Best Buy is today opening a new digital-first, small box store concept that it believes will change the way consumers shop for the products it sells.
The new 5,000-square-foot store, located in Monroe, NC, features a curated selection of “best-on-category products” in audio and home theater, cameras, cellphones, computing, small appliances, smart home tech and wearables.
Shoppers entering the store are greeted by a seven-foot digital display that will explain how to shop.
Most of the products on display in the store are there just for that — display. Shoppers can test how a product works and, if they decide to buy, simply scan the QR code on the item’s price tag. An order is then sent to the store’s Blue Shirts who pick it up in the backroom and bring it to the register for the purchase to be completed.
The store also features some grab-and-go items such as cell phone cases, charging cables and gift cards. Customers with the Best Buy app can scan an item’s barcode and use mobile self-checkout to make a purchase.
The traditional Best Buy customer experience is often defined by the experience of working with the chain’s Blue Shirt associates to get questions answered. Customers in the new store will have that option or they can shop live with an expert from Best Buy’s virtual store. This can be done via call, text chat or video chat while shopping in the store.
Read the full article here