VantagePoint Capital Partners, a global cleantech fund focused on energy and efficiency, today revealed that former Best Buy executive Kal Patel is joining the firm as partner. Patel is expected to grow VPCP’s “European presence,” and lead its international “strategic partnerships” according to a press statement from the fund.
At Best Buy, Patel worked as executive vice president and president of the comapny’s Asia regional business. He lead a major acquisition of a Chinese company, worked on building Best Buy’s business in transportation, mobility, health and home energy management, and helped run the Best Buy Capital Alpha Fund… → Read More
Best Buy will open up their in-store wireless networks to allow kids (and kids at heart) to download games in their stores. They will also, obviously, sell the 3DS and will provide a “firsthand look at the platform with experts” in store.
While it’s certainly magnanimous of Best Buy to open their Wi-Fi to the masses, I wonder how much of this will end up being an upsell? “Pair your 3DS with Wi-Fi for $15,” anyone? → Read More
There’s been some talk about Best Buy allegedly hoarding iPad 2s in order to have inventory for a big sale. We heard a few different stories and I don’t know what to actually believe, but it appears that those rumors had some truth, because Best Buy is apparently going to launch an event on Sunday across the country, according to a leaked memo. → Read More
We’re hearing a few interesting things about Best Buy these days, especially when it comes to selling iPads. While many of these are isolated incidents, they all point to a general nastiness on the part of Best Buy employees and management who know a good thing when they see one.
First we have Best Buy employees holding back iPads 2 during periods of high demand and now we have managers essentially blackmailing customers into paying for service plans before they’re allowed to touch available stock.
A reader writes:
I was at Best But yesterday while my girlfriend was buying a new pc and asked if they had any iPad 2 in stock and I was told no. As I strolled around I looked up and noticed at least 40
In an overhead lock up area so I inquired about them. I was told by an associate that they were all sold. Two minutes later a manager walks over and says the only way I could have one is if I puchased a 109 dollar Best Buy protection plan.
→ Read More
A reader who works at Best Buy just told us that there’s been a bit of a misunderstanding between the electronics retailer and Apple. Apparently, Best Buy was holding off on selling the iPad 2s it had in stock, telling customers there weren’t any when in fact they had just reached their quota of sales for the day.
Not smart, BB! → Read More
Friend: So I’m thinking about cutting the cord.
Me: Oh yeah? You should buy a Roku then.
Friend: I don’t know what that is. I only buy my gadgets from big box stores.
Me: Well good news. Best Buy, BJ’s Wholesale Club, Fry’s Electronics and RadioShack now carry it.
Friend: How much?
Me: About $80 for the XD.
Friend: Oh great, glad to hear Best Buy is going to carry it. I wouldn’t have known what a Roku was if not.
Me: Yeah, I don’t shop at Best Buy. Make sure you turn down their $99 Geek Squad in-home setup.
Press Release after the break. → Read More
Best Buy is now in the the 4G business. The company has announced that its Best Buy Connect service, which first launched last July, will now support 4G, courtesy of a deal worked out with Clearwire. Access to the 4G network will set you back $45 per month, with Best Buy willing to waive the $35 activation fee if you agree to a two-year contract. → Read More
In case you were holding out for a BlackBerry PlayBook: good news. Research In Motion this morning announced (expected) plans to make the tablet computer available in more than 20,000 retail outlets in the U.S. and Canada. Indeed, pricing starts at $499.
In the U.S., outlets include AT&T, Best Buy, Office Depot, RadioShack, Sprint and Staples.
Best Buy has already announced that the tablet computer is scheduled to be available from all Best Buy and Best Buy Mobile stores in the United States, as well as Best Buy and Future Shop stores in Canada, on April 19. → Read More
We’ve heard some rumors that Best Buy would be providing its staff members with iPads for work — that is to say, as tools to carry while on the job, looking up prices on the internal website, doing price comparisons, and so on. Best Buy has acknowledged that it it is indeed thinking about handing out tablets — but that it hasn’t actually decided on the iPad. → Read More
Remember when the iPod was the new kid on the block a few years ago, and there was all those stories about various colleges including the portable media player to their students? History is repeating itself, only this time with the shiny and new iPad. Oh, and to Best Buy employees! → Read More
There are a few buyback programs out there, and at CES we even saw a meta-buyback program, EcoSquid, that lets you get the best price from among those. But retail electronics juggernaut Best Buy had to have a piece of the pie — and why not? They have a captive audience of people who like to shop “in real life” and who would probably be excited to get anything for an old TV.
