A name new to the UK, they are a large company in the USA, partnered in the UK with Carphone Warehouse.

Their first store opens on 30^th April in Thurrock (quite neat to Lakeside shopping centre) in a retail park with other well known names.

Their store stocks kitchen appliances, mobile phones, computers, cameras, TV’s as well as CDs DVDs and accessories.

By the end of 2010 they will have five stores in various parts of England. Their eventual aim to worry the likes of the Dixons and Currys group. Yes they will be doing online sales later in the year.

On the preview day I went to earlier this week the big thing you notice is a lot more staff and they appear - from the odd casual question – to have a reasonable level of knowledge certainly a lot higher than most store employees.

Several areas of the store are set aside for rooms to show various aspects of what they sell. An audio room was quite impressive. For those wanting to see 3D TV they have a room for that, one of the employees I spoke with was very keen to show me the gaming room.

I was rather impressed with the ‘Green’ area with not only bicycles but also a rather nice Citroen electric car that looks near normal.

Given their ‘Green’ image I was surprised only to see original manufacturer inkjet cartridges on sale, no third party or kits to allow you to refill your old empty ones, surely a mistake there but as it was still a few days till they open that might be corrected, especially as I mentioned it.

The next two stores will open in June Hedge End (Southampton) and Merry Hill (West Midlands). The final three for this year Aintree (Liverpool) and Croydon (Surrey) later in the year and lastly Cribs Causeway (Bristol). Sometime in that timeframe the online store will open.

They have a Geek Squad area in the store to offer help and advice and they say it will also be available online at www.bestbuy.co.uk