“If you’re going to be naked, you’d better be buff!”

Wise words from Best Buy’s SVP and GM John Thompson, the keynote opening address at day two of the Internet Retailer’s Web Design & Usability conference in Orlando. Speaking of course about the new transparent and exposed nature of operating online, in an evolved consumer world, North America’s largest retailer of consumer electronics, PCs, appliances and entertainment software outlined the key strategies for staying relevant in a changing world. In other words, how they got buff.

After outlining some very compelling statistics about the changing socialisation, media consumption and shopping behaviours of consumers, Thompson highlighted the three key pillars of Best Buy’s strategy: Accessibility, Localisation and Personalisation.

Accessibility is all about being where the consumer is, and that is increasingly in places other than Best Buy’s site. Key areas of focus here included search engine optimisation (although they sell one in every three TVs in the US, only nine months ago they did not make the front page of Google for a “TVs” search); availability from mobile devices; and participation and presence in social media platforms and applications.

For Localisation, Best Buy focussed on true cross-channel harmony, utilising the strength of its 1300 stores along with its digital media presence. A local store page was created for each store, with the editorial control given to the store manager. A true sense of community can be created in this way. Best Buy has even gone to the level of consumer-generated store ratings – a truly transparent move.

The goal of Personalisation is to understand each customer uniquely and then to ensure all communications with them is relevant. Best Buy uses advanced site analytics to create a differentiated experience for the customer based on their profile and behaviour. For those who are new to Best Buy, it’s known internally as Personymous – a special Persona created to deal with new (anonymous) customers until more can be learned about them.

Offering value through connectivity is the key to Best Buy’s on going success as a multi-channel retailer. Staying relevant to the customer is ingrained in the culture as staff continue to focus on their customers, listen to their needs and let the customer lead them into the future

Conference wrap up tomorrow.

Paul Marshall