.com/en-gb/mice-pointers/trackballs/devices/7365

 

[tharglet]

They rarely have the obscure connector I'm after in a hurry and can never provide advice that I'm confident in trusting. The two things I look for in a store.

Even Maplin's is terrible for this. If you don't know what you want, they sure as heck don't most of the time. There used to be a decent electronics store not too far away from me, but the guy had to close down because he couldn't compete with the Maplin that opened up near him.

Remember when my hubby asked for a connector (can't remember what it was now, but it wasn't too obscure - think it was an s-video connector) the guy looked at him funny until we looked it up in the catalogue and gave him a ref# lol.

 

[DSK-]

I'll just shop at C.E.X, GameStation or Play.com

That way I can play either second hand cheap or new and reduced games.

 

[GLo Jones]

Oh, I'm sorry writer, I didn't realise that Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland weren't part of the UK any more, just England. How silly of me.

Idiot.

The 4 (soon to be 5) stores in the UK happen to have only hit England so far, though this is no doubt part of a push for the entire UK.

No need to jump to conclusions, especially if it offends you.

Edit: Ignore me! I see his mistake, my bad.

 

[Rusty Bucket]

It says this article was posted on December 31st 1969. Am I the only one seeing that?

 

[RMcD94]

Stop using England as a synonym for the UK.

They're two different things, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, the rest of the UK owned Isles are all getting it too, even if stores aren't being opened there.

It's not opening in every single city in England is it, but I don't here you specifying the exact locations where they are opening as the places that's getting it.