Best Buy Revamps Its Membership Program. Here Are the New Tiers
The retailer adds a new tier and cuts the price of its premium membership.
Best Buy is making changes to its membership program in a move it says will better fit customers' needs and budgets. Starting next month, the retailer will offer three memberships: My Best Buy, My Best Buy Plus and My Best Buy Total.
The company's existing My Best Buy membership will continue to be free and offer free shipping with no minimum amount required as a perk. It previously included "exclusive access to member-only offers" as a benefit, but it doesn't appear that that's continuing.
The other two tiers, My Best Buy Plus and My Best Buy Total, will require an annual subscription. My Best Buy Total is replacing Best Buy's existing Best Buy Totaltech membership.
My Best Buy Total will cost $180 per year and My Best Buy Plus will cost $50 per year. Each tier builds on top of previous tiers, with My Best Buy Plus offering benefits like free 2-day shipping with no minimum amount and an extended 60-day return window. My Best Buy Total throws in perks like Geek Squad tech support and up to two years of product protection, including AppleCare Plus, on most new Best Buy purchases while you're a member.
Current Best Buy Totaltech members will get an email "in the coming months" with more details about the transition to My Best Buy Total, the company said. They'll continue to receive existing membership benefits through the end of their renewal date.
While the price of My Best Buy Total is slightly lower than Best Buy Totaltech, which is $200 per year, it seems the new membership won't offer the same perks related to installation. My Best Buy Total will offer "promotional service offers from time to time like discounted in-home installation and haul away," which seems to be a lesser perk compared to the large variety of installation services Totaltech offered as a membership benefit.
Best Buy's memberships compete with Walmart Plus and Amazon Prime memberships, which cost $98 and $139 per year (or $13 and $15 per month) and offer a variety of benefits like Prime Video, ad-free music and photo storage with Amazon, Paramount Plus and discounts on fuel with Walmart, and shipping perks.
People with a Best Buy credit card are automatically enrolled in My Best Buy. They'll get the same shipping perks as other members as well as "even more benefits," the company said. This includes 5% back in rewards on qualifying purchases and flexible financing options.
The new membership tiers launch on June 27.