Best Buy will sell iPhone [u]
August 12th 2008
The Olympian (Star Tribune) reports that Best Buy will begin selling the iPhone, adding that an announcement regarding the move will be made Wednesday, August 13.
"It's really a validation of where we've been able to take our wireless operations," said Best Buy spokesman Jeff Dudash. "Two years ago, this wouldn't have happened."
Specifically, Apple's 3G iPhone will go on sale Sept 7 at the electronics retailer giant's 970 regular and 16 mobile specialty retail locations, which already sell iPods. Best Buy also sells Macs at about 600 of its US retail outlets.
[u] Associated Press (AM1500) reports that Best Buy will start selling the iPhone on Sept 7, becoming first U.S. chain to do so outside of Apple and AT&T's own stores.
"We had a lot of work to do, obviously, to get in a position where Apple and AT&T would feel good about Best Buy Mobile carrying it, and that's what we've done in the last 18 months," said Shawn Score, president of Best Buy Mobile, a joint venture with the UK's Carphone Warehouse, also an authorized iPhone reseller in partnership with the O2. [u]
Editor's note: Builds out distribution and support. Is there a downside to this move?
