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Free Wifi in the stores

Posted 10 months ago by noodle
Idea Status: under review

Offer free wifi in the stores so customers can check prices online, download music, and buy items from bestbuy.com if they are not in stock.

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29 Comments

Kao Atlantis

Posted 9 months ago in response to Free Wifi in the stores

Best Buy Canada does this very well, they have "bbhotspot" in all their stores.

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JP

Posted 8 months ago in response to Free Wifi in the stores

Definitely a big investment in this idea. Maybe you could try to stage it. Begin in urban stores with the most traffic, then phase it into stores across the nation!

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benswimming

Posted 8 months ago in response to Free Wifi in the stores

Geek Squad uses wifi already in the stores, it is just a hidden SSID with a proxy address needing to be set.

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ConEdisonEgg

Posted 8 months ago in response to Free Wifi in the stores

There are already kiosks in the store where employees can look up items on bb.com, locate them in the store or see if nearby BB stores have it in stock. Since it is an online connection the customer "could" log into their own account and buy from bb.com from in the store if they wanted.
Downloading music? Well... why would you do this at BB?

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kristin_coulon

Posted 8 months ago in response to Free Wifi in the stores

Employee View:

You can order things online at the kiosks in Best Buy stores, they are actually called "customer kiosks!" As employees, we have our own computers that we can look things up on. Just ask any employee to direct you to the customer kiosk! You can look up any product on BestBuy.com, check if the store has it in stock (if you would rather not ask an employee to check for them), AND access your Reward Zone account to check your points balance and/or print certificates right in the store! Hope that helps!! =)

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brnrbrts

Posted 8 months ago in response to Free Wifi in the stores

Also, all the computers on display in the store are connected to the web, so they can in effect act as additional kiosks. That's 40-60 access points!

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User021

Posted 7 months ago in response to Free Wifi in the stores

I do no think this is a good idea.

Pointless really... Why would that benefit the consumer?

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amanda

Posted 7 months ago in response to Free Wifi in the stores

Doing so would slow down the internet in the store for the employees to use. Plus, you could always use one of the laptops or desktops on display. Also, if you want something ordered you can simply ask an employee because they have different ways to do it for faster delivery and no shipping costs.

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chelsieraef

Posted 6 months ago in response to Free Wifi in the stores

I think this is an awful idea. Do we *really* want customers just hanging around w/their laptops?! I mean, maybe if we set up a coffee shop... which also sounds like a bad idea: coffee and electronics? I don't know... I agree w/the comment above!!!!!

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chelsieraef

Posted 6 months ago in response to Free Wifi in the stores

(sorry, i just created my account and didn't realize the first comment was going to post!!!)

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chelsieraef

Posted 6 months ago in response to Free Wifi in the stores

Pretty sure that sounds like a bad idea.... because we *really* want customers hanging around on their computers just wasting time... AND i agree with the comment above!!

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ctj

Posted 6 months ago in response to Free Wifi in the stores

Well, customers could use the WiFi to check prices at online shops to see if they are getting a good deal. Good for customers, bad for BB in some cases.

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x1169

Posted 6 months ago in response to Free Wifi in the stores

they alerady have free wifi just ask geeksquad to connect you, and if you want to check other stores prices why dont you use the kiosks all around the sales floor?

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AWWang

Posted 6 months ago in response to Free Wifi in the stores

I feel this would be a great idea, since customers can check competitive rates, reviews and the features of a certain product with the comfort of their own wi-fi equipt electronic device. But, some Best Buys already have Free wi-fi. And the kiosks for the coustomers can also help what I said in my first line. I would like to see this expand to every Best Buy/Future Shop store, excluding Best Buy mobile.

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AlexX_Undead

Posted 6 months ago in response to Free Wifi in the stores

i think wi-fi would be for demonstration purposes like: i-tunes, napster, twelpforce, and air card demos

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jdcoffman

Posted 5 months ago in response to Free Wifi in the stores

I doubt BB is too interested in this idea -- didn't they get in trouble a couple of years ago for boosting the prices listed on their in-store kiosks thereby 'forcing' users into the higher prices when items were out of stock in-store?

That said, wifi is pretty inexpensive and given the layout of most stores it really wouldn't take all that many Access Points to cover the square footage (hang the APs from the ceiling)

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.Chris

Posted 5 months ago in response to Free Wifi in the stores

no. best buy already has kiosks for that.

It wouldnt hurt for those who are looking to buy a laptop to see how the internet experience is but with kids thats asking for trouble

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niiro13

Posted 5 months ago in response to Free Wifi in the stores

I just use the Apple computers or one of the laptops (there's usually one that has internet).

