I recently ventured beyond the in-store pickup area of a Best Buy for the first time in a while, I was pleasantly surprised. It seems they're positioning themselves as the smart home destination, pretty extensive inventory in this area, with product samples and descriptions clearly visible. They've also lowered the shelf heights and the store feels less cluttered (without feeling like an apple store clone). They also seem to be distributing inventory across regional stores to offer greater in-store pickup options. There are several Best Buy stores within reasonable distance to where I live, and typically at least one has the desired product. Staff seems generally more friendly as well.
Reducing the amount of music and movies they sell in store has helped a lot in that regard. They've reclaimed a lot of that space for the "store within a store" concept for things like wearables and smart home stuff, which brings a more inviting, open feel to the stores instead of feeling claustrophobic.
