Best Buy rolls out designated parking slots for web shoppers
Best Buy Co. is introducing new web tools and an expedited buy-online/pick-up in-store program to capture more holiday sales this Thanksgiving.
Best Buy, No. 11 in the Internet Retailer Top 500 Guide to Retail Web Sites, is designating "In-Store Pickup" parking places in front of each store for shoppers who complete their transaction on the web and want the option of picking up the merchandise at a convenient location.
The retailer is also emphasizing its companion site, AskABlueShirt.com, as a destination for online shoppers wanting more information on certain products. Customers can visit AskABlueShirt.com to chat live with a Best Buy Blue Shirt, who can answer their consumer electronics and gift buying questions. Best Buy will conduct a live chat on the Monday after Thanksgiving from 1 to 2 p.m. EST and will conduct several more during the holidays.
Best Buy is also introducing online pricing specials over the Thanksgiving weekend and rolling out expanded gift ideas and an enhanced wish list on BestBuy.com.
"Online shopping has grown and become an important part of the holiday gift buying experience," says Best Buy director of online marketing Rose Hamilton. "Customers will find some online only deals for Cyber Monday and the entire week after Thanksgiving as we keep the momentum from Black Friday going through the holidays."
Chain electronics retailers such as Best Buy, Circuit City Stores Inc., No. 17 in the Internet Retailer Top 500 Guide to Retail Web Sites, and CompUSA Inc., No. 39 in the Internet Retailer Top 500 Guide to Retail Web Sites, are emphasizing the web more as they look to capitalize on the holiday shopping season. CompUSA is offering in-store pick-up, enabling customers to order online and pick up the merchandise at the nearest store within 15 minutes of placing an order.
Last year Circuit City launched 24/24 that guarantees customers that items ordered online will be ready for in-store pickup in 24 minutes or they receive a $24 gift card. Circuit City highlighted the service in its ad campaign during the fourth quarter as a way to promote multi-channel shopping.
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