https://blog.bestbuy.ca/best-buy/announcing-best-buy-express-more-stores-closer-to-more-canadians?noamp=available

Yes.  Bell entered into an agreement with Best Buy and almost half of 'The Source' stores were closed, the rest were turned into Best Buy Express..  RIP The Source

ED1 wrote:

Radio Shack was so much more useful. The Source was just a glorified Bell store. 

Sure, but now, Best Buy Express is even more so a glorified Bell store. 
Go in there and try to buy a TV, Laptop or tablet.
First thing they say is "Do you have Bell Fibe?...would you like Bell Fibe...I can get you a better deal..."
I kid you not. BB express may read BB Express on the outside, but on the inside it's today's "Switch to Bell" store.
Good place to stay away from.

I wonder if, somewhere in the near future, Bell World stores will merge with BB express stores to become one?
I was expecting Source to do this with Bell World...makes sense, but didn't happen.

Last edited by Radiowiz (July 27, 2024 1:31 am)

In London they have a Best Buy Express already opened at Argyle Mall. They are in the process of transforming the old Source store at White Oaks Mall into the new Best Buy Express branding. Not sure about Masonville though.

Last edited by haydenmatthews14 (July 27, 2024 10:59 pm)

turkeytop wrote:

haydenmatthews14 wrote:

In London they have a Best Buy Express already opened at Argyle Mall. They are in the process of transforming the old Source store at White Oaks Mall into the new Best Buy Express branding. Not sure about Masonville though.

There already is a full size, Best Buy store at Masonville.
 

...and that's where things get even more confusing. In Toronto, @ Dufferin Mall they now have a BB express, BB mobile store AND a Bell World store all right close to each other in the mall.  I REALLY do not believe they need all three.

 

What sunk Radio Shack in Canada was that long and brutal strike at their Barrie distribution centre.
People were horrified seeing on the nightly news, the cops and Company goons, beating and kicking the strikers. Mostly women, and some of them pregnant.

It tarnished the Radio Shack brand so badly, they never recovered.

at the very least you can always find the sold off overstock of radio shack components in various mom & pop electronics shops around!

RadioActive wrote:

Radiowiz wrote:

ED1 wrote:

Radio Shack was so much more useful. The Source was just a glorified Bell store. 

Sure, but now, Best Buy Express is even more so a glorified Bell store. 
Go in there and try to buy a TV, Laptop or tablet.
First thing they say is "Do you have Bell Fibe?...would you like Bell Fibe...I can get you a better deal..."
I kid you not. BB express may read BB Express on the outside, but on the inside it's today's "Switch to Bell" store.
Good place to stay away from.

I wonder if, somewhere in the near future, Bell World stores will merge with BB express stores to become one?
I was expecting Source to do this with Bell World...makes sense, but didn't happen.

Have to agree with ED1's comments. I liked the old Radio Shack back in the day because it was often the only place you could find that obscure cable you needed to connect two machines to each other or that odd gizmo that would help improve your home audio. 

Once my local Radio Shack became the Source, the shilling for Bell never, ever stopped. I remember going in there for something and being asked endlessly as I was waiting to pay for it if I subscribed to any Bell services, would I like to, why don't I have this Bell thing, how there's a Bell discount, Bell, Bell, Bell, Bell!

At one point, I finally said to them, "obviously, you're forced to do this," and while the clerk wouldn't admit the obvious, you could tell by the look on his face, he was. When I pointedly told him, "I don't do business with Bell - ever," he asked me why. 

You did not want to be waiting in line behind me as I answered that question!

And I never went into another Source store ever again. So good riddance to The Source. The prices were too high, the staff didn't really know anything but selling Bell and there were few things in it I wanted. It was nothing but a Source of aggravation to me. 

I have to agree as well. The Source staff was a little too pushy with some stuff like Bell Phones and some home security equipment too. I was thinking about buying an Xbox from The Source but I went somewhere else to buy my Xbox like GameStop or Walmart. Got a good price at GameStop and good service and they were not pushy at GameStop.

RadioActive wrote:

And I never went into another Source store ever again. So good riddance to The Source. The prices were too high, the staff didn't really know anything but selling Bell and there were few things in it I wanted. It was nothing but a Source of aggravation to me. 

That crystal cable or whatever it is called. It was cheaper @ Source store than at Best buy. 
Outside of that, some prices (ie surge protectors) were the same price, while some things were indeed more expensive. 
As I said, Best Buy Express is now even worse than Source. Extremely aggressive demand to get people to switch to Bell. What is this? A store exclusive to Bell customers? Sure feels that way. Not a Bell customer? You're barely welcome in the store now. They much prefer that you leave and shop somewhere else. 
Such a shame too because maybe I might need a new printer...something they sell that has nothing to do with Bell.