Consumer electronics retailer Best Buy is entering the underserved wedding registry space with a new mobile-enabled service, hoping to position itself as one of the three retailers a typical couple registers with.

Wedding registries are only available at a small number of large-scale retailers, including Target and Walmart, creating an inviting opportunity for Best Buy to enter the conversation since it is not an overly crowded space. Having this capability available through the mobile channel will likely garner more use, because consumers are always looking for more convenient ways to complete their tasks.

“Beginning the week of Feb. 16, customers can use the Best Buy mobile app and sign up with basic information including name, email address and wedding date,” said Shandra Tollefson, public relations specialist at Best Buy, Richfield, MN. “Once sign-up is completed, registrants can begin adding products to their registry by scanning products in stores through the app.”

Wedding bells are ringing
Best Buy considered research from the Knot’s 2014 Bridal Registry Study that states more than 1.5 million couples register for wedding gifts each year, choosing items from an average of retailers.

Through its move, Best Buy is aiming to be one of those three retailers.

Couples can create and manage their registry online at BestBuy.com/WeddingRegistry or through the Best Buy mobile app.

By early April, the retailer plans to have in-store kiosks in all Best Buy locations to help registrants and gift-givers view and print wedding registry lists. Couples will also have the option of syncing their registry with MyRegistry.com and TheKnot.com.

By using the Best Buy Wedding Registry, couples and gift-givers can have access to nearly everything Best Buy sells, including technology gifts and home appliances, and many top brands, such as Apple, Dyson, GoPro, Keurig, Nest, Beats, Sony, Samsung and more.

There is also a group gifting option for gift-givers that want to contribute toward a larger item, such as an Ultra HD TV or tablet. All gifts purchased through a wedding registry gets free shipping on all gifts, and there is no minimum purchase.

Lastly, registry users will receive a 10-percent-off registry completion coupon for the couple.

Channeling mobile
Best Buy has used mobile to interact with its customers in the past.

In early 2014, Best Buy recently linked together email and mobile with an interactive Web-based game for its revamped loyalty program.

The big box retailer sent out an email message thanking its loyalty members for shopping this holiday season. The email also included a link to a mobile and desktop game that encouraged consumers to stay plugged into the My Best Buy loyalty program year-round (see story).

Later on last year, Best Buy drove holiday shoppers back to its stores for repeat visits through exclusive cash-back offers in the Ibotta mobile savings application.

The electronics retailer was the first to offer exclusive cash back offers on Black Friday via Ibotta, which rewarded consumers with cash for interacting with brands and making purchases (see story).

Best Buy’s overall strategy is all about making it easy for the consumer to get the products they need from the retailer. When brands make it easy to shop, customers can hardly refuse.

“Consumer electronics and small appliances are as much a need for newlyweds these days as silverware and towels, so it’s only natural that customers can now turn to Best Buy for their wedding registry needs,” Ms. Tollefson said.

Final Take
Caitlyn Bohannon is an editorial assistant on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York