Samsung Might Invest in Best Buy & Vice Chairman Lee Calls Apple's CEO 'Captain Cook'

[dgstorm]

Here's some more odd news related to Best Buy. Apparently, Samsung is considering investing in Best Buy. In case you didn't already know this, Best Buy has been struggling over the past few years. This has been because of the continuously rising prevalence of online retailers stealing customers away from big box retailers. However, it appears that Samsung believes Best Buys is crucial to their success here in the United States. We have word that "Samsung has been considering increasing subsidies paid to Best Buy in a strategic move to help the retailer and also increase the exposure of its products,’’ according to Kim Young-woo, an analyst at HMC Securities. This is not surprising considering that Samsung is planning on opening "Samsung Experience" mini-shops within 1,400 Best Buy locations across the United States.

That's not all though. There are also reports that high level Samsung executives have been recently meeting with Best Buy. Here's a quote with the details,

Lee Jae-yong, groomed for Samsung CEO after second-generation leader Lee Kun-hee steps down, said in a Korean media interview: "I recently met with senior executives at BestBuy and discussed pending business issues". This refers to a meet where some of Samsung's top brass were present, like Yoo Boo-keun, co-CEO of Samsung Electronics, and Kim Hyun-suk, Samsung Group’s executive vice chairman.

It would appear that Samsung is considering acquiring an outright stake in Best Buy. As an interesting side-note, Lee was asked about Samsung's continuing partnership with Apple. He only responded with, “Tim Cook (Apple CEO) is being called Captain Cook for a reason.’’ It's hard to tell from this if he was being sarcastic or was actually playfully complimenting the CEO of Apple. According to the report he said it while laughing. What do you think? Does this suggest a thawing between the two companies, or simply more shots fired?

Source: PhoneArena

 

[lichan]

If you have dealt with Worst Buy customer service for any reason, then you know why they are struggling. There is no reason not to buy from Amazon, NewEgg, etc. unless you absolutely must have something without waiting. I had to have a computer to work on college applications and went to BB for a package deal including monitor and printer. I didn't need the printer so I asked the store manager (not the department manager) if they would take off some if I didn't take the printer. No, I was told it was a package deal. But here's the kicker, they had no printers left! She said they would still have to charge me the price without a discount (because it was really a cheap, worthless printer!). Oh, and by the way they had none of the monitors left, either! They could provide a substitute but I would have to pay more than the advertized price because the replacement monitor would be more a more expensive one! I went to CompUSA which was selling out and got something that would just fill the bill. I generally try not to get within a 100 feet of a Best Buy.

 

[edap]

BB has a notorious reputation for providing incorrect technical specifications for products on their website. Their information is simply not to be trusted. Good luck to Samsung. Better yet, invest your money elsewhere.