Unsurprisingly, it’s not exactly the best value out there. → Read More
The FCC proposed something called AllVid last year, a device that would help deliver “multichannel video programming and Internet content” to whatever it’s connected to. The cable companies freaked out, calling AllVid a one-way ticket to “ignor[ing] copyright, patent, trademark, contract privity, licensing, and other legal rights and limitations that have been thoroughly documented.” Since real life works by pro-wrestling rules, the proponents of AllVid, seven companies ranging from Best Buy to Sony to Tivo, have taken offense to these allegations, and have subsequently formed an alliance, or stable, to fight back against these misrepresentations and half-truths. Cable companies versus the AllVid Tech Company Alliance will headline WrestleMania this year. → Read More
You don’t see total betrayals like this every day. But if the facts that TechForward are alleging in their lawsuit (embedded below) against Best Buy are true, this is some truly sleazy stuff.
Last year, says the lawsuit, Best Buy and TechForward engaged in a trial program of TechForward’s Guaranteed Buyback Plan in a number of Best Buy stores. Customers choose to purchase the plan at the time they’re buying a gadget, like those extended service warranties. If they get the plan, they have the option of selling the gadget back to Best Buy for store credit on a sliding scale. The longer they keep the gadget, the less they get back. For people who upgrade often, it may be an excellent choice and certainly saves the hassle of selling something on Craigslist or eBay.
TechForward says that the way they do the buybacks is important – price, exercise rates, etc. BestBuy allegedly held out the promise of a partnership and got TechForward to give them highly proprietary data under a confidentiality agreement. → Read More
When we first saw of the Motorola Xoom at CES, we thought and said good things. How could you go wrong with a dual-core full Honeycomb tablet? Then we heard rumors that Motorola wanted to sell a lot, so that got us thinking that the price would be competitive. Then we started seeing rumors of an $800 price tag, and that made us sad. And now it has been all but confirmed that it will cost $800 when it shows up February 24th. A leaked Best Buy ad shares the Xoom’s price along with some interesting, but odd, news. → Read More
Best Buy wants to buy your old electronics. That’s actually nothing new. The retailer had trade in programs for years. Unlike those deals through 3rd party services, the new Buy Back plan will be sold like extended warranties and then rewards buyers a gift card when the product is turned back in. But is it worth it? HD Guru took a deep look at the HDTV section and discovered that in some cases the HDTV plan can result in a net loss. I know, you’re shocked. Read the rest of Gary’s findings over on HDGuru.com but in short, your probably better off with Craigslist, ebay or a church rummage sale. → Read More
What you’re looking at above is a screenshot from a Best Buy inventory. Pretty amazing, eh? But why am I showing it to you? There seems to be nothing juicy about it. Y’see, it’s not all that it appears to be, my friend…
Pulling off some serous sleuthing, Android Central forum member, paulmike3, noticed that the number seen up the top left of the image (highlighted as number 3) is actually the very same barcode number that appeared on a (since pulled) YouTube video showing an HTC Thunderbolt unboxing.
So, like a double rainbow, I hear you asking “What does this mean!?” → Read More
We’re now just three weeks away from the launch of the iPhone on Verizon’s network (or two weeks if you’re already a Verizon customer). There’s no question it’s going to be a massive seller. And we already knew that AT&T would attempt to do everything in their power to make sure that their customers don’t jump ship. But now it appears that they may have a partner in this perilous mission: Best Buy.
A document obtained by GearLive, which they say is confirmed as an internal Best Buy playbook, details how the company is instructing employees to deal with questions about the Verizon iPhone. Specifically, they’re to use the following argument: → Read More
Here’s yet another piece of proof that the next iPad may be coming soon. As Devin pointed out yesterday, there is support for large (perhaps Retina Display) resolution graphics, all tied up in the latest release of Apple’s iBooks app. Now, some new leakage by way of Best Buy, that tells us the new iPad 2 may be right around the corner. → Read More
It happens to everyone; you buy that new phone, or laptop – and then a new more powerful version of the same product comes out the very next week. Best Buy has come out with a program designed to help with this phenomenon, but it doesn’t come cheap. → Read More
