AP Photo/Matt Rourke
Shown is a Best Buy location in Philadelphia, Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2021.
Prices are surging, and Best Buy has a plan to draw in shoppers hunting for deals on TVs and laptops: more outlet stores.
Over the next year, Best Buy will double the number of outlet stores it has to 32 — starting with new outlets in Chicago, Houston, Phoenix and Manassas, Virginia — and add an outlet deals section to its website for the first time, the company said Wednesday.
Best Buy has operated outlet stores since 2014, offering discounts on TVs and major appliances that have been returned, repaired, exchanged or manufacturers have discontinued. It also has a similar “open-box” discount section at most of its approximately 1,000 stores.
Now, the chain is opening new outlet stores with a larger product assortment, including laptops, tables, gaming consoles and cell phones. It will add more services to these stores, such as same-day delivery, curbside pickup and a Geek Squad center where shoppers can get tech support.
Best Buy believes it needed to expand its outlet strategy so it can better appeal to customers who buy based on which discounts they can find.
The outlet stores are also a way for Best Buy to draw new shoppers and re-engage old ones. The retailer has thrived in recent years, but faces stiff competition in the consumer electronics business from Amazon, Costco, Walmart and others.
Best Buy said 16% of customers shopping at current outlet stores had never purchased from Best Buy, and 37% hadn’t shopped at Best Buy in the prior year.
Outlet stores are “important to customers,” said Damien Harmon, Best Buy’s executive vice president of omnichannel, in an interview. “When you don’t have a solution like that … you also potentially disengage customers.”
Opening new outlet stores carries other benefits for Best Buy, too, Harmon said.
It allows the retailer to move discount sections out of its regular stores and free up the space to showcase new, full-price merchandise.
And it gives Best Buy, the retail industry’s largest recipient of returned consumer electronics, another way to sell those products and keep them out of landfills.
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Best Buy has a new strategy to win bargain hunters
This is a high-quality Bluetooth boombox option if you have a big enough budget. Extremely loud with crisp highs and booming lows, this waterproof speaker has a 24-hour battery life, so it’s ideal for outdoor use. $500
This is a high-quality Bluetooth boombox option if you have a big enough budget. Extremely loud with crisp highs and booming lows, this waterproof speaker has a 24-hour battery life, so it’s ideal for outdoor use. $500
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Best Buy has a new strategy to win bargain hunters
This Bluetooth speaker has high-quality drivers for excellent sound clarity and intense bass. With a 24-hour battery life, it’s great for outdoor use — lightweight and waterproof. $110
This Bluetooth speaker has high-quality drivers for excellent sound clarity and intense bass. With a 24-hour battery life, it’s great for outdoor use — lightweight and waterproof. $110
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Best Buy has a new strategy to win bargain hunters
With the look of a classic ’90s boombox, this machine also features a CD player, FM radio and Bluetooth compatibility. You can plug it into a power outlet, or fit it with six D batteries for on the go. $130
With the look of a classic ’90s boombox, this machine also features a CD player, FM radio and Bluetooth compatibility. You can plug it into a power outlet, or fit it with six D batteries for on the go. $130
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Best Buy has a new strategy to win bargain hunters
With two tweeters, two subwoofers and two passive bass radiators, this waterproof boombox is capable of decent volumes and has rich, punchy sound. It has an impressive 24-hour battery life, and you can even charge your devices from it. $100
With two tweeters, two subwoofers and two passive bass radiators, this waterproof boombox is capable of decent volumes and has rich, punchy sound. It has an impressive 24-hour battery life, and you can even charge your devices from it. $100
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Best Buy has a new strategy to win bargain hunters
In addition to its classic looks, this compact Bluetooth boombox features an AM/FM radio and a cassette player, so it really is a blast from the past. Though affordably priced, it isn’t especially loud. $50
In addition to its classic looks, this compact Bluetooth boombox features an AM/FM radio and a cassette player, so it really is a blast from the past. Though affordably priced, it isn’t especially loud. $50
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Best Buy has a new strategy to win bargain hunters
This barrel-shaped Bluetooth boombox is simple to use. It features an FM radio and slots for an SD card and USB stick, from which you can play music. The speaker runs on a wall plug or a rechargeable battery with three hours of playtime. $84
This barrel-shaped Bluetooth boombox is simple to use. It features an FM radio and slots for an SD card and USB stick, from which you can play music. The speaker runs on a wall plug or a rechargeable battery with three hours of playtime. $84
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Best Buy has a new strategy to win bargain hunters
This retro-looking Bluetooth boombox is available with either a rechargeable battery, or four D batteries slots. It has a CD player, radio, carrying handle and remote control. $130
This retro-looking Bluetooth boombox is available with either a rechargeable battery, or four D batteries slots. It has a CD player, radio, carrying handle and remote control. $130
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Best Buy has a new strategy to win bargain hunters
This Bluetooth boombox has the quality you’d expect from a Sony product, with rich, deep bass. In addition to Bluetooth capability, it has a built-in CD player and an AM/FM radio. It’s great for use outdoors and on the go as its battery plays for up to 26 hours. $120
This Bluetooth boombox has the quality you’d expect from a Sony product, with rich, deep bass. In addition to Bluetooth capability, it has a built-in CD player and an AM/FM radio. It’s great for use outdoors and on the go as its battery plays for up to 26 hours. $120
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Best Buy has a new strategy to win bargain hunters
If you’re in the market for a Bluetooth boombox with that classic boxy ’80s vibe, look no further. This model features a built-in cassette player and a four-band radio. The analog buttons complete the look. It runs on D batteries or plugs into a power outlet. $50
If you’re in the market for a Bluetooth boombox with that classic boxy ’80s vibe, look no further. This model features a built-in cassette player and a four-band radio. The analog buttons complete the look. It runs on D batteries or plugs into a power outlet. $50
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Best Buy has a new strategy to win bargain hunters
While the main purpose of this boombox is to be used as a Bluetooth speaker, it also has an aux input, so you can use it as a portable amp for a mic or guitar. It’s loud and powerful with quality speakers that give clear sound with deep bass. The detachable strap makes it easy to carry sound with you. The battery life lasts up to 5 hours, but it can be plugged into an outlet. $110
While the main purpose of this boombox is to be used as a Bluetooth speaker, it also has an aux input, so you can use it as a portable amp for a mic or guitar. It’s loud and powerful with quality speakers that give clear sound with deep bass. The detachable strap makes it easy to carry sound with you. The battery life lasts up to 5 hours, but it can be plugged into an outlet. $110
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Best Buy has a new strategy to win bargain hunters
This stylish retro-look Bluetooth boombox is ideal for anyone who wants an ’80s throwback. This model also has an AM/FM radio and a cassette player, though some users have reported minor issues with the latter. It runs on an AC adapter wall plug into an outlet or four D batteries. $89
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*All prices as listed on amazon.com.
Lauren Corona is a writer for BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company with a singular mission: to help simplify your purchasing decisions and save you time and money.
This stylish retro-look Bluetooth boombox is ideal for anyone who wants an ’80s throwback. This model also has an AM/FM radio and a cassette player, though some users have reported minor issues with the latter. It runs on an AC adapter wall plug into an outlet or four D batteries. $89
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*All prices as listed on amazon.com.
Lauren Corona is a writer for BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company with a singular mission: to help simplify your purchasing decisions and save you time and money.
