For the record, Future Shop isn't 'like' Best Buy.. it's OWNED by Best Buy Canada.
Future Shops used to be the Canadian equivalent of Best Buy in the US, then they were bought up by the newly minted Best Buy Canada who then starting building Best Buys (typically within a block of the Future Shops).
Currently, Best Buy Canada is targetted to games, home theatre types and computer fans while Future Shop is targetted at lower end products and home appliances, although there's a large overlap in what's sold in both stores.
Actually, it's the other way around Jeff. Best Buy is the lower-mid end, while FutureShop is for the regular and "enthusiast" market, even though most SKUs overlap between stores. You'll see BB & FS with the same lower-mid-high end product lines, but there are some items that FS calls "ultra high end" products that BB doesn't carry, like the $10,000 Sharp LCD TV or the $3000 HP desktop.
Being neither a Future Shop nor a BB employee, I just have to say - Best Buy is doing a MUCH better job of selling themselves as the store to visit, at least in the GTA. Their stores are newer, cleaner, and better organized, and the staff is friendlier and more knowledgeable (with a better command of the english language). Future Shops really do give off a "bargain bin" vibe now, it's kinda sad. I've never actually seen any confirmation that Best Buy Canada owns Future Shop - seems to me if they did, it would be a silly thing for them to be building all these fancy new Best Buy stores across the street from virtually every Future Shop here.
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For the record, Future Shop isn't 'like' Best Buy.. it's OWNED by Best Buy Canada.
Future Shops used to be the Canadian equivalent of Best Buy in the US, then they were bought up by the newly minted Best Buy Canada who then starting building Best Buys (typically within a block of the Future Shops).
Currently, Best Buy Canada is targetted to games, home theatre types and computer fans while Future Shop is targetted at lower end products and home appliances, although there's a large overlap in what's sold in both stores.
Actually, it's the other way around Jeff. Best Buy is the lower-mid end, while FutureShop is for the regular and "enthusiast" market, even though most SKUs overlap between stores. You'll see BB & FS with the same lower-mid-high end product lines, but there are some items that FS calls "ultra high end" products that BB doesn't carry, like the $10,000 Sharp LCD TV or the $3000 HP desktop.
As a Future Shop employee, o rly is correct. Future shop carries more high end products, and has a target customer age that is lower than best buy.
Time to argue with braden Q!
Best buy employee over here ;)
o rly is correct? o rly? No. We have both 50 and 60 inch kuros so I'd say we definitely have the market cornered. ^_^ (984, woooo )
Not to mention they train us ;)
Being neither a Future Shop nor a BB employee, I just have to say - Best Buy is doing a MUCH better job of selling themselves as the store to visit, at least in the GTA. Their stores are newer, cleaner, and better organized, and the staff is friendlier and more knowledgeable (with a better command of the english language). Future Shops really do give off a "bargain bin" vibe now, it's kinda sad. I've never actually seen any confirmation that Best Buy Canada owns Future Shop - seems to me if they did, it would be a silly thing for them to be building all these fancy new Best Buy stores across the street from virtually every Future Shop here.