Best Buy is one of the largest consumer electronics retailers in the US and has over 1,150 stores internationally. In 2008, Best Buy purchased a 50% share in Europe's largest independent mobile phone retailer, The Carphone Warehouse, and opened its first branded UK Best Buy store near the giant Lakeside Shopping Centre in Thurrock, Essex, Friday 30th April 2010.
Best Buy in the UK
The opening of the Best Buy store in Thurrock was a huge success with the first three days reported as being the "biggest ever opening weekend for a Best Buy store anywhere in the world by volume of sales," according to General Manager Kam Prajapati. There were over 1,000 people queueing by the time the doors opened at 7am and a tailback on the M25 also developed with cars trying to get into the car park. A major reason for the store's opening success was that some products, including mobile phones and TVs, had their prices slashed by as much as 50%.
The second UK Best Buy store opened near the M27 in Hedge End near Southampton on Friday 28th May and there were again hundreds of people queueing to get in by 7am to snap up the bargains, with some even arriving the evening before.
