MNeagle
28th September 2010, 10:34 AM
Best Buy Co. Inc. said Tuesday it is hiring 29,000 seasonal employees for the holiday shopping season as electronics sales appear headed for modest growth this year.
That's about on par with last year, Dunn said.
Brian Dunn, CEO of Richfield-based Best Buy, said at a New York media event that the company expects smart phones, touch screen tablet computers, new video game devices (some with 3D games) and electronic book eReaders to drive sales. The projections are based on an online survey of 1,000 consumers in August, the company said.
"This is our most important holiday season ever," Dunn said.
Dunn's projections come at a time when sales of Windows PCs, particularly notebook computers, have weakened. The PC sales slowdown has come during the back-to-school sales season, which had shown strong growth for the last several years.
Deloitte LLP's retail group is projecting that U.S. holiday sales from November through January will rise 2 percent, compared to a 1 percent increase in 2009. High unemployment and a depressed housing market have adversely affected consumer confidence.
"We know it is a tough environment out there," Dunn said Tuesday. "It will be hard fought."
http://www.startribune.com/business/103932613.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUi D3aPc:_Yyc:aUUs
That's about on par with last year, Dunn said.
Brian Dunn, CEO of Richfield-based Best Buy, said at a New York media event that the company expects smart phones, touch screen tablet computers, new video game devices (some with 3D games) and electronic book eReaders to drive sales. The projections are based on an online survey of 1,000 consumers in August, the company said.
"This is our most important holiday season ever," Dunn said.
Dunn's projections come at a time when sales of Windows PCs, particularly notebook computers, have weakened. The PC sales slowdown has come during the back-to-school sales season, which had shown strong growth for the last several years.
Deloitte LLP's retail group is projecting that U.S. holiday sales from November through January will rise 2 percent, compared to a 1 percent increase in 2009. High unemployment and a depressed housing market have adversely affected consumer confidence.
"We know it is a tough environment out there," Dunn said Tuesday. "It will be hard fought."
http://www.startribune.com/business/103932613.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUi D3aPc:_Yyc:aUUs