While their competitors advertise holiday clearance bargains, Best Buy is running full-page newspaper ads to inform customers that they “…promise to be there for you and whatever you bought for as long as you need us.” Wow, Best Buy’s got your back (if you’re a customer).These are not simply platitudes. The campaign goes into tangible detail about an extended no-hassle return and exchange program, help with set-up and even recycling when it’s time for new stuff.Why all this altruism? It’s easy. The low price purchase factor big box retail relied on as a reason for being and eventual domination is going away. Retail pricing is quickly becoming transparent. Online shoppers regularly use sites like PriceGrabber.com and CNET.com to scour the web for the best deal. More dramatically, it’s not unusual to see shoppers in a Best Buy scanning UPC codes using smart phones equipped with apps like RedLaser or ShopSavvy … Continue reading →