Wal-Mart To Sell Tech Support, Geek Squad Responds

Wal-Mart has been mulling over the idea of entering the field of basic tech support for a while now. Last year, they test marketed Dell-run 'Solution Stations' at DFW Texas locations. Last month, they announced the rollout of 'Tech Expert' in their Sam's Club stores. Now they have teamed with NEWCorp to sell tech services in their stores.

Reuters: Wal-Mart Stores Inc is selling a new support service to help shoppers set up consumer electronics in their homes, posing a new challenge to rival Best Buy.

Wal-Mart said it began rolling out the service this month with privately held N.E.W. Customer Service Companies Inc and is making it available through all of its U.S. Wal-Mart stores in time for the holiday season.

Shoppers can buy service plans on a prepaid card ranging from $99 to $339. The service spans help with basic television installation on the low end to setting up a home theater, wireless router network or a home office computer network.

The service includes a preliminary consultation and a tutorial after installation is completed.

In an e-mail to Reuters, Best Buy said Wal-Mart's entry to home delivery and installation services via third-party contractors might be "sufficient" as consumers don't expect the discount chain to "specialize in technology to the same degree" as Best Buy and its tech support task force, Geek Squad.

"Geek Squad helps people with their PCs, TVs and other tech gear no matter where they bought their devices, so Wal-Mart customers can feel confident they can still depend on Geek Squad for tech support," Best Buy spokeswoman Paula Baldwin added.

Consumer electronics retailers have been offering technology support to differentiate their business and cut down on the number of products, particularly flat-panel TVs, that are returned after customers get the gadgets home but cannot use them properly.

Best Buy said last month it would hire more staff for the U.S. holidays and was betting that services like its Geek Squad repair assistance would give it a further edge over rivals.