[w1ntermute]

> Best Buy is great for researching your purchases. I can read reviews of a laptop online, but I can't feel it, feel the build quality or the keyboard, I can't test the viewing angle. I can read reviews of TVs, but I can't see the picture quality, I can't hear the speakers. I can't ask questions and get answer immediately. Best Buy is great for this.

Sounds like you just need an Amazon showroom. A hell of a lot cheaper to run, and a hell of a lot less annoying pimply teenage employees trying to sell you accessories and extended warranties.

[freehunter]

I've thought long about this issue, as I did a paper in marketing class about the threat of Amazon to brick and mortar stores. I don't think an Amazon showroom is really the best answer. Sears tried that (and still has some of these stores). Volume is very low. It works best for catalog items, and catalogs are fairly rare.

The ability to touch and feel is a value-add, but just one of many. The pimply teenagers you mention are something I feel needs to change. The biggest value-add these stores can have is information and strong recommendations. Basically, if someone who knows what they are doing cannot recommend this product over that product, don't stock this product. That way when people walk into the store, the salesman can ask what they are looking for and recommend the best product they can buy for their needs. This keeps cost down and having a knowledgeable sales staff is a huge win for everyone.

Right now in Best Buy, all I can really do is look at what is available and then research it online for more specs and reviews, combining the best of both worlds. This is time consuming and unproductive in the long run. Asking a sales member for advice is worthless currently. This is what needs to change for Best Buy, in my opinion. The best product for my needs, recommended by a salesman who knows what he is doing, available instantly.