interestrateripoff Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/09/19/uk-bestbuy-idUKTRE78I4CF20110919 Best Buy Co is likely to abandon its British megastores next year, retreating from an overseas expansion plan that has been stymied by a global recession and cultural differences in how people like to shop.Analysts said they expect the move to shutter the British big box stores to come in early 2012 as the company instead needs to focus on strengthening its mainstay U.S. business against cut-throat competition from discounters and online rivals. Closing the 11 British stores would be the biggest admission of failure so far in the U.S. retailer's overseas expansion strategy. It would also stem tens of millions of dollars in annual losses and raise hopes among investors that Best Buy will take steps to reset its business after the latest in a series of profit warnings this month. Anyone been in one of their UK stores? What's the shop actually like? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
200p Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 (edited) There's a new one in Southampton, I've not been there yet, it is in a quiet retail park, out of town. Their TV adverts were catchy - with the choreographed dancers. I didn't think it would take off considering the gloom Dixons, Comet etc were having. If only they had paid me for the advice, and aborted earlier, I could have saved them a few bob. Edited September 19, 2011 by Money Spinner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonb Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 http://uk.reuters.co...E78I4CF20110919 Anyone been in one of their UK stores? What's the shop actually like? Not really any different to Currys, though a bit smaller than their megastores. They do provide effective competition for Dixons group which at the moment Comet doesn't manage to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldbug9999 Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 (edited) Not really any different to Currys, though a bit smaller than their megastores. They do provide effective competition for Dixons group which at the moment Comet doesn't manage to do. I was hoping they would give currys et al a kick up the ****. Went into the store in cribbs causway bristol a little while ago and thought it was pretty decent. Sales staff are a bit more hands off and I seem to remember one of them saying something like "well if you need any help just ask anyone - none of us are on sales commission" and leaving me alone which was a refreshing change - last time I went in currys (?) there the 10th or so person ask me if I needed any help in the space of as many minutes got told to sod off and leave me alone. Edited September 19, 2011 by goldbug9999 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Melchett Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 Ah, this is sad news for me: Since their Thurrock store opened I've not bought my gadgets anywhere else (except online, and there's the rub): Good stock, well priced, knowledgeable staff and no quibbling or dicking around like some other big electrical retailers I wont mention. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
200p Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 IF house prices fell 50% tommorrow, a wall of FTB could go and stock up on white goods, to fill their homes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 (edited) I can't see how any store of this kind can survive. If you want a cheap fridge/washing machine/stereo/TV you go to Asda or Tesco. If you want to pay slightly more you go to a John Lewis (they have more stores than I realised). Laptops etc can be bought in the same places, ditto cables and accessories. What purpose do these shops serve? None that I can see. Even people who are less internet-savvy have relatives who can help them out... I have recently bought several electrical items for my mum and mum-in-law... both were intending to go to Curry's/PC World. The though of them walking in with no idea of spec/prices scared the beejezus out of me! Edited September 20, 2011 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phead Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 Anyone been in one of their UK stores? What's the shop actually like? Not been in, tried to buy something online, it decided it didn't like my credit card so it blocked it permanently. Besy Buy D.O.A. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nomadd Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 Anyone been in one of their UK stores? What's the shop actually like? Used their "store" in Enfield this weekend for the first time. Really liked it. Pleasant staff, and good prices (bought a home phone - £5 cheaper than Argos for the one I wanted.) Also like their no-quibble refund policy. I'd certainly use them again. Nomadd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ames Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 John Lewis will price match. With their free extended warranty, why would you go anywhere else? Worked for me when I bought a new dishwasher. Ames Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Bowman Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 Do we need to shop in person, the internet is so much more efficient and cheaper for those that plan ahead. People who shop in person tend to be those who dont plan ahead and thus dont get the best value for their money. We all know shopping online is generally cheaper but some people havent twigged as we see with the massive numbers who go shopping every weekend, likewise there are some who seem to think shopping is a past time. How brain dead is that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Bowman Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 likewise there are some who seem to think shopping is a past time. How brain dead is that? Probably same people who enjoy posting on Internet forums and view it as a past time. In the end most human activities can be described by someone as brain dead you just have to choose your flavour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Bowman Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 Yes quite as your behaviour suggests. http://www.housepricecrash.co.uk/forum/index.php?showtopic=169484&view=findpost&p=3122580 http://www.housepricecrash.co.uk/forum/index.php?showtopic=167390&view=findpost&p=3073304 http://www.housepricecrash.co.uk/forum/index.php?app=forums&module=extras§ion=stats&do=who&t=169128 http://www.housepricecrash.co.uk/forum/index.php?app=forums&module=extras§ion=stats&do=who&t=164104 Still gives you something to do. Exactly it was obviously ironic didn't someone wise or with too much time on their hands say virtually all human activity is a distraction from the fact we all end one day... And your right this is certainly one of my brain dead activities of choice although this season being a Arsenal fan is running a close second...! