Why Best Buy is Going out of Business...Gradually (opens in new tab)

Best Buy was my favorite store when I was a kid. Now it's too much of a chore to shop there. Even if you buy something small, you get hit up with offers for credit cards and magazine subscriptions. They play games where they tack on Geek Squad fees to remove software or install antivirus programs when you try to buy a new computer whether you want it or not.

The last time I went there was about a year ago when my Dad wanted to buy a 60" LCD TV. The selection was poor and confusingly scattered across different sections. When we asked a sales guy for help, the first question he asked is if we needed an HDMI cable to go with the TV (that hadn't been picked out yet). When I said we didn't need to buy a cable the sales person stopped helping us and left. We walked out of the store empty handed.

My brother and I were in a Best Buy in MN last month, and I was trying to buy the first season of the Muppets TV show as a gift for my nephew. I asked an attendant if they had any and where they were. This resulted in her going over to a terminal and talking to another attendant. I didn't follow, but my brother was close enough to hear the conversation. The inventory said they had 8 copies in the store. She went and looked on a couple of shelves then returned to the computer. It sounded like it was not just simple loss, but some might be in back. She came back over to me and told me the computer said they were all out.

The Internet has destroyed many Brick and mortar businesses because you don't have to pay for the infrastructure.

Amazon also has some of the lowest prices I've seen anywhere. Some of the prices are barely above the cost directly from China (I've done some research on this). This might be because of the volume.

Technology leaves many businesses in the dust. If you don't adapt, prepare to slowly die.