Best Buy Stores

The retailer's latest quarter was another disaster. Revenue rose by less than 2% to $12.1 billion. Earnings, adjusted for a one-time restructuring charge, fell to $0.47 a share, well below both last year's figure and analysts' target. Here's why Best Buy's future isn't going to be any easier than its recent past.

Best Buy has fallen, and good ol' blue and yellow can't get up. Shares hit a two-year low earlier this week, following a dismal quarterly report. And it's no wonder: Best Buy's being beaten by its competitors, and in a sense is even selling itself out of business, offering MP3 players and e-readers that are destined to play content downloaded digitally, not sold at Best Buy.

Every portfolio can use a little refreshing. Why not consider hhgregg, the consumer electronics and appliance retailer that's growing fast at the same time that Best Buy is suffering, battered by the internet?

Electronics retailer Best Buy has agreed to pay $399,000 to settle allegations that it advertised lower prices on its website, then charged customers higher prices at some of its stores.

Back in the day when Circuit City ruled the electronics market, I always braced myself for the salesman's strong suggestion to buy an extended warranty on whatever gadget I was buying. Circuit City is long gone, but other retailers -- Best Buy, Staples, etc. -- also offer the sales pitch at the...

Best Buy is reverting to an old favorite to try and grow sales after a pretty weak earnings report -- appeal to women shoppers. Forgive me if I seem cynical, but we've heard this before. More than once.

Nothing can be more detrimental to a retailer than arrogance. Once it gets too big and has blown away any competition, retailers often focus more on serving their own needs, customers be damned. Two best-in-class retailers have recently begun showing signs of self defeating arrogance in a way...