News

Erik Gruenwedel

June 9, 2020

Best Buy June 9 announced it would allow a limited number of customers back into 800 stores in the United States beginning June 15. The nation’s largest consumer electronics brick-and-mortar chain said it would continue offering curbside pickup for online purchases.

The chain will limit in-store footprint to 25% of capacity (60 customers), enforcing social distancing guidelines between staff and consumers.

Best Buy is also bringing back more than 9,000 of its previously furloughed full- and part-time store employees and Geek Squad agents.

“We’re now confident we can provide a safe experience for shoppers who want to visit our stores to browse, see tech products firsthand and get helpful advice from our Blue Shirts or Geek Squad agents,” Ray Sliva, president of retail, said in a statement.

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In addition to limiting the number of people inside the store and enforcing social distancing, Best Buy will have mandatory self-health assessments, including temperature checks, for all employees before each shift via Best Buy’s employee app.

Employees will be required to wear protective gear, including face coverings, at all times. Customers are advised to wear masks with Best Buy offering them to customers who need or request them.

Similarly to other retail establishments, Best Buy said it would underscore sanitization of areas and surfaces within each store, including demo products and checkout counters. Acrylic shields will be placed at checkout counters between customers and employees.

There will also be dedicated hopping hours (Wednesdays from 10-11 a.m. local time) for elderly and medically vulnerable shoppers.

“Since the pandemic began, we’ve strived to provide customers with as many options as possible for how to safely get the technology they need,” Sliva said. “This is the next step in that plan.”