Google Opens Real-World 'Google Shops' in Canada (digitaltrends.com)

Streetlight writes: Google is moving towards a physical presence in Best Buy stores...mimicking what Samsung has done. Hopefully the "stores" are staffed with competent professionals that know what they're selling and maybe provide some help to those who have purchased Google's hardware and software.
Google "is launching a store-within-a-store debuting in North America at select Best Buy locations in Canada," reports TechCrunch, adding that recently "Google also revealed that it would be creating a pop-up Experience Store for users to check out its new wares in New York City."

Comments

Re:Probably the WORST place in Canada to test mark

[tlhIngan]

Seriously. Best Buy has never been great technically, but they've really gone down hill over the past couple of years in terms of having a good product selection and competent sales staff.

Well, you have to admit that online sales have basically killed them. However, the reason they still are around is because they've reinvented themselves - you entering the store is NOT the primary customer. The stuff on display in the store is the customer.

When you see DVDs and such for sale, it's because the distributors paid to be there. They paid for the $10 bargain bins. They paid for shelf space. Yes, they pay for shelf space - Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo paid for their own aisles in Best Buy, they paid for the layouts, the demo displays, etc. (Yes, it was hilarious when for years the "PS VIta" section was empty, but Sony paid for it, so Best Buy was contractually obliged to keep it ... empty)

Best Buy is a marketplace where manufacturers all gathered to offer their wares for sale. That's also why selection is down - Best Buy only sells what manufacturers have paid for

Google owning a "store" inside Best Buy isn't unusual - Apple has done it for years, and until recently, Samsung did too. (It was funny, since the Samsung store took up a huge chunk of the Best Buy I visited all the time, and was always empty. Someone maintains it - they always had the latest product, but there was no one there. Previously, it was a Future Shop and Samsung paid to have a Best Buy employee be the Samsung specialist, but that guy didn't sign on when Best Buy got rid of all the Future Shop stores, and I guess no one signed on or Samsung refused to pay for a specialist). It's funny because right after Remembrance day, the Samsung displays came down and now it's all appliances. I'm guessing the Samsung contract expired/