I buy most of my gear at Best Buy, because I like the staff there.

So when they reached out to see if I’d like to blog for them, it was an easy yes. I visited the Best Buy Mobile centre at their flagship store, and learned why it is I’ve always liked the people.

(L-R – Shaneel, mobile manager Sug, me. Find them at the Dundas Square location, they’re fun)

#1 – the staff does not work for commission

It’s a friendly, educated team who genuinely want to help. And many of them are mega-nerds too, or like Sug put it well, “we’re like their smart friend”.

So because there’s no commission involved, that’s how…

#2 –  Best Buy can sell phones for less 

Examples:

– iPhone 5s regularly – $229, Best Buy price – $179 ($60 less)
– Samsung Galaxy s4 – regularly $179, Best Buy price – $99 ($80 less)

Saved the big one for last…

#3 – they’ll transfer your contacts, for free

This is a big deal, it’s harder than you think.

Each phone manufacturer has their own way of doing things, files are proprietary: a Samsung address book won’t talk to an iPhone one.

So unless you use the cloud*, porting over your address book between devices is difficult.  I’ve spent a reasonable amount of critical thinking on this, which is why if there’s an opportunity I always ask “how?” Mostly I get back a stumped face.

Not this time.

Launched in August and called “The Genie“, move your contacts between any device.

My eyebrows went up, this makes Best Buy rare, 1/2 in the country maybe. And really, without your contacts,  it’s a paperweight, who are you going to text?

* haven’t yet decided if I trust the cloud, will blog why

(this post has been brought to you by Best Buy)