Box Wars Episode V: Best Buy Strikes Back?

In what can be perceived as nothing less than a carnivorous AP media pummeling the likes of which remind me of a group of hyenas devouring a day-old carcass, Best Buy has been the beneficiary of a media blitz through an AP roll-out in local and national papers. The piece will result in Best Buy easily profiting off the latest PR snafu caused by Circuit City's recent decision to sack/replace/rehire 8% of its sales workforce. Check out some recent headlines to cross the Audioholics newsroom:

• "Old-timer Circuit City struggles as Best Buy's customer focus pays off" (Provo Daily Herald)
  
• "Best Buy scores with Consumers" (thenewstribune.com)
• "Best Buy service trumps Circuit City" (Associated Press via Yahoo! News)
• there are tens more... and that's just what crossed our desk.
  

Of course all of these headlines are local and regional editors' attempts to sensationalize what is essentially a couple people's individual opinions of the stores - captured by some AP writer at (wait for it) the exit of local Best Buy as they walked out with a purchase. Similar or identical responses could likely have been received by asking the question "Did you just make a mistake by shopping at Best Buy today?"

Why not ask a person who just bought a Volvo why its better than a Chrysler? Given the recent financial issues the automaker is having, would that not make for an impressive story as well?

What the piece quickly proved, more than anything substantial about either store, was that anyone in the Associated Press can seemingly take advantage of the real story (the firings and pay cuts by Circuit City) and turn it into a continuing yellow journalism piece that makes additional headlines. Instead of finding more in-depth news, readers are presented with fairy tales and poorly-researched information. "Old-timer Circuit City struggles as Best Buy's customer focus pays off?" Right.

We certainly don't think that it was a smart move on the part of Circuit City to ditch 8% of its higher-paid workforce for entry-level replacements, however the evaluations are going to have to come later this year and through the holiday season- not a week later by some headline-grabbing AP reporter.

In the past it has been made very clear to us that corporations have various news agencies and magazines on "standby" for opportune articles and editorials. Without making any accusations, I'd have to say that this doesn't exactly pass the "smell test" and we would have to wonder if someone at Best Buy prompted the article. Perhaps, and perhaps not.

In either case, we just hope our readers are savvy enough to tell news from sensationalism and always remember to do your own investigations before making any major decisions - like writing off an entire store over another. The likely result is bound to be eventual corporate takeover and less options for the consumer - and that's not in anyone's best interests.