15 Future Shop and Best Buy stores closing in Canada, including Surrey location

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      The Best Buy in South Surrey is one of 15 stores being shut down by Best Buy Canada Ltd.

      Today (January 31), the Burnaby-based subsidiary of U.S.-based Best Buy Co. Inc. announced it is permanently closing eight Future Shop and seven Best Buy big box stores across Canada. An estimated 900 people will reportedly lose their jobs.

      A news release from the company called the move the "first phase of a long-term transformational strategy to optimize the company’s retail footprint across the country".

      In B.C., Best Buy stores in Queensborough, Nanaimo, Victoria, and Langford (Westshore Town Centre) are also closing "immediately". The Future Shop store in West Kelowna is going out of business.

      Best Buy Canada says it plans to open new Future Shop small-concept "web stores" and Best Buy Mobile locations over the next three years. The company notes it still has over 120 Best Buy and Best Buy Mobile stores and over 140 Future Shop locations in Canada.

      "Employees affected by the Best Buy and Future Shop store closures will receive severance support as well as access to employee assistance programs and career transition support. Hiring priority will also be offered to previous employees across the country affected by today’s announcement," the release states.

      Comments

      24 Comments

      e.a.f.

      Jan 31, 2013 at 3:15pm

      happens when the average Canadian doesnt have enough money to spend on consumer goods. Harper can talk all he wants about the strong Canadian dollar but if that dollar isn't in the pockets of 99% of the public, it doesn't matter.

      Wages have not gone up much in the past 30 yrs so at some time people run out of money. They have leveraged as much as they can from their baby boomer houses and their kids don't have jobs which pay enough so the time has arrived.

      Press releases may talk about how consumer confidence is doing so well but if you go to the malls not many people have bags in their hands.

      Ray I

      Jan 31, 2013 at 5:56pm

      s has absolutely nothing to do with harper or the economy (which is ticking along better than almost any other). It is because they can't compete with online retailers. Canadians are tired of paying 25% - 50% markups for their electronics. Internet shopping just let Canadians know how badly these stores were taking advantage of their ignorance.

      Face Reallity You Commie

      Jan 31, 2013 at 6:43pm

      E.A.F....perhaps you should leave your Communist beliefs in the Toilet. In fact, Best Buy closures have nothing to do with Miniumum wage laws or whatever dependency you have have on the government. Yout typical left wing rhetoric never fails to shake my head.

      The hard cold reality is that Consumer buying patterns have changed and more people are buying their electronic good through online purchases at a cheaper price (Amazon, eBay, Tiger Direct, NewEgg).

      The latest Best Buy closures etc are not part of a government conspiracy to starve the masses so the right wing capitalist pigs can get fat off their spoils. It's a simple case of SUPPLY AND DEMAND. Businesses that fail to respond to the demand and prices that consumers want will eventually fail and close down. It's a tricky formula. But this is big reason why some business are successful and some become part of the history books.

      Sylla

      Jan 31, 2013 at 6:50pm

      I have to agree with Ray..Online is the way to shop.This is where my daughters did all their shopping and shipping was free.No postage to pay..They ordered Christmas presents and had them shipped to their friends and receivers.....My boots from my daughter came through the internet too...Aldo.I was in line at Christmas time mailing cards and the hold up was not people purchasing stamps it was mail and parcel pick-up.Beyond the Rack..Beyond the Rack...and more beyond the rack boxes...all Internet shoppers..makes you wonder.

      ACMESalesRep

      Jan 31, 2013 at 7:16pm

      Ray:

      I'm sure the fact that the two brands have been competing with one another, coupled with Future Shop's legendarily poor customer service, has been a significant factor in this. Real estate costs no doubt played a role as well – the press release actually describes the stores as closing “as a result of the current real-estate optimization plan”.

      iSheep

      Jan 31, 2013 at 9:28pm

      On-lines beats Brick & Mortar Stores every day all day.

      Better Service & Better Prices.

      The way these Corporations treat Employees is a travesty, no notice of closure if your lucky you get 1 week per year of service as severance.

      Employees are viewed as Servant under Employment & Common Law as well as Subservient Sheep by the Corporate Board.

      Don't be a Sheep work on your own as a Consultant and/or start your own business and employ the Sheep :)

      Trey

      Jan 31, 2013 at 11:55pm

      Sure it's cheaper to shop online, but the average consumer is unaware of the hellish work environments that employees endure at distribution warehouses. The big online companies remain faceless and no one even notices the poor working conditions and low pay that warehouse workers are subjugated to in order for the consumer to get a great online deal.

      Lee L.

      Feb 1, 2013 at 10:05am

      It's not that "they can't compete with other retailers". Best Buy in Canada is cant compete with Best Buy in the USA. The reasons are not that clear but..

      Prices in the USA are noticeably lower despite a dollar at PAR.
      Canadian Border Service does not have the staffing to collect all the sales tax on every cross border purchase so... you often save the HST shopping in the USA.

      Lastly, the retail staff in the USA provide a far better experience to their clients ( LIKE ME!!). Canadian retail managers need to up their game and train their staff to know something, and provide a helpful friendly experience. Otherwise.. why would you want to pay more to shop here?

      As far as Best Buy and Future Shop go ( both BEST BUY companies), their staff are the most useless and unhelpful hourly workers ANYWHERE.

      I've wandered around 2 Best Buy stores and a big Future Shop store and not been approached by any staff. I was browsing for at least half an hour. During that time, I saw staff doing inventory, chatting with each other, phoning friends ...but nobody was helping me look select TVs or computers.

      When I talked to one of the staff, I asked him if they were on commission. I expected him to answer no, but he said yes they were. Then why do they ignore the customers? He explained that they only get the commission if they make above a certain level of sales, and that level many believe is too hard to achieve so they just hang about and collect the hourly wage portion of the compensation.

      It's very bad management.

      Olive

      Feb 1, 2013 at 12:49pm

      I have to agree that online shopping is the future. I am 70 years old and do much of my shopping online. Just bought a computer from Dell who have no stores and provide excellent service. In most cases the shipping is free. Do not have to travel from home, fight the crowds and pay for transportation/parking. I really do feel sorry for the people that have lost their jobs, however 40 years ago we were told that computers would make people lose jobs, but they have also created many more. By the way, I have done some shopping at the Future Shop and have always found the employees to be more then helpful.

      Edward Thomas Jones III

      Feb 1, 2013 at 5:47pm

      Web shopping is the future. My son buys all electronics online. Obama will save these retailers though. He is the greatest president since Carter.