Best Buy to Open 40 Standalone Mobile Phone Stores
The Wall Street Journalreports that Best Buy s going to be opening 40 standalone mobile-phone stores. Best Buy believes the mobile-phone-only stores will help them boost their marketshare of the mobile-phone market to 15%.
Brian Dunn, who formally took over as chief executive from retiring Brad Anderson on Wednesday, said following the company's annual meeting that mobile phones are a crucial component of the company's new sales campaign to focus on gadgets that feature "connectivity." He did not say when the company expects to achieve the share goal.
Mr. Dunn, a long-time Best Buy executive who most recently was president of North American retail operations, said customers were responding well to its new Best Buy Mobile displays, which showcase many mobile-phone brands such as Apple Inc.'s iPhone and Palm Inc.'s Pre in one central location.
Mobiledia reports that Best Buy paid $2.1 billion for a 50% in Carphone Warehouse - Europe's largest mobile phone retailer - last month.
The Wall Street Journal 
