By adding higher-end, interactive displays, Wal-Mart intents to grab big box shoppers who might have once gone to dedicated electronics stores but are now looking for something a bit more interesting. That’s right: Wal-Mart looking to take over where Circuit City left off – offering high-priced electronics in a physical environment reminiscent of the canteen on a prison planet staffed by the sub-literate – in order to grab some of those sweet electronics profits.
“Circuit City’s business is up for grabs right now and we expect to get our share,” Gary Severson, Wal-Mart’s senior vice president of home entertainment, said in an interview with the newspaper.
Wal-Mart executives said the stores would soon offer Palm Inc’s Pre smartphone, a highly anticipated gadget. The retailer also is adding to its selection of higher-end televisions by manufacturers Sony Corp and Samsung Electronics Co, and broadening its array of movies, the newspaper said.
As I said before there is no reason to buy electronics in a big box store. Delivery is swift and decisive and usually free and the price savings you get online far outweighs the “convenience” of wandering down to Best Buy and being hassled over extended warranties.