News, info, and opinion by Mac users, for Mac users.

April 7, 2007

stores

Best Buy and Apple are together once again

Posted Apr. 7, ’07, 9:00 AM PT by Dan Moren
Category | Apple » Stores

Apple and Best BuyIt seems like every time I turn around, Best Buy and Apple are sneaking off together under the bleachers. But then they always end up having a huge fight in the cafeteria, storming off in opposite directions. For some reason, though, they keep getting back together. What’s up with that?

The latest news on the grapevine is that, having successfully run a pilot program to sell Apple products in 57 stores, Best Buy and Apple will be expanding this venture to include 200 more Best Buy retail locations. Presumably, they’ll be targeting areas that aren’t currently served by Apple Stores. It appears that a small number of the 200 stores will actually featured “walled-in” sections devoted to Apple—the store-within-a-store concept.

I assume this is limited merely to product sales, but it’d be pretty smooth if Apple could find a way to work in support. While my experience with Genius Bars has been mixed in the past, I’ve found that they’re often helpful with diagnosing problems that are difficult for phone techs to figure out.

Either way, I hear Best Buy gave Apple his letterman jacket, and that they’re going to homecoming together, so maybe it’s love for reals this time.

[via MacSurfer]


2 Comments

Dave said:

The problem is that the Geek Squad seems to have a hand in (if not total responsibility for) tech sales. In order to sell Macs, they need to perform Mac support, and they need to be trained in it (apparently the current qualification for that job involves holding a screw driver the right way). Otherwise, the in-store personnel will direct customers to PCs in order to provide support now or in the future.

My guess is the the off-and-on nature of the Apple-Best Buy relationship comes from the fact that Best Buy doesn't understand the ramifications of incorporating the Geek Squad in this manner. I had a friend walk out of a store without making a purchase because the Geek Squad refused to sell internal drives without also installing them.

April 7, 2007 12:18 PM
Adriano said:

It seems that aside from visitng an Apple store, CompUSA was the one the few chains one could actually see the product. With all of those stores closing in my area, Im glad to see Best Buy and Apple have made up.

April 7, 2007 4:51 PM

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