Yes, there are probably too many people who would hang around to justify the cost, but it's not completely useless. Sometimes I just feel like walking into Best Buy and seeing what's new there. Most of those times I end up buying something but after I use the internet to compare this product with another product, etc.

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jbweb

Posted 5 months ago in response to Free Wifi in the stores

We are testing this idea in a couple of stores in New York. It is great way to provide information to cutomers in way they choose.

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BBY1019

Posted 5 months ago in response to Free Wifi in the stores

The only downside to having Internet on our display models are the people that go to BB JUST to use the net. They get in the way when trying we try to show customers the computers. The way I see it is the kiosk offer enough info and if they want a price match we can do that for them.

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BBY01-960

Posted 5 months ago in response to Free Wifi in the stores

This would be nice, however BestBuy provides us with electronics, they are not resbonsible for providing unlimited free access to them. It's not Starbuck, or Walmart for that matter, and that's why some customers shop there

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BBY01-960

Posted 5 months ago in response to Free Wifi in the stores

i think the cusy compters are cool but free wifi...no

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mjr2k

Posted 4 months ago in response to Free Wifi in the stores

Next thing you know, every teenager and college student is browsing Facebook and playing online Flash games, monopolizing every lap/desktop in the store; EPIC FAIL and bad for sales.

Also, like BBY01-960 said, BB isn't a Starbucks or a Borders. People enter BB to buy product and do business. Usually when you present a customer with the option of free WiFi, it's to get comfortable and "make yourself at home" and perhaps order a drink.

As far as price checking/matching - you can ask an associate to do that for you. They can access the net from their kiosks and they are typically friendly enough and will want to help you do business there.

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BBYM424

Posted about 1 month ago in response to Free Wifi in the stores

@x1169 - Wrong wrong wrong. GS will not allow you to connect to the store's network. That is a huge privacy risk.

And actually this applies to the entire idea. Right now, only devices owned by the store are connecting to the store's network. Allow any Tom, Dick, and Harry to connect and you'll have identity thieves waltzing in with their personal laptop and stealing all sorts of info.

I also agree about the person who said BBY is not a Starbucks. It's not. Allow every customer access to BBY's network, and watch how long transactions and product demos take.

Unfortunately, this is one of those ideas that sounds good at first, but gets worse and worse the more you think about it.

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AgentScreech

Posted about 1 month ago in response to Free Wifi in the stores

FYI, there is a wifi network that is in bestbuy stores that isn't for geeksquad ;)

The SSID is hidden, unsecured and I use it to demo all the home networking options for all the devices in the store. I have virtually everything that can be networked, is networked together and functioning.

You really wouldn't want everyone on it because I have about a dozen or so things all streaming something and it can get spotty at best with all the other interference from customers phones, bluetooth and other radio transmissions. It's flawless when no one is around.

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University of Pi

Posted about 1 month ago in response to Free Wifi in the stores

put free wifi in and people won't get as mad about waiting in line for customer service after the holidays

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Vicocet

Posted 11 days ago in response to Free Wifi in the stores

I live in a university town, the univirsity of fl. This small town of 70,000 students has brought an unbelievable amount of wi-fi. All the stores from anywhere in the mall to walking down past campus and every store or restaurant bar, Lounge, even the night clubs all promote free wi-fi. All the campuses are all set for ago. I've seen first hand what a powerful thing this new knowledge has given to us customers in these times and I can honestly tell you I will go to or bestbuy here which I don't think is the greatest, but I'll have a full battery on my 3gs running on 3g of course then next thing I know I'm putting in my backup charger because I just love researching everything I get into a trance almost. The app red laser has helped me the most but to each his own. Were the problem occurs is when I have lost all power and cannot take notes and compare what I want and these are some big purchases. I know it's abnormal to shop like I do but wi-fi could five that extra bit of data or speed I need. Bestbuy you have sone of the most loyal customers I've ever seen, customers that don't mind helping a stranger out. Give your customers what they deserve I mean the way things are now bestbuy needs to play catchup to so many: fast food, gas stations, malls, gyms, clothing stores, jewelry stores, video stores. They've all been spitting in my favorite place to shop.

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ElektroDragon

Posted 10 days ago in response to Free Wifi in the stores

Free WiFi would be a huge plus, because I often just browse BB without buying because I'm afraid online prices will be much lower. Sometimes I'm wrong, which is costing BB sales!

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Michael Moroni

Posted 8 days ago in response to Free Wifi in the stores

How about partnering up with local telco companies? The local telco company can bring in the internet at THEIR cost and have a splash page when first logged on to see that they are sponsoring the free wifi. The only concern is un wanted material being downloaded in store - IE porn.

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