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BEST BUY STORES TARGET ‘BARRY,’ ‘BUZZ’ AND ‘JILL’

BY BRANNON BOSWELL

Best Buy said same-store sales at its 67 “consumer-centric” stores — a reconceptualization of certain existing stores that the chain launched in early October — have grown twice as fast as those at other domestic Best Buy units. During the third quarter the retailer converted each of these stores from its traditional layout and merchandise mix to one of four new formats targeting certain specific customer groups.

Best Buy’s researchers identified the four target groups by the nicknames Barry, Buzz, Jill and Ray. Jill, for example, is a soccer mom who usually hates shopping at Best Buy, while Buzz is a young male technophile in search of the latest gadgets.

Best Buy converted those of its stores that are surrounded by high concentrations of these particular target customers to the format more suitable to each. Jill-oriented stores in the California cities of Pasadena and Porter Ranch, for instance, feature softer colors, a kids’ technology department and personal shopping services. The Buzz-oriented stores, by contrast, feature the very latest technologies and comfortable places in which to sample them, complete with sofas and flat-screen TVs for testing video games and consoles.

The gross profits, too, at these consumer-centric stores posted higher than at other Best Buys, the company says, and the conversion process proved to be cheaper than anticipated. Third-quarter same-store sales for the chain overall were up 3.2 percent, while gross profits rose 24.5 percent. By comparison, same-store sales at chief competitor Circuit City were down 4.3 percent for the quarter.

“The initiative has taken hold inside our organization, thanks to the dedication of the customer-centricity team over the past two years,” CEO Brad Anderson said during a third-quarter earnings conference call. “Our commitment to this initiative, and our excitement about the outcomes, has never been greater.”