4 Major Best Buy Changes Coming to Stores, and How They’ll Affect You
Whether you’re looking for a fancy TV upgrade or in need of a laptop replacement, Best Buy wants to be your one-stop shop for all things tech. Like many businesses, Best Buy has faced financial hardships due to tariff hikes. But nevertheless, the electronics retailer has forged ahead and found ways to stand out from its competitors. From influencer storefronts to a very exciting new partnership with Ikea (yes, you read that right), here are four major changes hitting Best Buy stores nationwide.
RELATED: 5 Major IKEA Changes Coming to Stores, and How They’ll Affect You.
1
Best Buy has a new partnership with Ikea.
In a historic first, Ikea will offer its products and planning services at another big-box retailer: Best Buy.
According to a July 31 press announcement, the collaboration will feature 1,000-square-foot “in-store planning and shopping experiences” that display both Best Buy major appliances and Ikea home furnishings. These exhibitions will be limited to kitchen and laundry room settings only, and experts from both brands will be on-hand to assist with planning and product purchasing.
The Ikea “shop-in-shop” spaces are expected to roll out this fall.
“These spaces are designed to inspire customers and help them create a cohesive, beautiful living space with the best high-tech appliances,” reads the release.
A total of 10 Best Buy locations will get the new Ikea “shop-in-shop” experience. During the pilot period, these showcases will be restricted to the following Florida and Texas cities:
- Boynton Beach, FL
- Daytona Beach, FL
- Lakeland, FL
- Melbourne, FL
- Waterford Lakes, FL
- Alamo Ranch, TX
- Hulen, TX
- Humble, TX
- Mesquite, TX
- South Austin, TX
“This partnership between IKEA and Best Buy is about making great design and functionality more accessible for the many,” said Rob Olson, chief operation officer of IKEA U.S. “By bringing together our home furnishing expertise, products, and services with Best Buy’s leadership in appliances and technology, we’re creating a one-stop destination where customers can design their dream kitchen, storage solutions or laundry space with ease. It’s a great step on our journey to helping people create beautiful, functional homes at a price they can afford.”
2
Best Buy launched its own creator program.
Earlier this year, Best Buy launched its own creator program with tech experts Linus Sebastian, Judner Aura, and Jenna Ezarik at the helm. Best Buy also jumped on the shoppable storefront bandwagon, which allows customers to browse top-rated products recommended by their favorite influencers.
The program is a credibility and monetary booster for creators. “Storefronts give creators the ability to create a one-stop shop to highlight tech featured in their content and earn a commission on sales referred through their storefront, with no commission cap,” states the news release.
“We know shoppers love to be inspired and discover innovative tech from their favorite content creators,” said Jennie Weber, chief marketing officer at Best Buy. “We’re excited to launch the Best Buy Creator program and empower creators to turn their passion and authenticity into a shoppable retail experience that’s fun, inspirational and convenient.”
RELATED: 4 Major Walmart Changes Coming to Stores This Summer, and How They’ll Affect You.
3
Third-party vendors can now sell their products on Best Buy.
The Best Buy Marketplace is officially open for business. The e-commerce platform, which vets vendors through an extensive application process, showcases “an expanded assortment of products” and “emerging tech,” Frank Bedo, chief marketplace and e-commerce officer at Best Buy, said in a news statement. It launched earlier this summer.
“Not only will we be able to introduce new brands, but these sellers will also have the opportunity to get in front of a much larger audience of shoppers alongside other reputable brands,” he added.
4
Best Buy’s health sector is cutting ties with Current Health.
After acquiring at-home care tech company Current Health in 2021 for $400 million, Best Buy negotiated a deal with co-founder Christopher McGee, who will take repossession of the company, according to Bloomberg.
Now, just one month later, Best Buy Health has laid off 161 workers, per Healthcare Dive.
Speaking with investors, Best Buy CEO Corie Barry assured, “We still believe in the fundamental strategy of leveraging technology to enable care at home and believe it will be important to the future of healthcare, but the market is not scaling as fast as we originally forecasted.”
Bloomberg reported that Best Buy Health “recorded a $475 million goodwill impairment charge in the fourth quarter of its fiscal year 2025 to reflect the decline in its longer-term projections for the operations.”
Despite this setback, Best Buy Health still has the Lively and PERS+ businesses.