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jones87 Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 Not so long ago they were giving 15% cashback via Quidco.com on all purchases online, laptops, TVs everything. That's their margin gone then... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gilf Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 Went to the one in Thurrock a couple of weeks back, nice and big with lots of flashing screens... and about 4 people in it. The one decent thing was you could actually touch and use the stuff you were going to purchase, however I actually found most of their ranges a little limited. I wanted a desktop PC and they literally have 3 to choose from. Didn't look at the prices so no idea if they competed on that front but I couldn't find anything particularly compelling to make me want to go back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Bowman Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 (edited) Living where you live must be handy for the Gooners then. I do actually find it quite educational reading all the views on here, it helps me plan ahead so on the surface some things might seem brain dead there are some good points made on here which trigger other thought processes. HPC does seem to be ahead of the crowd which is an advantage for small business owners who frequent this site when usual market research facilities are not available by virtue of being small and not affording that luxury and you can also measure sentiment from web forums as well which is quite handy for some activities. I know it seems I live on HPC but I am sat in front of 6 monitors at this moment in time doing other work whilst other programs are working away. Women would like to call it multi tasking..... Edit: Have to ask, if your HPC name is your real life name and if you had some BTL's in East Herts. If so you were one of my ex-landlords. Small World if so! Yep very handy just picked up 4 tickets for tonight on way out of London. Although 5 people in queue including me who had given up season tickets - personally think football at that level is going to eat itself but there seems great similarities with the housing market! It seemed very nostalgic to see a game in the paper and think I will take my son, nephew and old man to that all for £70 slight tinge of what we have lost as football fans did that all the time in the eighties and right up to the late 90's. I totally agree with the range of views on here which seem for the most part (sibbers and hamish excepted) well rounded and a good cross section of how people feel and as a petrol head you can always get a car discussion going in the middle of any thread! My name unfortunately is not my own and therefore unfortunately our paths haven't crossed physically it would seem, I am not a BTL landlord but who knows our paths still might of crossed. Don't really like the the slightly 'false' world of our mostly alternative names on the web. But sort of necessary evil on the web I have a distinctive surname which brings pages of hits when googled and I don't always say things on here that I would want my clients to see - people can misconstrue things all though pretty good at that myself.. Now thats enough multi tasking/past timing for one day! enjoy your evening Edited September 20, 2011 by Greg Bowman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dryrot Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 [deleted] I didn't think it would take off considering the gloom Dixons, Comet etc were having. If only they had paid me for the advice, and aborted earlier, I could have saved them a few bob. Good to see the standard hpc.co.uk advice; "It'll NEVER work..." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Bart' Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 John Lewis will price match. With their free extended warranty, why would you go anywhere else? For many years John Lewis customers have been safe in the knowledge that if they found their purchase for a lower price elsewhere the company would refund the difference. Carrier bags and marketing campaigns have proudly proclaimed to the world that John Lewis won't be beaten on price.Yet since September some customers who have asked John Lewis to match the price of goods found cheaper elsewhere on the high street have been turned away. A Guardian Money reader from Roydon, Essex, contacted us after he bought a Hotpoint washing machine in John Lewis's Welwyn store for £279. A few days later he saw the same model in Argos for £219 – £60 cheaper. John Lewis turned down his claim made under the never knowingly undersold policy, because it said it guaranteed the washing machines for two years, while Argos offered only one year. The customer complained – unsuccessfully – that the store wasn't being fair as this was not made clear in the literature. When Money investigated, we found that John Lewis had made a fundamental change to its policy. In a statement in September, which at the time drew positive headlines, it said it would for the first time match online prices from other retailers as long as they also had a physical high street presence. What was made less clear was that the store would no longer match a price unless its rival offers the exact same warranty. The Guardian, 5/2/11 LINK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottbeard Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 IF house prices fell 50% tommorrow, a wall of FTB could go and stock up on white goods, to fill their homes. Except that, if house prices fell 50% tommorrow virtually every bank in Britain would end up bankrupt, wiping out the savings of all the FTBs*. (* or the government prints money to honour the FSCS 85k guarantee, which means inflation goes through the roof) There is no free lunch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Melchett Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 In addition, Bart, you often find subtle differences in model numbers between stores to confound comparisons. So John Lewis will have cooker model WBYEATS72WE, Comet WBTEATS72WQ and Argos WBYEATS72WX And of course the essentials of delivery, connection, disconnecting and taking away the old one etc are a joyous panoply of escape clauses and confounders, especially on cookers. Oh, and Trickster, I did think about replacing my failed router by buying one on the internet but....... I just didnt plan ahead enough, did I? Still, now I'm back on the web, I can get on to Amazon for a crystal ball and some sheeps entrails so I dont get caught out like that again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ames Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 LINK BestBuy have a "physical high street presence" so the pledge was honoured. Of course they are not going to match all prices on the web. Quite a few advertised "bargains" are for stock that does not and never did exist. Ames Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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