Best Buy Canada Launches New Blue Label Series

Customer feedback inspires the design of this Best Buy exclusive line of Sony, Toshiba and Dell laptops

BURNABY, BC, Jan. 26 /CNW/ - Best Buy Canada today announced the launch of its new and exclusive Blue Label series, a line of consumer electronic products developed directly from customer feedback and delivering uncompromised performance. Available in Best Buy Canada stores beginning Friday, January 29 , the Blue Label series is a result of collaboration between Best Buy and technology companies from which Best Buy gathers insights from customers and works with leading manufacturers to build products that meet key customer needs.

The first products to come out of the Blue Label process are laptops, one each from Sony, Toshiba and Dell. Best Buy talked to its customers about their "ideal laptop" and learned that customers wished for longer battery life, a thinner and more lightweight design and a backlit keyboard.

In response, Best Buy worked with Sony, Toshiba and Dell to create exclusive laptops that are less than 1.2 inches thick, weigh less than five pounds, feature an exclusive exterior design and come with a Netgear TV adapter that works with the built-in award-winning Intel(R) Wireless Display to stream content wirelessly from your computer to your HDTV. Additional features include 2010 Intel(R) Core(TM) i5 processor with Turbo Boost Technology, more than five hours of battery life on a single charge, 2000 Reward Zone bonus points and exclusive online technical support from Geek Squad.

"As the leading consumer electronics retailer, Best Buy has millions of interactions with customers each year. We learned what customers are looking for when purchasing a laptop and worked with some of our key manufacturers to build a product to meet these needs," said Martin Vander Velden, vice president of merchandising, Best Buy Canada . "Through the Blue Label process, we're addressing customer pain points in a way that no retailer has done before and we're giving manufacturers valuable insight to make products that meet real customer needs."

Best Buy's Blue Shirts, Geek Squad agents, in-store interactions and intense customer research keep the company on the front lines of communication with its customers. Best Buy's introduction of the Blue Label series took advantage of this unique insight to address the needs and wants of customers by interceding with the manufacturers on their behalf. Working with Sony, Toshiba and Dell has enabled Best Buy to offer laptops that include desired features at affordable price points.

All Best Buy stores will have areas that allow customers to have a rich hands-on trial opportunity as part of Best Buy's commitment to providing a unique shopping experience. Blue Shirt representatives will be on-hand in these areas to field questions about the laptops and will continue gathering feedback on desirable product features for consideration.

Best Buy plans to expand the Blue Label series to other product lines, continually incorporating customer feedback into the product development process. Every product under the Blue Label designation will be created from customer input and will address the top identified customer needs; all Blue Label products will include enhanced warranty and support at no extra charge.

A key feature of Best Buy's Blue Label series is Best Buy staff. In addition to the intensive training all employees receive on PC technology and user interactions, Best Buy's Blue Label series is built on heightened employee-customer interactions to garner valuable feedback and describe the unique features that set Best Buy's Blue Label products apart from other offerings.

About Best Buy Canada

Best Buy stores in Canada are a division of Burnaby, BC-based Best Buy Canada Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE:BBY).Best Buy is Canada's fastest-growing specialty retailer and e-tailer (www.bestbuy.ca) of consumer electronics, personal computers and entertainment software and also operates the Geek Squad (www.geeksquad.ca). Best Buy Canada also operates Best Buy Mobile, which sells mobile phones, plans and accessories in 3 shopping center locations in Greater Toronto . There are currently more than 60 stores in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia.

Best Buy offers customers a unique shopping experience with the latest technology and entertainment products, at the right price, with a no-pressure (non-commissioned) sales environment. The Company is committed to kids and communities, supporting non-profit organizations that help youth develop their skill set, discover their talents and sustain a lasting interest in education.

For more information about Best Buy, including store locations, visit www.bestbuy.ca

For further information: Danielle Jang, Communications Manager, Best Buy Canada, [phone], [email protected]