Despite Surging Sales Best Buy Cutting Jobs Including Duluth Store

Some Best Buy employees, including some at the Duluth store, are out of a job today.

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the Minnesota based retailer is cutting some jobs and reducing some hours of other workers. At the beginning of the pandemic Best Buy furloughed 51,000 employees, a good majority of those employees were brought back eventually, but it appears these cuts are part of a larger company plan. No word on how employees were fired or had hours reduced, but I personally know that these cuts have affected the Duluth Best Buy store.

Best Buy isn't saying much about the job cuts, a spokesperson told the Wall Street Journal, “As we have said before, customer shopping behavior will be permanently changed in a way that is even more digital. Our workforce will need to evolve to meet the evolving needs of customers while providing more flexible opportunities for our people.”

Enter your number to get our free mobile app

These cuts also don't appear to be related to slow business, Best Buy has seen a surge in business as sales of appliances, video game systems and other electronics have propelled sales from its website and stores open at least 12 months by 23%.

Best Buy is making some changes in some of its stores, the Star Tribune says that the company has started to convert 250 of its stores into hubs designed to help with an increase in online shopping.

Back in August Best Buy said its hiring 1,000 new tech employees with the focus on the company's website, mobile app and making tools for employees to aid in helping customers. Best Buy has also pledged to make 30% of the new hires people of color or women.