All Articles Tagged Big Box Retailers

Grant Clauser | 03/14 07:10 AM, 6 Comments

Walmart wants to be your movie server in the cloud, the digital bin where users store all DVDs for access on all Internet-connected devices. Walmart, in conjunction with Vudu, has launched an in-store program that turns DVDs into digital cloud-stored copies which, presumably, would be accessible over tablets, smartphones, smart TVs and more. Walmart acquired Vudu in Feb. 2010. Walmart, which has support from major movie studios such as Fox, Paramount, Sony, Universal and Warner Bros., the service will launch on April 16, 2012 in 3,500 stores. The back catalogs… View this story

Steven Castle | 01/09 01:11 PM, 0 Comments

Big-box chain Lowe’s has announced it will sell a cloud-based home management system called Iris that allows customers the ability to monitor and control their home from anywhere by using a smartphone or computer. Iris will be introduced in mid-2012 in selected stores and on Lowes.com. The system will be based on U.K.-based company AlertMe’s Smart Home platform and home hub. AlertMe provides home energy management and connected home services both to consumers and through partners such as utilities, telecommunications companies and retailers. Lowe’s Iris system will include energy and… View this story

CE Pro Editors | 12/13 06:26 AM, 0 Comments

According to Marketwatch.com, Best Buy Co. Inc. (NYSE: BBY) has reported its fiscal 2012 third-quarter profit fell 13 percent and that it expects profit margins to fall by about one half of a percentage point and same-store sales to be flat to down 3 percent for the full fiscal year 2012. The company earned $154 million, or 42 cents a share in the third quarter, compared to $217 million, or 54 cents a share a year ago, according to the story. Revenue at the firm rose to $12.01 billion, from… View this story

Jason Knott | 11/03 07:18 AM, 0 Comments

Specialty electronics retailers have a new formidable competitor. Toys“R”Us has reinvented its assortment of consumer electronics and tech accessories, adding new product categories that include prepaid mobile phones, tablet computers, headphones, iPod docks, digital cameras and accessories for Apple products. Toys“R”Us has redesigned its electronics department and significantly increased the space dedicated to consumer electronics by developing an open floor plan and adding interactive displays to all its stores across the country. Toys“R”Us is also expanding its offerings of family-oriented video games and movies, licensed electronics, musical instruments and karaoke.… View this story

Jason Knott | 10/24 08:57 AM, 0 Comments

A new study from Consumer Reports gives the specialty retail channel something to cheer about. The survey of 29,922 consumers shows that independent specialty retailers have the highest ratings among shoppers, ranking best in customer service and product quality, good in selection and buying ease and in the middle for price. The ranking was: IndependentsCostcoApple storeStapleshhgreggSam's ClubBJ's WholesaleTargetP.C. Richard & SonSearsRadio ShackBest BuyFry's ElectronicsWalmartA key observation from Consumer Reports is, "Mom-and-pop independent stores should be your first stop if you need hand-holding for a major electronics purchase. With the exception… View this story

Julie Jacobson | 06/27 11:59 AM, 23 Comments

Through its Magnolia specialty CE business, Best Buy has taken commercial jobs here and there, but now the retailing giant has launched a concerted effort to sell and install digital signage, building automation, entertainment systems and other technologies for commercial venues. Magnolia Commercial Integration has a dedicated Web site now where it touts: "We provide detailed reports and plan drawings to describe and explain the solutions that have been chosen by our design team to bring your creative vision to life. We offer both design-build and stand-alone design in the… View this story

Rachel Cericola | 05/04 11:17 AM, 2 Comments

Wal-Mart didn’t buy Vudu for nothing. The retailer seems ready to compete with Netflix and other streaming services, announcing that Vudu is adding more TV shows in its lineup. Starting today, you can watch shows such as "Glee," "Modern Family" and "Nurse Jackie." You can also catch up on "Weeds," "Bones" and "Gossip Girl." If the lineup seems sort of random, well, it is. But you have to start somewhere, right? We’re just sad it's not starting completely in HD. After peeking through the lineup, we see that not every… View this story

Jason Knott | 05/04 08:15 AM, 0 Comments

The intellectual property of Ultimate Electronics, which declared bankruptcy in January and began liquidating its assets in February 2011, will be sold at auction on May 25, 2011 in New York. Those assets include trademarks, domains and related intellectual property. The auction is being done by Streambank LLC, a company that specializes in "intangible asset disposition." Ultimate has filed a motion in Delaware Bankruptcy Court seeking approval of the sale of its intellectual property. The specific assets include the Ultimate Electronics trademarks, 11 related trademarks, 16 related domain names and… View this story

Jason Knott | 04/15 07:52 AM, 6 Comments

According to a MarketWatch, Best Buy has announced it will be cutting down its "big-box" store square footage while expanding its services, online presence and other non-hardware areas. The announcement came as part of Best Buy's first analyst meeting in three years where it announced the planned reduction of its store footprints by 10 percent over the next five years. It is unclear if that means it will be closing stores or simply shrinking the size of existing stores. The change will save the company $70 million to $80 million… View this story

Julie Jacobson | 03/25 08:22 AM, 7 Comments

Sell the content, not the devices! That was the lesson of our streaming media panel discussion during EHX - The CE Pro Event in Orlando, Fla. The gist? When someone walks into your shop looking for a TV, the first questions shouldn’t be: What size? What resolution? What brand? It should be: What do you watch? This will help the dealer create a personal relationship with the customer and open the door to more sales. You don’t need tons of TVs and components to clutter your shop (and your message).… View this story