Sunday, April 01, 2012 10:14:31 AM
David Coursey, Contributor
Technology and people, trying to get along
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Tech|3/31/2012 @ 11:10PM |3,117 views
The Last Best Buy Story You (Or Anyone) Should Read
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What is this fascination the Forbes.com readership seems to have with Best Buy?
Geez, they are closing 50 stores and you’d think it really mattered to someone besides the employees who will lose their jobs. Hundreds of thousands of readers click on these stories, several stories, all more-or-less saying the same thing. OK, maybe I am a bit envious, but I still don’t understand why people care so much about this outgoing attraction.
Forbes’ Larry Downes wrote the most comprehensive pre-mortem of Best Buy back on January 2 and it has amassed more than three million views since. He predicted a gradual sunset for Best Buy, which seems almost impossible to prevent.
Best Buy cannot be saved in its present form. My guess is much smaller stores might work, but that is the space Radio Shack already has staked out. Could Best Buy become a better Radio Shack than Radio Shack? I’d sure welcome one, but I wonder if Best Buy can navigate a drastic downsizing successfully.
I used to go into Best Buy fairly often, but that was more than 5 years ago. Today, my local store is a shadow of its former self. I used to go in for occasional computer accessories, but I stopped when the store never had what I needed. Staples is today more likely to have what I need than Best Buy.
I did buy a car stereo at Best Buy when the one in my van failed. I went there because I wanted to replace a Sony with a Sony for plug compatibility. Best Buy could not conveniently install it for me (which is why I decided I needed the same connector) and I ended up doing the work myself.
While I am no longer the connoisseur of consumer electronics that I used to be, Best Buy is still either too low-end or too expensive for me. And Costco is a far better vendor, across-the-board, in my experience. If Costco sells it, I’ll probably buy it from them for their easy returns, low prices, and good technical support.
I have already shared that I feel guilty when I buy books and other media from Amazon instead of my local Barnes & Noble store. I don’t have such qualms about Best Buy. Really, if it came down to it, I’d rather “save” the two local Radio Shacks with my consumer spending. Between Radio Shack and Staples (remember, I live in a city of 80,000) I can find most of what I want.
I am sad about what has happened to consumer electronics stores, but that started even before the Internet. Anyone besides me miss Allied Radio? Lafayette? The Radio Shack that still published catalogs? HeathKit stores, anyone?
Best Buy won’t go quickly, but the store we used to shop at is long gone and not coming back. If what’s left of Best Buy’s big stores go away, few will really care.
Recent BBY News
- Form 4 - Statement of changes in beneficial ownership of securities • Edgar (US Regulatory) • 10/07/2024 09:52:24 PM
- Balfour Beatty Named No. 1 Education Builder by ENR California for Second Year • Business Wire • 10/02/2024 03:47:00 PM
- Form 4 - Statement of changes in beneficial ownership of securities • Edgar (US Regulatory) • 09/26/2024 08:24:28 PM
- Form 4 - Statement of changes in beneficial ownership of securities • Edgar (US Regulatory) • 09/24/2024 08:29:24 PM
- Best Buy’s Countdown to the Holiday Season Begins • Business Wire • 09/16/2024 12:00:00 PM
- Form 4 - Statement of changes in beneficial ownership of securities • Edgar (US Regulatory) • 09/13/2024 08:24:44 PM
- Form 144 - Report of proposed sale of securities • Edgar (US Regulatory) • 09/11/2024 08:32:44 PM
- Balfour Beatty Hires William Webb as General Manager of Total Power Group Operations • Business Wire • 09/11/2024 03:19:00 PM
- Balfour Beatty Awarded Five Project Awards by Engineering-News Record • Business Wire • 09/05/2024 04:48:00 PM
- Sealed Air Provides Packaging Solutions for Best Buy • PR Newswire (US) • 09/04/2024 08:30:00 PM
- Form 4 - Statement of changes in beneficial ownership of securities • Edgar (US Regulatory) • 09/03/2024 08:23:33 PM
- Form 4 - Statement of changes in beneficial ownership of securities • Edgar (US Regulatory) • 09/03/2024 08:23:32 PM
- Form 144 - Report of proposed sale of securities • Edgar (US Regulatory) • 08/30/2024 03:41:30 PM
- Best Buy Announces Regular Quarterly Cash Dividend • Business Wire • 08/30/2024 12:00:00 PM
- Form 144 - Report of proposed sale of securities • Edgar (US Regulatory) • 08/29/2024 06:03:04 PM
- Form 8-K - Current report • Edgar (US Regulatory) • 08/29/2024 11:00:31 AM
- Best Buy Reports Second Quarter Results • Business Wire • 08/29/2024 11:00:00 AM
- U.S. Futures Rise; Oil Prices Dip Amid Libyan Supply Concerns and Inventory Drop • IH Market News • 08/29/2024 10:11:58 AM
- Form 4 - Statement of changes in beneficial ownership of securities • Edgar (US Regulatory) • 08/19/2024 08:31:23 PM
- Form 4 - Statement of changes in beneficial ownership of securities • Edgar (US Regulatory) • 07/25/2024 08:39:29 PM
- Form 4 - Statement of changes in beneficial ownership of securities • Edgar (US Regulatory) • 07/22/2024 10:02:50 PM
- Form 4 - Statement of changes in beneficial ownership of securities • Edgar (US Regulatory) • 07/22/2024 10:02:48 PM
- Form 144 - Report of proposed sale of securities • Edgar (US Regulatory) • 07/22/2024 08:44:56 PM
- Form 144 - Report of proposed sale of securities • Edgar (US Regulatory) • 07/18/2024 08:21:30 PM
- Balfour Beatty Chief Executive Officer Eric Stenman Named San Diego Business Journal’s CEO of the Year • Business Wire • 07/16/2024 04:11:00 PM
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