GamePro Magazine Subscriptions Sold in Best Buy Stores - Yawn...

Special Edition GamePro Magazine Subscriptions Sold in Best Buy Stores Nationwide; GamePro reviews available at BestBuy.com

 

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 25, 2006--Best Buy today announced an agreement with IDG Entertainment (IDGE), the world's leading interactive entertainment information provider, to offer customers a special edition GamePro(R) magazine subscription in all U.S. Best Buy stores.

 

"Our customers want the latest information about their games, their hardware and how to get the most out of their gameplay," said Jill Hamburger, vice president of video games at Best Buy. "With the exclusive GamePro magazine edition and great deals on products and services, this offer will appeal to everyone who loves to play games."

 

In addition to the magazine subscription, participants will receive special offers with hundreds of dollars in savings annually on video games, PC games, gaming hardware and peripherals at Best Buy stores. GamePro reviews on the latest game titles will be available at BestBuy.com.

 

The special edition of GamePro magazine is currently available as a one-year subscription offer for $19.99 per year including a free Reward Zone program membership. Participants can pick up their first issue immediately upon subscribing in Best Buy stores.

 

About Best Buy Co., Inc.

 

Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE:BBY) is an innovative Fortune 100 growth company that continually strives to create superior customer experiences. Through more than 930 retail stores across the United States and in Canada, our employees connect customers with technology and entertainment products and services that make life easier and more fun. We sell consumer electronics, home-office products, entertainment software, appliances and related services. A Minneapolis-based company, our operations include: Best Buy (BestBuy.com and BestBuyCanada.ca), Future Shop (FutureShop.ca), Geek Squad (GeekSquad.com and GeekSquad.ca) and Magnolia Audio Video (Magnoliaav.com). We support our communities through employee volunteerism and grants from The Best Buy Children's Foundation.

 

Contacts
Best Buy Co., Inc., Minneapolis
Media Contact:
Jay Musolf, 612-291-6124
jay.musolf@bestbuy.com

 

Best Buy Co., Inc.
Source: via Business Wire
Updated  04/20/2006  by company 
Headquarters: Richfield, Minnesota
Website: http://www.bestbuy.com
CEO: Brad Anderson
Employees: 125,000
Ticker: BBY  (NYSE) 

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[Editor's comments: Funny, but I was just in Best Buy this past weekend. I had a holiday gift card that had some value left over and I wanted to find something to use it up on. I decided on a 256MB Flash Memory thingy, because I had just bought a computer for $19 and it had no floppy drive, no hard drive, and no CDROM. I figured I would put some kind of OS on the Flash Fob and use that.

 

Anyway, I was struck by the subtle changes that I saw at the Big Best Buy in Richfield, Minnesota, about a BB gunshot away from the Best Buy coporate headquarters. The first thing I noticed is that everytime I moved into a different area and there was a sales person there, they came up to me and asked me if I needed help. I started to wish that there was a thing like "human cookies" so the staff could read wetheror not I had been asked this already. I was in about four areas and was asked each time. I though about going around to all the different areas so I would have more to write about, but didn't have the time. Note to Best Buy: Look for sustained eye contact before approaching customers unless they have one of those white canes...! I'm considering a button or t-shirt that says, "Are you really going to ask me if I need help when it should be clear I'm JUST LOOKING!!??!!"

 

The second thing is that all the computer books are gone. Well, almost all. Guess they were not a money-maker? Gee, what a surprise. I love computer books, but who can afford $20-50 to buy all the things you love (not need)? I love the clearance book racks and they did not even have that. Note to Best Buy: Sell electronic versions. You can charge just a little and make very good margin. People can read them on their computer or print them out if they want. This will also drive sales of DUPLEX laser printers.

 

And the third thing was that the product lines seemed to be much more refined and boring. There's much less difference between them and Circuit City, which I used to dislike quite a bit. It's less "computer store" and more "consumer electronics" these days. Which I think I warned Schultz about many, many years ago... oh well, I still have CompUSA and Midwest Electronics. THEY know how to treat a geek!!! (hris ]