garykoelling

Guest post from Cameron Gross

This week, our team published Best Buy's first application for the Android platform. It is a beginning. We look at it as a work in progress. Can we call it "beta?"

We have a lengthy list of features and user stories we are working to implement. For now, our first release includes: search, browse, add to cart, complete purchase (through Best Buy's Mobile website), and the beginnings of some offer delivery on the home screen. Our process is one that encourages the release of a "work-in-progress" for users to try and provide feedback. It is this feedback that will guide the priorities in future releases.

Features at the top of our list include:

* MORE OFFERS!
* Store locator
* Improve search
* Add Reward Zone features
* More offers

After that, the pile of ideas we are working to develop is tall. They are just ideas. Ultimately, we are hoping to get guidance from users and their preferences to determine the features we should add next. If you have ideas, please feel free to email us (bbyandroid@gmail.com), comment here, or post your suggestions on IdeaX.

Reblogged from BestBuy Apps blog today:

Inspired by Ben Hedrington’s ConnectTweet, the concept was simple; Connect BlueShirts directly with customers via twitter. In less than two months, Enomaly developed a Python application on Google App Engine to syndicate tweets from Best Buy employees and rebroadcast them. Thereby allowing customers to ask questions via twitter (@twelpforce) and have the answer crowdsourced to a vast network of Best Buy employees who are participating in the service. Now the answer to “looking for a Helmet Cam I can use for snowboarding and road trips” is only a tweet away.bestbuyapps.com, Best Buy Apps, Jul 2009

Read the whole article.

I gave this presentation at Conclave 2009, a conference for radio folks. This was different than most presentations I do because of my enduring fondness for radio - it was personal.

Below the slideshow you will find the script that I read from.

Our first iPhone app just went live. It's super simple right now - it gives you weekly deals and store locator.

From the description: The Best Buy Mobile app allows iPhone and iPod Touch users to view weekly and mobile-only specials and find the nearest Best Buy store. The current version doesn’t have all the cool features we want but it’s a start. Look for product reviews, exclusive content and click-to-buy features (among others) in the coming weeks and months. Let us know what you think of this version and tell us what you’d like to see in future versions.

Image by Gary_Koelling via Flickr

The promise of an open, social approach is that we are better together. What better way to test that promise than an idea exchange?

So on May 8 the Best Buy Idea Exchange will go live.

From the about page: