Best Buy
Designing a digital tool for in-store shopping navigation.
Objective
Bring Best Buy’s retail stores back to life.
Problem
Best Buy’s omnichannel model has hurt the quality of in-person assistance they once were known for.
Insight
Technology is built for the future, but it’s displayed on shelves built decades ago.
Target
In-and-out shoppers.
Strategy
Match the energy of the in-store experience to the technology that’s sold there.
Background
Best Buy built its reputation on expert-led, in-person guidance to help customers make confident decisions about complex technology.
But competitors like Amazon are taking over, and they have pivoted towards more online models themselves.
Problem
Best Buy feels like an unattended warehouse, with no accommodations for the in-person assistance they were once known for. Idle service desks, dusty displays, and boxes cluttering the aisles make it a directionless place to shop.
Best Buy’s omnichannel model has hurt the quality of in-person assistance they once were known for.
They have faced over 12 quarters of declining sales and are operating approximately 615 fewer stores than they did a decade ago. Best Buy has been ranked among the most disliked companies for service — plagued by poor staffing, damaged deliveries, and a lack of anyone around in stores to help.
Insight
X% of people look online first for their information about technology, then go to pick it up. But 25% also want AI tools to help them try out the devices. The products have kept up with the times; the place they're sold hasn't.
Technology is built for the future, but it’s displayed on shelves built decades ago.
25% of consumers want AI tools to help them try devices before buying
Target
In-and-out shoppers.
Consumers visiting for under 10 minutes for online pickup are a growing portion of in-store traffic. By targeting efficient, certainty-driven buyers who treat the store as a final checkpoint, not a browsing destination — we can show them in-store navigation can be quick and effective, not a hassle.
It will excite them about technology again.
Strategy
Match the energy of the in-store experience to the technology being sold there.
Rather than retrofitting the space with more signage or more staff, we bring the expert directly into the shopper's field of vision — using the hardware Best Buy already sells.
Idea
“Navigation Nerd” Smart Glasses
“Navigation Nerd” Smart Glasses are an AI-powered digital layer over the store that adapts to customer needs, reducing reliance on scattered staff while serving omnichannel buyers. Through immersive, expert-guided exploration, customers navigate Best Buy independently, backed by the guidance of a modern-day Geek Squad.
Entrance Check-in: Shoppers grab their wearable assistant at a station just inside the door.
Heads-Up Wayfinding: AR visual and audio cues guide shoppers straight to the exact aisle and shelf.
Compare Mode: Users look at products in sequence to hear key specs, prices, and see "Add to Cart" or "Schedule Geek Squad Setup" buttons appear in AR.
Immersive Curation: Dynamic demos, live price-match info, and "Tech Curation" based on browsing history surface in the user's field of vision.
