05.10.08
Best Buy
Today every household can not do without electronics. Kitchen appliances, computers, TV sets and the like have become a large part of our life. Can you imagine a day without a radio, TV, microwave or an iron?
Electronics in our lives. Consumer electronics include electronic equipment predetermined for everyday use. Consumer electronics are most often used for communications, entertainment, and office porpuses. Some products referred to as consumer electronics include telephones, personal computers, televisions, audio equipment, calculators, and playback and recording of video media such as VHSs, DVDs, as well as camcorders. The global consumer electronics industry is led by Taiwanese, Japanese American, and Korean companies. Among the popular brands are Sony, Panasonic, ViewSonic, Toshiba, Asus, Acer, Apple, Dell, HP, Samsung, and LG to name just a few.
Consumer electronics are manufactured all over the world, however, manufacturing activity is particularly concentrated in the Far East (China and South Korea). The latest consumer electronics are displayed every year at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada.
One of the most striking characteristic features of all consumer electronic products is the trend of ever-falling prices. This is caused by achievements in manufacturing efficiency and automation, lower labor costs due to outsourcing of manufacturing facilities.
The fact that the products of the industry combine elements of many consumer electronic items led to different options when purchasing items. And this makes the choice harder. Variations are predominantly more about ’style and price’ and not ’specification and performance’.
Many consumer electronics result in E-waste. It was estimated that during 2003 the US alone produced more than 2.8 million tons of electronic waste. Less than 10% of the whole amount was recovered.
Best Buy Co., Inc. Best Buy is the largest specialty retailer of consumer electronics in the United States as well as Canada. The company covers 17% of the market. Among the subsidiaries of the company are Geek Squad, Pacific Sales, Magnolia Audio Video, and the Future Shop in Canada. Generally, the company operates more than 1,150 stores in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and China. Best Buy’s corporate headquarters are located in Richfield, Minnesota.
Best Buy was started in 1983. In 1997, Best Buy was the first national retailer to sell DVD hardware and software.