Best Buy moves to curbside pickup only amid surging demand

Best Buy Corp. has shifted all its stores to curbside pickup only in an effort to help protect customers and employees and keep up with surging demand for home office products during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Except where otherwise directed by state and local authorities, the retailer, starting March 22, has shifted to enhanced curbside service only for all its stores on an interim basis. 

In addition, if a customer was unable to place an online order and the product is in stock in the store, employees can go into the store to claim the item for the customer and sell it to them curbside.  

Customers can also still order online or on the app and have their products shipped directly to their homes. Large products such as appliances will be delivered where permitted and under strict safety guidelines with everything left by the customer’s door. All in-home installation and repair has been temporarily suspended and will be rescheduled with our customers, and all in-home consultations are being conducted virtually.

“We are seeing a surge in demand across the country for products that people need to work or learn from home, as well as those products that allow people to refrigerate or freeze food,” said Best Buy CEO Corie Barry. "As we meet the demand for these necessities, we are adjusting how we operate in many ways to improve safety. We are making the best decisions we can with two goals in mind: protecting employees, customers and their respective families, while trying our best to serve the millions of Americans who rely on us for increasingly vital technology.”

Best Buy said that all its employees have been told they do not have to work if they do not feel comfortable. They have also been told to stay home if they are feeling sick, knowing they will be paid. 

“All field employees whose hours have been eliminated will be paid for two weeks at their normal wage rate based on their average hours worked over the last 10 weeks,” the retailer stated.