Best Buy Planning To Give iPads to Sales Associates?
By 
Best Buy was an early adapter of the iPad, being the only retailer other than Apple to offer the device when it was first released last year. On board to sell the iPad 2 starting next Friday, what else will Best Buy do to promote sales? Well, rumor has it the retail giant plans to provide iPads to all of its on-floor sales associates.
According to Forbes, one of the top 10 retailers in the US plans to provide its salespeople with iPads. The magazine’s source, with knowledge of mobile enterprise deployments, didn’t provide details on which retailer would be doing the deployment. The source only indicated the retailer operates over 1,100 retail stores in the US. While there are several US retailers with 1,000 or more store locations, Forbes feels that Best Buy is the most likely candidate as the retailer operates 1,000+ stores.
Best Buy declined to confirm the rumor. But it also didn’t deny it. A spokesman told Forbes that the source was likely thinking of its “Connected Store” pilot that kicked off last November in Las Vegas and Pittsburgh. These experimental stores were remodeled around tables where customers could get hands-on time with gadgets, similar to the way Apple organizes its shops. Best Buy sales associates in these stores were given several mobile devices, including iPads, Apple iPod touches and Samsung Galaxy Tabs to educate consumers and process purchases.
Best Buy would be a perfect fit for an iPad Point of Sales system. The retailer’s tech-focused sales force and gadget oriented customer base would be instantly comfortable with the new high-tech tool. If speculation about Best Buy proves correct, the iPad 2 would give sales members access to local store inventory, sales and promotions, inventory at other store locations, online ordering or even a point of sales.
Best Buy has been a long time Apple partner and its in-store Apple stores have proven very successful for the retailer. Best Buy wouldn’t be the only one to benefit from this new initiative. Getting a major retailer to adopt the iPad on the sales floor would also help Apple. According to Forbes, “Populating every Best Buy store with iPad-toting salespeople would be a boon for Apple, which would not only sell tens of thousands of devices for the purpose, but also have its wares in constant, high profile use across the country.”
In the future, there’s a good chance customers walking into their local Best Buy won’t just see iPads on display stands or store shelves, but they’ll see their sales associate toting one along as well.
