Best Buy to Brits: Fuck you, and your color TV taxes

[Brazen]

Aside from fast food, I'm struggling to think of a single American retailer who has been successful here (aside from takeovers like Walmart/Asda). 10 years ago you could have said Woolworths, but now?

Other than clothes, shoes and sportswear?

[Gups]

Aside from fast food, I'm struggling to think of a single American retailer who has been successful here (aside from takeovers like Walmart/Asda). 10 years ago you could have said Woolworths, but now?

Other than clothes, shoes and sportswear?

Such as?

[Brazen]

Such as?

Gap, Footlocker, Nike.

[Neil]

I already have a TV and a DVD player (although I suppose technically it's a Blu-Ray player, but I don't really care for Blu-Ray discs), so I rarely go near a best buy.  The big box stores can't compete with specialists like HMV when it comes to content, and they know it.  Every time I go into a Best Buy or a Future Shop, it looks like a bomb went off in the DVD section, and the entire staff is hanging out in the camera/cellphone section.

[Martinus]

Such as?

Gap, Footlocker, Nike.

Not sure if Nike can be effectively called a retailer for this purpose - don't they market their own brands only or predominantly?

[Martinus]

I already have a TV and a DVD player (although I suppose technically it's a Blu-Ray player, but I don't really care for Blu-Ray discs), so I rarely go near a best buy.  The big box stores can't compete with specialists like HMV when it comes to content, and they know it.  Every time I go into a Best Buy or a Future Shop, it looks like a bomb went off in the DVD section, and the entire staff is hanging out in the camera/cellphone section.

The funny thing is that big box stores have recently started to cary books here. I guess it's the same thing as with movies/games - i.e. they are counting on impulse purchases more than anything else.

[The Brain]

Such as?

Gap, Footlocker, Nike.

Not sure if Nike can be effectively called a retailer for this purpose - don't they market their own brands only or predominantly?

Footlocker is OK in your book?

[Sheilbh]

I had no idea they were over here.  Whole Foods had more impact, before retreating to just a few shops.

[Gups]

Yeah, I didn't know about Nike either.

Footlocker and Gap are fair calls but it's still a surpringly low success rate for US retailers.

[citizen k]

Yeah, I didn't know about Nike either.

Footlocker and Gap are fair calls but it's still a surpringly low success rate for US retailers.

Apple stores?

[AnchorClanker]

Had no idea they were in the UK.
Sounds like it was a stupid move though, trying to break into a niche where we already have plentiful big companies filling it.

Borders did the same thing.  I used to walk by the (empty) Borders in York on a regular basis.
US companies need to be careful about expanding into the UK market.

[Martinus]

Yeah, I didn't know about Nike either.

Footlocker and Gap are fair calls but it's still a surpringly low success rate for US retailers.

Apple stores?

Same as Nike - it's a manufacturer going for vertical integration, not a retail chain like the others. To be a retail chain, you need to sell third party products (usually from more than one brand/manufacturer). If you just sell the products of the manufacturer that owns you, you are not a retail chain - you are a distributor/outlet.

[Admiral Yi]

7-11?

[Sheilbh]

7-11?

Nope.

[AnchorClanker]

I honestly don't recall seeing much in the way of US chains where I was at -

Subway, McDonald's, Burger King - and Taco Bell announced that they were going to take another try to break into the UK.

Err... drawing a blank, really.  Just those and the failed Border's in York.