BOX-OFFICE BATTLE; IN THE HOME THEATER ARENA, BEST BUY AND CIRCUIT CITY HAVE DRAMATICALLY DIFFERENT STYLES.

HFN: The Weekly Newspaper for the Home Furnishing Network, October, 2003 by Zaczkiewicz, Arthur

NEW YORK-With home theater audio systems, Best Buy and Circuit City approach the segment similarly in just two areas. Both offer top-notch brands. And both have similar price-point structures.

But when it comes to merchandising the segment, the two electronics specialty giants are worlds apart.

In stores, Best Buy's take on the segment is the same as other categories in its mix; the retailer tends to leverage a value proposition on a broad product assortment with an emphasis on self-service. Indeed, the product is placed below demonstration models and it's easy to see why the segment is called "home theater in a box."

At Circuit City, the merchandising strategy finds its footing on a more focused product mix in which consumers experience a...