Best Buy to sell guitars, treadmills?

Musical instruments and exercise equipment may be in Best Buy’s future, according to one analyst who spoke with the chain’s management.

Credit Suisse retail analyst Gary Balter wrote in a research note that Best Buy is planning a major overhaul of its brick-and-mortar stores, Twice reports. In addition to expanding into new product categories, the store will put a greater emphasis on services.

That means the Geek Squad will move out of Best Buy’s dark recesses and into a more prominent location in the store, such as the very center.

“We have become a service business that has retail stores, not a retailer that provides service,” Bob Willett, CEO of Best Buy International and former chief information officer, said in Balter’s report.

Though I won’t comment on the news from a business perspective, there are two things that, strictly as a techie, cause concern. If Best Buy plans to offer new product categories, its stores will either expand in size or reduce floor space for existing products, and the store’s selection is already lacking.

Also, if the Geek Squad takes a more prominent role, I hope — and this may be a stretch — that they’ll be on hand to provide free advice and to encourage the right purchases. What I don’t want is more overpriced services and products being aggressively pushed upon customers.