Dive Brief:
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Best Buy will begin selling the Apple Watch next month, eventually expanding to some 300 stores before the holiday shopping season.
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The electronics retailer is the first U.S. physical store retailer to sell the wearable outside of Apple’s own stores.
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Apple didn’t break out its Watch sales in its latest earnings report, and speculation has been wild over what those sales might actually be.
Dive Insight:
Having the Apple Watch among its shelves could be a boost for Best Buy, which has been buffeted by competition from general retailers like Wal-Mart Stores, Target, and Amazon.
“The Apple Watch is an important addition to an emerging product category, and we know our customers want it,” said Best Buy’s senior category officer Jason Bonfig.
Do they? How well Apple Watch is selling has emerged as a great mystery. Still, this is a coup for Best Buy, which has been working hard at a turnaround. The retailer has been busy erasing borders between channels, boosting ship-from-store capabilities and curbside pickup, and home delivery and setup.
