Samsung To Open Stores Within 1,400 Best Buys Across US

Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. is looking to put the ball back in Apple Inc. (Nasdaq:AAPL)’s court as the South Korean company prepares to roll out a string of mini-stores located inside Best Buy Co. Inc. (NYSE:BBY) stores across the United States.

Samsung Electronics announced Thursday a partnership with the world’s largest consumer electronics retailer that would make its top-of-the-line products and accessories available within more than 1,400 Best Buy and Best Buy Mobile specialty stores throughout the country.

At the Samsung Experience Shop, consumers will find the full range of mobile products, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, connected cameras and accessories together in one location.

“With the Samsung Experience Shops, we are ensuring consumers get the most of that innovation by learning how to leverage their mobile devices across our ecosystem of consumer electronics,” Dale Sohn, president of Samsung Telecommunications America, said in a statement.

“Consumers will have one place to not only explore and learn about our full portfolio of mobile products, but also the support of a Samsung expert to help with selecting and servicing them. This will truly be a unique mobile shopping experience,” Sohn added.

The shops, which are to start popping up around early May, vary in size, with the largest being approximately 460 square feet.

Best Buy’s partnership with Samsung is a part of the U.S. retailer's Renew Blue transformation strategy, which sees the store working closely with vendor partners to innovate and drive value, while also updating stores to focus on profitable growth.

“Our promise to our customers is simple: We’re committed to providing the best value, service and selection,” Shawn Score, head of U.S. retail for Best Buy, said in a statement. “Our partnership with Samsung on the Samsung Experience Shop is another way we’re delivering on that promise.”

By comparison, Apple has about 400 brick-and-mortar retail stores around the world. Apple also has mini-stores in Best Buy locations and partnerships with other big retailers like Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE:WMT) and Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT); its iPhones and iPads are prominently displayed in carriers’ retail stores.