Best Buy to sell electric vehicles alongside electronics range

Best Buy is to dedicate part of its new stores to “energy saving and green efficient technology” including cars and motorcycles, in what it claims is a first for any UK consumer electronics retailer.

Best Buy
Best Buy

The store chain, which has a 50% stake in the Carphone Warehouse, will be called the “GreenTech” area and will showcase electric cars, motorcycles, scooters and bicycles and other energy management products. The store is set to open its first UK store in Thurrock, Essex on 30 April 2010.

Paul Antoniadis, CEO of Best Buy branded operations, says: “We want our customers to know that Best Buy is different and this innovative and inspiring range is just one example. Never before has a consumer electronics retailer in the UK had an entire area devoted to green technology nor had such a comprehensive choice of electric vehicles.

“Our customers can pop in to browse for a movie and could end up riding home on a super-cool bicycle or something else! As with all our products we want our customers to try before they buy and we’ll have test drives available on a wide selection of our vehicles – licence dependent of course! And all of our car parks will have electric charging points so customers can power-up for free while they browse.”

Yesterday, Marketing Week revealed how Best Buy is launching a localised campaign to support the opening of its first UK store.

The campaign will be a combination of traditional and digital activity including outdoor, radio, press, direct mail, print as well as digital and social media, developed to build brand recognition and promote its value and service.

The store will open with a “four day launch festival” which Styles says will showcase the best in technology, entertainment and offer customers “phenomenal value”.

Best Buy works with advertising agency CHI & Partners and WPP owned DM and digital agency Wunderman and Freud Communications.

Last week, Best Buy announced a deal with Virgin Media to provide customers with Virgin Media products and services.