In five years, will Best Buy still exist as a stand-alone chain of brick and mortar retailers?

Best Buy's surprise announcement today that its CEO Brian Dunn is resigning (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303815404577335551794808074.html) is what prompts me to ask. It announced a couple of weeks ago that it will be closing 50 of its big box stores.

Just like Circuit City gone........

In five years, will Best Buy still exist as a stand-alone chain of brick and mortar retailers?

Best Buy's surprise announcement today that its CEO Brian Dunn is resigning (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303815404577335551794808074.html) is what prompts me to ask. It announced a couple of weeks ago that it will be closing 50 of its big box stores.

What's their debt like?

They are in an odd place it seems. They need to get a good bit bigger or cut back some. They do, I think, too many things in a small way, what with the appliances and crap. Why anyone sells CD's and DVD's in a real store is beyond me. The Electronics part seems to be where they need to be; people like to get their hands on TV's, I-Things, computers et al.

What do we need them for? With way cheaper options like tigerdirect and newegg (that often includes free and easy returns) why would I shop in an overpriced bells and whistles store? A lot of their policies stink (restocking fees come to mind) and customer service is shotty at best. They could close tomorrow and we could finally get a decent strip club, chain restaurant or nail salon. This town lacks nail salons. :sarcasm:

Best Buy to close 50 U.S. stores, stock drops - Mar. 29, 2012 (http://money.cnn.com/2012/03/29/markets/best_buy/index.htm)

The company said it plans to open the same number of stores in China during the same time period.

Just like Circuit City gone........

I thought Monkey Wards was gone too, but I see Circuit City and Wards online. Best Buys prices are no good, better prices on Comps At Staples and better prices On TVs at WallyWorld

What do we need them for? With way cheaper options like tigerdirect and newegg (that often includes free and easy returns) why would I shop in an overpriced bells and whistles store? A lot of their policies stink (restocking fees come to mind) and customer service is shotty at best. They could close tomorrow and we could finally get a decent strip club, chain restaurant or nail salon. This town lacks nail salons. :sarcasm:

The nail salon next door could expand.

I read an article just before christmas that predicted they would not be around for 2012... Closing 50 stores is the begining of the end.

Well, they were insrumental in getting the Caamera Stores to close, so I guess Karma.
Shame to lose the camera stores. The real ones with everything.

Best Buy is crap. Good riddance

Everytime I go in one of their stores it's full of people; doesn't matter what time of day. Of course closing 50 stores in our crumbling economy doesn't surprise me.

If they are going out of business, who's pushing them out?

I read the resignation was due to an "inappropriate relationship" with a female employee, unrelated to finances or day-to-day operations.

As for Best buy itself, it doesn't surprise me that they may be closing some stores, but I don't see them folding completely until something similar replaces it. Even though I buy a good amount of stuff online, there are still times I prefer to head to Best buy to pick up something to take home that day. Also, some things you want to actually go and see in person.....to compare with another actual real-life item side-by-side.

Wal-Mart or Costco are brick-and-motar stores where you can find many of the same stuff cheaper, but the in-stock selection is much more limited, and it's usually more of a hassle as opposed to just popping into a Best Buy.

Maybe Best Buy just overextended itself by driving Circuit City out-of-business, and they just need to readjust appropriately. :shrug:

Best Buy is ok. if they disappear, that's ok as well. So be it. The i-net has killed so much already, what's next?

At least i won't have to worry about getting mail from their CCard co. asking why I have a zero balance and am not employing their card.....

I have watched the PC Software section shrink over the years ..... now it is down to a very small section [but then so has Walmarts]

it was a nice place to go when they 1st opened up, after what CC had turned into ....... but yeah I have not set foot in a BB in 2 yrs - since Fallout New Vegas came out - and Bethesda Soft had special ed.

IMHO DVD's are WAY over priced ....

.... I buy most of my stuff online

I would not take a dead cat in to the Geek Squad to get it fixed :razz:

Everytime I go in one of their stores it's full of people; doesn't matter what time of day. Of course closing 50 stores in our crumbling economy doesn't surprise me.

If they are going out of business, who's pushing them out?

I'll go in there sometimes to window shop, look at something hands on, then go buy it off amazon for less $$