Best Buy Beta, the tech retailer’s new premium membership, is rolling out right now in select markets across the U.S. This new subscription service is shaping up to be a must-have for business owners, techies, and frequent Best Buy shoppers in general, covering virtually all of your tech needs from free installation and extended warranties to customized purchase advice and exclusive members-only discounts. It’s only available in a few states right now but will be expanding to other markets very soon, so if you’re curious about Best Buy Beta, then here’s everything you need to know.
What is Best Buy Beta?
Everybody is familiar with Best Buy as a go-to place for things like laptop deals, discounted 4K TVs, and other big-ticket electronics, and even in an age of online retail when many people prefer to do the bulk of their shopping online, this big-box brick-and-mortar store hasn’t slowed down a bit. That’s largely due to the fact that Best Buy offers excellent post-purchase support (such as on-site installation) and in-person repair services through Geek Squad, advantages that you normally don’t get with online-only outlets.
Best Buy Beta is a premium service that expands these advantages even further. Best Buy Beta members can enjoy on-demand priority service from the Concierge team (including expert advice about purchases), 24-month protection guarantees on new tech, and unlimited Geek Squad support in-store, online, or over the phone 24/7 regardless of whether or not you purchased your item from Best Buy. If you frequently pay for extended warranties for your new tech, then the free 24-month Best Buy Protection and AppleCare plans alone can save you a lot.
But you can rack up more savings as well: Your Best Buy Beta membership earns you a tidy 20% discount on labor for all repairs (on items not covered by that 24-month Best Buy Protection guarantee, that is) along with free standard shipping with no purchase minimums and free on-site installation on most items. If you’ve ever had to pay a professional to set up your new stuff — such as a big-screen TV or surround sound system, to name two common examples — then you already know that this sort of service never comes cheap, so that’s another huge savings potential for Best Buy Beta members.
Finally, Best Buy Beta subscribers can enjoy members-only discounts on select items, an extended 60-day return window for all purchases (with no restocking fees), and exclusive discounts on many subscriptions billed through Best Buy including Microsoft Office 365, Pandora, Tidal, Philo TV, and more.
How to sign up for Best Buy Beta
Best Buy Beta is undergoing a limited test launch and is currently available only to residents of Iowa, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania, with plans to expand to Minnesota, North Carolina, and Tennessee in April. After this pilot, Best Buy Beta is expected to eventually roll out nationwide, with memberships ringing in at $200 per year or $180 per year for Best Buy credit cardholders. You can check out the full list of Best Buy Beta member benefits here.
