Dive Brief:

• Electronics retailer Best Buy Co. president of services Christopher Askew is leaving after less than two years, the Wall Street Journal reports. CEO Hubert Joly will take over his duties in the interim.

• Askew has headed up the retailer’s Geek Squad efforts, which have faltered recently as devices and their operating systems have become more reliable and extended warranties less desirable. Q3 Geek Squad sales fell 10%.

• Meanwhile, Tuesday morning the company reported that Q4 same-store sales rose 2.6% and online sales grew 13.4%, not quite up to last year because of the company’s investments in ship-from-store and soft demand for tablets, according to Joly. Profits beat expectations, but the company said profits will be hit in coming quarters because it plans further investments in stores and e-commerce. 

Dive Insight:

Askew’s position was created in 2013 when Best Buy hired him, in an attempt to capitalize on its Geek Squad services which the retailer at the time called a “unique competitive advantage.” The services area had been a good source of revenue for the company, but even at the time of Askew’s hiring was beginning to go soft. Best Buy is doing a bit better, but faces continued challenges in the electronics sector.