Best Buy kicking off holiday with new price guarantee; in-store mobile checkout

Best Buy is encouraging customers to start holiday shopping early, offering Black Friday deals in a four-day sale that starts Oct. 19.

Qualifying items in the sale will be covered by a "Black Friday Price Guarantee."  If the price of the item goes lower before Black Friday, Best Buy will automatically refund its My Best Buy and Best Buy Totaltech members the difference.

If the price goes lower before Black Friday and customers are not a member of either program, they can be reimbursed by visiting their local store or contacting a Best Buy customer care team and requesting a price match under the chain’s price match guarantee.

Best Buy will kick off Black Friday a week early, on Friday, Nov. 19. It noted that store pickup continues to be available for all stores. In a new feature, select stores will place the order in a locker to be picked up. Customers will receive information on locker pickup when they’re alerted their order is ready.

In another new option, Best Buy will offer mobile self-checkout at select stores. Customers can use the Best Buy app on their device to scan and purchase items and show the digital confirmation at the door as they exit.

Earlier this month, the retailer rolled out its Totaltech annual membership program nationwide. Available for $199.99 per year, the program includes special holiday perks and special members-only deals on most Mondays throughout the holiday season.

Other Best Buy services are below.

• Contactless curbside pickup is once again available at all Best Buy stores. Most orders will be ready within an hour.

• Same-day delivery is available on thousands of products at almost every Best Buy store. Orders placed by 3 p.m. local time will be delivered by 9 p.m. local time.

• Next-day delivery is free on orders of $35 or more and available on thousands of items to customers across the country. Alternative pickup locations are available in more than 36,000 locations, allowing customers to pick up their orders at UPS, CVS, FedEx, Walgreens, and more.  More than 90% of the U.S. population lives within five miles of at least one of these locations.

[Read More: Best Buy to acquire Current Health as it dives deeper into home health care]