News

Best Buy opening at Midnight for Black Friday

None — Best Buy Offers Holiday Tips to Make the Most of Black Friday Shopping

From the must-have gifts to Black Friday line etiquette,
Best Buy Blue Shirt experts help shoppers navigate the ropes

MINNEAPOLIS, Nov. 17, 2011 - Last week's National Retail Federation survey reported that some 152 million Americans plan to shop this year on Black Friday, the largest crowd in three years for the biggest shopping day of the year.  Best Buy (NYSE: BBY) is offering added convenience to customers by opening its doors at midnight on Black Friday for the first time ever and offers these tips for helping consumers make the most of this, the official kick-off to the 2011 holiday spending season.

Black Friday veteran and Best Buy Blue Shirt Sy Paulson encourages shoppers to become familiar with doorbusters ahead of time, "Be sure to come to Black Friday with a plan for what products you want to grab first. Visit your local Best Buy store ahead of time to learn where the hot products are located and then literally map out your route so you're ready to go on the big day."

More Best Buy Black Friday Tips

· Get an early glimpse at exclusive deals - Check out the Black Friday ad on www.bestbuy.com/doorbusters for the inside scoop on the hottest deals and in-store specials. Early doorbusters up for grabs include a Sharp 42" Class LCD 1080p HDTV for $199.99 and a Samsung Laptop / Intel® Pentium® Processor / 15.6" Display / 4GB Memory / 320GB Hard Drive for $299.99. While these doorbusters are available in-store only, visit www.bestbuy.com/doorbusters for additional Black Friday deals available both in-store and online at BestBuy.com.

· Get the app - With the Best Buy mobile app, you can create a holiday wish list on your smart phone to share with family and friends. Available for the iPhone and Android, this free app enhances the shopping experience, and allows users to compare products and even scan in-store product QR barcodes to unlock special offers and tailored content.
· Bring Company - Wrangle a friend or make friends in line to allow for breaks while waiting. Bring snacks for sharing and be neighborly. This will help when negotiating line-holding strategies in the event that nature calls.

· Prepare to Wait - This year, Best Buy is making the wait enjoyable for everyone by entertaining the crowds with the film, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 at approximately 120 stores nationwide. Be sure to get in line in time to catch the free screenings starting at 9 p.m. local time. To learn which Best Buy stores will feature movie screening experiences in your area, visit www.bestbuy.com/blackfridaymovie.

· Get Comfortable & Check the Weather- Make waiting more comfortable with a tent, chairs, sleeping bags and blankets.  Hand and foot warmers may be a necessity to fight off the cold or in some cases, rain or snow.  Check the weather ahead of time.

· Make it Fun - Make the wait entertaining with technology. Bring along a favorite device like an eReader, laptop, smart phone or tablet to play with when the movie isn't playing. Best Buy has seen some pretty amazing setups with big screen TVs and gaming systems. Some customers have even hosted a  traditional Thanksgiving dinner as they've waited.

· Etiquette - Remember that being nice to your neighbors makes the wait more pleasant.
o If holding a place in line for someone, let line-mates know ahead of time, so no one is surprised when the entire extended family shows up an hour before the store opens. Remember, people count heads before they decide to join the line.
o If leaving the line, make sure to tell line-mates when you are coming back.
o If making a coffee or food run, offer to pick something up for fellow best friends in line. It fosters good will, and more importantly, they'll most likely return the favor later.
o Most importantly, when the doors do finally open, stay calm. Try to be patient and understanding with fellow customers and the store employees. With so much anticipation for that moment, it's easy to throw all that goodwill out the window.

· Read the fine print - Big doorbuster items will have limited quantities, so get in line early. Black Friday ads should indicate the minimum quantity guaranteed to be in stock. The best retailers to shop are those who pass out tickets (like Best Buy), so consumers don't stress out once the doors open. Be sure to read those coupons carefully. Some of them are only valid for certain hours or for very specific items because some restrictions almost always apply.

