Best Buy has been testing new store formats in the Charlotte, North Carolina, area over the past two years, including an experiential format, a smaller digital-first store concept and an outlet store.
After seeing success with the pilots, the electronics retailer will expand the number of experiential stores by remodeling about 50 locations in the next year and transforming approximately 300 locations by 2025. The retailer also plans to increase the number of outlet centers to 30 by the end of 2023, while expanding beyond major appliances and televisions to also include computers, gaming consoles and mobile phones in those locations.
The Path to Purchase Institute recently visited Best Buy’s 35,000-square-foot Charlotte-North Lake experiential store. The location, which was renovated in 2021, serves as a hub of immersive experiences for audio, home theater, appliances and other consumer electronics. In addition to the noticeably absent carpet covering much of the store, here’s what else stood out:
Located at 10221 Perimeter Pkwy., the remodeled Charlotte store includes expanded in-store experiences from brands such as Samsung, Meta’s Oculus, Amazon and Lego, in addition to larger Apple and Microsoft shops.
The Oculus brand store-within-a-store has grown from an interactive endcap display found in Best Buy’s standard stores to a larger hands-on experience for shoppers to try out the tech with plenty of space. At the time of our visit, the Oculus space was demoing Beat Saber, a VR rhythm game, on a large screen.
Premium experiences for audio, home theater and luxury appliances are also part of the offering, as well as an in-store selection of fitness equipment, still a relatively new and growing category for Best Buy. This store offers dedicated spaces for shoppers to view, touch and try out unboxed large exercise equipment, including a treadmill and cycling machine from NordicTrack, as well as a smart mirror from Tempo complete with a floor cling and informational signage to provide an immersive product testing experience.
Like most Best Buy stores, the experiential format also offers a curated selection of popular products and categories, including home theater and audio, computing, headphones, wearables, cell phones, cameras, smart home and small appliances. Each product category is elevated in the store with unboxed product showcased on a display and/or inside a clear case for viewing. Digital price labels are also used throughout the store, something Best Buy has expanded in recent years.
The camera selection in particular is wide ranging and merchandises individual cameras on extended endcaps in front of screens displaying product information, store promotions and other assistance.
The smart home assortment also received a facelift at this store, offering a more immersive experience for shoppers of the category via wall displays, including touchscreens.
More digital and interactive endcaps also are part of the enhanced in-store experience. Most endcaps in the experiential store include large TV screens playing promotional, educational or other information from Best Buy or a brand. Unique endcaps that particularly stood out include a double-sided display from Hyperice, merchandising Normatec compression boots and muscle massagers, as well as an illuminated product showcase endcap for the new PlayStation Plus.
The experiential store also offers a larger Geek Squad experience, a range of fulfillment options such as lockers and curbside pickup, and other engaging experiences and in-store expertise from Best Buy’s Blue Shirt associates.
With a focus on store remodels, Best Buy currently expects to close 20-30 stores annually through 2025, consistent with prior-year trends. Best Buy currently operates 1,144 stores in the U.S. and abroad.
