As Best Buy (BBY) continues to experiment in new ways to get shoppers back, it was widely reported that the brand launched an online wedding registry. It’s no secret that the boy’s playground of electronics, gaming and big-screen TVs has been challenged to draw female shoppers. We’ve noted recent updates to fix this perception with refreshed merchandise mix and female-centric brands such as Isaac Mizrahi New York, Tumi and Kate Spade phone accessories. While the site is bridal, the experience isn’t overtly romantic so grooms won’t shy away. In play is the emphasis on more traditional registry product categories, such as kitchen electrics (stand mixers, coffee makers) which are the bread and butter of registries everywhere. In our tests of the registry, we saw some nice touches — such as the ability for guests to gift an amount towards big-ticket items rather than forcing them to search for something in their price range.
Our view is that it is an interesting way to grow and diversify the customer base, because a registry shopper tends to have a deeper and longer relationship with a retailer than other customers. Also with the move towards more casual living, the idea of a big-ticket electronics purchase seems more relevant to today’s new couples than sets of fine china. What we find somewhat confusing is that the launch was so quiet, with no fanfare in our New York City store checks, and except for a small menu item, no promotion in our tests of the Best Buy home page, mobile and social networks experiences.
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