Best Buy to Expand Mobile Phone Retail Outlets

The US retail chain, Best Buy  says that it plans to expand its Best Buy Mobile store concept to more than 190 locations in eight markets over the next nine months. The roll-out follows a successful pilot of the experience at 13 stand-alone and store-within-a-store locations in New York City. Beginning in July, Best Buy Mobile will be available to customers in new markets in 12 states throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Midwest and the District of Columbia.

Best Buy Mobile was created as a joint venture with U.K. mobile retailer Carphone Warehouse (CPW) in 2006.

The U.S. expansion includes upgrading the mobile sections of 170 existing Best Buy stores for the Best Buy Mobile "store-within-a-store" concept and the addition of up to 10 standalone Best Buy Mobile stores. Best Buy will begin opening the new Best Buy Mobile locations in July, completing the expansion by the end of February 2008.

"Very few people say they have had a positive experience purchasing their mobile phones, but it doesn't have to be that way," said David Sprosty, chief executive officer of Best Buy Mobile. "Customers deserve a pressure-free, personalized one-stop-shop that puts the emphasis on them, not on the latest gadget or service plan."

Best Buy Mobile standalone stores average approximately 1,500 square feet, while the store-within-a-store concept will be located near the current wireless section and feature approximately 800 square feet of display space. "

Posted to the site on 19th June 2007