Best Buy® Launches New Forum for Consumers to Share Holiday Traditions

In a continued effort to educate and inform consumers on the ways technology can help create more meaningful holiday traditions, Best Buy today announced the launch of it’s new holiday microsite at www.AskABlueShirt.com. Interactive applications ranging from a Digital Note to Santa to “Hot Gift” and “Holiday Traditions” blog posts are now live.

Best Buy BlueShirt technology Pros and Geek Squad agents are contributing posts based on consumer questions they are hearing in the stores – with topics ranging from new trends in photo sharing and accessorizing your iPhone to staying virtually connected to friends and family. In addition, a Holiday Wiki was developed as a portal to collect consumers’ favorite holiday traditions. BlueShirt bloggers will add tips on incorporating the latest in consumer electronics to those holiday rituals.

“We know consumers are looking for holiday gift giving advice and ways to engage with others across the country”, said Greg Johnson, senior vice president of marketing for Best Buy. “The new holiday microsite is a fun way to not only share our knowledge and perspective, but to also learn what unique holiday traditions our customers engage in to make the holiday season even more enjoyable.”

Digital Note to Santa, Blog Posts, Holiday Surveys & More

Looking for a more unique way to send your gift ideas to your loved ones? Look no further. Best Buy’s new digital note to Santa—MadLibs style—makes filling out your holiday list fun. Select your favorite consumer electronic gift choices, the recipient of your list and you are set! In the click of a button, Santa will automatically send your list to your loved ones.

The new microsite site also offers consumers a meeting place to post pictures and share holiday traditions—from preparing family dinners to holiday shopping rituals. Read about stories from Seattle to Boston and everywhere in between. In addition, a new holiday survey question will be fielded each week to get a read on shoppers’ views on a variety of topics including “must-have” gifts and the ”the most difficult person on your gift list.”

AskABlueShirt.com also features Best Buy videos, including the new advertising “True Stories” campaign that recently launched. BlueShirts make Best Buy distinctive by helping consumers in the store and on the phone to find the right gift for that individual. The True Stories advertising campaign is an example of the every day efforts the BlueShirts make to provide a unique experience for consumers. The national campaign focuses on Best Buy employees telling their true story on how they helped customers in past holiday seasons.

About Best Buy Co., Inc.

With operations in the United States, Canada, Europe, and China, Best Buy is a multinational retailer of technology and entertainment products and services with a commitment to growth and innovation. The Best Buy family of brands and partnerships collectively generates more than $40 billion annual revenue and includes brands such as Best Buy, Audiovisions, The Carphone Warehouse, Future Shop, Geek Squad, Jiangsu Five Star, Magnolia Audio Video, Napster, Pacific Sales Kitchen and Bath Centers, The Phone House and Speakeasy. Approximately 165,000 employees apply their talents to help bring the benefits of these brands to life for customers through retail locations, multiple call centers and Web sites, in-home solutions, product delivery and activities in our communities. Community partnership is central to the way we do business at Best Buy. In fiscal 2008, we donated a combined $31.8 million to improve the vitality of the communities where our employees and customers live and work. For more information about Best Buy, visit www.bestbuyinc.com.