· Free online shipping - Bypass the lines and shop Best Buy from the comfort of home on Thanksgiving and every other day of the year. With free online ground shipping through Dec. 27 on everything, including all computers, Blu-Ray, DVD movies and gaming software.

· Free advice - Best Buy will have 4,000 Agents covering the phones on Black Friday to answer questions big and small. All it takes is a quick phone call to 1-888-BEST-BUY (1-888-237-8289. Geek Squad also is offering free phone and online support now through New Year's Day, even on Christmas Day. Geek Squad is available via phone at 1-800-GEEK-SQUAD (1-800-433-5778) and online at geeksquad.com.

· Gadgets On-The-Go - If you're one of the more than 23 million travelers flying during the Thanksgiving holiday this year, Best Buy Express is a great option to get the gear you may need while on the way to grandma's house for some pumpkin pie. Whether it's a charger for that smartphone with a low battery, headphones to listen to music or videos on a plane, or even a digital camera to snap some pictures at the family dinner, Best Buy Express offers a wide range of electronic devices at Best Buy prices while on-the-go.

For more information or to find Black Friday ads and store hours, visit www.bestbuy.com/doorbusters.

Best Buy Eases the Stress of the Season and Offers Consumers a Series of Compelling Holiday Perks

Best Buy edges out the competition this season with a series of hot holiday offers aimed at taking the stress out of holiday shopping.  Stocked with the hottest gifts at the best prices this holiday season, Best Buy's broad selection is enhanced by a robust service-oriented experience in-store and online ensuring customers can buy with confidence. 

·         Free Shipping: From now through Dec. 27, Best Buy will offer free standard shipping on all items purchased on BestBuy.com.  Unlike some retailers, no minimum purchase will be required and free shipping will apply to the more than 400,000 items like computers and accessories, gaming software and hardware and even appliances sold at BestBuy.com -with no exceptions -- for the eight full weeks leading up to and immediately following Christmas Day.

·         Same-Day Store Pickup:  Customers who want their gifts without delay can order their choice of products on www.bestbuy.com and conveniently pick them up at their local Best Buy store for free the in as little as 45 minutes.

·         Ship-to-Store: Order items from an expanded online assortment and have them shipped free to a local store for easy pickup.

·         Easy Returns: Best Buy takes the hassle out of holiday returns.  Recognizing that sometimes the perfect gift may be a duplicate or not quite as perfect as the giver intended, Best Buy's return policy has been extended for purchases made this holiday shopping season. Gift purchases can be returned or exchanged-with no exclusions -- now through January 24, 2012. Best Buy also has removed its restocking fee entirely, including no fees on special orders.

·         Price Matching: Best Buy customers will enjoy unbeatable prices on hot consumer electronics - guaranteed - this holiday season.  Best Buy will match its retail store competitors on any identical available product for sale now through December 24, 2011 (November 24 Thanksgiving Day through November 28 Cyber Monday excluded).  Best Buy customers who make a purchase during those dates also will have the peace of mind that, should Best Buy or a local retail store competitor reduce the price before January 24, 2012, Best Buy will match the new lower price - just let us know.    

·          Financing: The company's no-interest financing2 is available storewide and online without exclusions, including 18 months for all purchases of $429 and above, a full year for all purchases of $299 and above, and six months for all purchases of $149 and above.  Additionally, for all home theater purchases totaling $899 and up, shoppers can receive 36 month interest free financing.

About Best Buy Co., Inc.
Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE: BBY) is a leading multi-channel global retailer and developer of technology products and services. Every day our employees - 180,000 strong - are committed to helping deliver the technology solutions that enable easy access to people, knowledge, ideas and fun. We are keenly aware of our role and impact on the world, and we are committed to developing and implementing business strategies that bring sustainable technology solutions to our consumers and communities. For information about Best Buy, visit www.bby.com and to shop at Best Buy, visit www.bestbuy.com.
#   #   #