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The real problem with Best Buy isn't that they are brick and mortar and everybody prefers online shopping.
Not really. We are preaching to the choir. For every one of us, there are probably 3 people that don't have Internet. For everyone one of us, 5 are probably too stupid to know how to shop/price compare online, 10 that don't trust online transactions, etc.
No, I didn't look the statistics up. There isn't any need to, we are around it everyday.
Not really. We are preaching to the choir. For every one of us, there are probably 3 people that don't have Internet. For everyone one of us, 5 are probably too stupid to know how to shop/price compare online, 10 that don't trust online transactions, etc.
No, I didn't look the statistics up. There isn't any need to, we are around it everyday.
I still know people that tell me what great deals they are getting at Best Buy on a product. I tell them to look on amazon, read reviews, and compare prices. If they actually take my advice, many of them get hooked and then realize they were wasting money at Best Buy.
Not really. We are preaching to the choir. For every one of us, there are probably 3 people that don't have Internet. For everyone one of us, 5 are probably too stupid to know how to shop/price compare online, 10 that don't trust online transactions, etc.
No, I didn't look the statistics up. There isn't any need to, we are around it everyday.
Most people who post on forums like this are net junkies which is why a majority here refuse to shop at a brick and mortar. This however is not the majority of the population. As said, it won't be Newegg that kills Best Buy, it will be a combination of Costco, the Apple Store, and wireless stores. I went to Costco for the first time this week and was surprised. They have an excellent electronics section that rivals Best Buy with items people need.
Most people who post on forums like this are net junkies which is why a majority here refuse to shop at a brick and mortar. This however is not the majority of the population. As said, it won't be Newegg that kills Best Buy, it will be a combination of Costco, the Apple Store, and wireless stores. I went to Costco for the first time this week and was surprised. They have an excellent electronics section that rivals Best Buy with items people need.
There will always be a role for bricks and mortar and, in that segment, Best Buy have to compete with the likes of Costco and Walmart. The problem for bricks and mortar retailers is that many products can now be delivered to consumers direct with the retailer being cut out of the supply chain. We have seen it in the travel industry, it is happening in the music industry and in the software industry and many manufacturers will also sell to you online.
Amazon is now an online department store and they can sell cheaper than bricks and mortar. If you know exactly what you want, if it is a standard product, if it does not require fitting or installing, if it is not a product readily available at your local bricks and mortar then they can out-compete them.
Just as travel agents are now few and far between, just as the range of CDs available in your local bricks and mortar shrink, other products are going to follow the same route. My guess is that DVDs will not be far behind CDs and there will be others.
Apple is certainly doing well and I like them myself(with exception to how closed their os is), but if you don't understand why its 100x easier to support Apple products than the plethora of products that Best Buy could have (even in just 1 section) then..........
I did have fun asking them once if they knew what iSCSI was.... and no.. its not an apple product
The point I was making was the availability of people who know what they were doing and who have the ability to offer a reasonable level of customer service. I am, in fact, a highly experienced PC user and I am pretty good with MVS too If Best Buy want to compete in the bricks and mortar market then they need to offer something beyond a plethora of pretty standard products.
The point I was making was the availability of people who know what they were doing and who have the ability to offer a reasonable level of customer service.
I understand.
The point I'm making is its much easier to support an Apple product than a Windows product, for instance. You don't nearly as much bios x with cipset y and video card z that causes a random blue screen.
Agree that its true B&M isn't totally going to go away, and in fact we should be happy they have the customers they do. This is why we can find the deals that we can.
1st - I think they got into too many games they don't understand. They've spread themselves too thin. Warranties, this, that, tv's. It's like they're in a game to sell anything for $1 that cost them .80 cents. They're not really in the electronics game. Or appliances. Its more about turning .80 cents into .95 cents through financing, this, this "upsell". I think brick and mortar has completely blown the upsell concept, overused it.
Remember in the 80's and 90's when no one would use it? I think they've abused too many gimmicks without providing quality. That's why they're in trouble.
2nd- There's also a danger with online selling, it's getting too confusing. Amazon is getting confusing. Too much stuff on the screen. Google's minimalism is still very viable and I think the standard for online commerce.
I agree there isn't as much demand for the types of things Best Buy built their business model around. There will be smaller stores selling smaller gadgets. Why have huge stores if technology is getting smaller and more compact?
Most of my experiences with Best Buy have been pretty good. Their staff was always knowledgeable. Now Circuit City, that is a whole different story...the store never looked the same way twice; they were always changing things, which made me hate going in because I knew stuff I wanted wasnt going to be in the same place as the last time I was there. And talk about a staff that knew nothing? CC took the cake.
I can say nothing but good things about Best Buy, but I can only say good things about Amazon as well--I have never had a bad experience with them.
But for the worst of the brick and mortars that is easily Wal-Mart. It isnt even a contest--I simply detest going there. A matter of fact, I wont go in there unless I have to.
Just as travel agents are now few and far between, just as the range of CDs available in your local bricks and mortar shrink, other products are going to follow the same route. My guess is that DVDs will not be far behind CDs and there will be others.
The one thing standing in the way of physical media disappearing is the fact the average broadband connection is not fast or reliable enough for high quality 1080p streams without hiccups. Until Americans have 50Mbps fiber running into their homes nationwide, there will always be a demand for DVDs, Blu-rays, etc. CD's on the other hand will most likely go the way of cassettes within 5 years. Being that CD quality audio is less than 200kbps even people with slow broadband have no problem streaming music and the files are small enough they can be downloaded quickly. Best Buy however needs to position itself to compete in a post physical media world.
And honestly, if a chain like Fry's Electronics and MicroCenter were to expand into smaller markets, there would be no need for Best Buy period. Those stores are basically Best Buy and CompUSA under one roof and are priced much more competitively with online retailers. Right now, those chains are only in the largest metro areas. One Fry's or MicroCenter in a city like Charlotte could easily but several Best Buys out of business.
I can't see Best Buy being around for more than a few years. I used to buy a lot of things there in the 90's, but it doesn't make much sense from a personal finance stance to shop there. You can find the same products they have there for sometimes 30+% less at Amazon or New Egg.
I wonder if even Wal-Mart might stop selling electronics someday. Even with their lower prices they still can't compete with those two online retailers.
I went to Best Buy yesterday looking for a video cable which I found but they were selling for $79.00. I found the exact same thing online for $9.99 and no state sales tax.
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If Best Buy want to compete in the bricks and mortar market then they need to offer something beyond a plethora of pretty standard products.
