Andre Yoskowitz
15 Jan 2012 16:10
In an effort to boost its struggling revenue stream, Best Buy has reorganized and combined a few of its retail groups into the "connectivity business group."
The Group will sell connected devices, such as smartphones, tablets, PCs and e-readers, along with the service plans necessary to remain connected. The devices will be prominent in Best Buy and Best Buy Mobile stores.
CBG will be very similar to the current Best Buy Mobile initiative, but with a "broader mission," says Forbes.
The company is moving 35,000 employees to CBG, 20,000 from computers and tablets in standard Best Buys and 15,000 from Best Buy Mobile. Extra training will likely be required, up to 40 hours worth, so everyone gets to the same level. Each of the sectors emphasized by the group are the hottest trends in global electronics, with the exception of PCs, which have seen an extensive dip at the hands of the recession a few years ago and strong demand for tablets.
Best Buy did express hope that carriers would make activating their connected devices easier, as it can take up to 20 minutes to get started with your new 4G plan, for example.