Free delivery, technical support...Best Buy's membership program is really good!

The program, called Best Buy Beta , will cost $199.99 per year and will include benefits such as free shipping , unlimited technical support from the Geek Squad and exclusive member pricing .

Best Buy is testing a new annual membership program that comes with perks like tech support , free shipping and longer warranties on smartphones or other purchases.

The consumer electronics platform announced on Wednesday that the program is available in some offline stores in Iowa , Oklahoma and eastern Pennsylvania . It will then expand to stores in Minnesota , North Carolina and Tennessee. By the end of this month, it will be piloted in about 60 stores and will be implemented on the online platform in the future .

The program, called Best Buy Beta, will cost $199.99 per year, or $179.99 per year for customers who have the retailer's credit card.

Best Buy's sales have increased over the past year as consumers bought products for work , school and to pass the time during the pandemic .

In the most recent fiscal year, which ended Jan. 30, online and offline sales rose 9.7% compared with the same period last year . However, the growth in those sales slowed sharply from 23% in the third quarter to 12.6% in the fourth quarter .

The retailer expects growth to slow further, especially after a year of unusually high sales. Chief Financial Officer Matt Bilunas said Best Buy expects more people to spend money on dining out and traveling again .

With its membership program, Best Buy is hoping to drive sales to a wider market , following in the footsteps of rivals including Amazon and Walmart .

Walmart launched its own program, Walmart+, last year , which brings benefits such as unlimited grocery delivery and fuel discounts. In the past 15 years, Amazon Prime has won more than 150 million paying members worldwide through free and fast delivery. Therefore , Best Buy has also developed a new membership plan based on the characteristics of the platform.

Best Buy's privileges are tailored for member technology. Customers who join the membership program will receive unlimited technical support from Geek Squad , 24/7 concierge service , exclusive member prices on merchandise, and free installation for many appliances and products.

"As we look to grow our membership program, our goal with Best Buy Beta is to create a membership experience that customers love and gives them confidence throughout their relationship with Best Buy, " said Allison Peterson, chief customer officer at Best Buy .

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