Best Buy, TiVo make a deal

Electronics retail chain Best Buy and digital video recorder maker TiVo on Thursday announced a partnership that will see Best Buy carry a specially developed TiVo set-top box that will let Best Buy advertise its products and services to TiVo subscribers, among other benefits. What TiVo execs are calling the biggest marketing move in the DVR company's history, will see Best Buy committing to a multi-year deal to advertise, promote and carry the TiVo devices, though no financial details have been released.

The deal will allow Best Buy to create a new user interface that will educate users on the products it carries, including HDTVs and digital cameras. TiVo set-tops already allow subscribers to watch YouTube videos, download movies and buy physical goods from Amazon, stream movies from Netflix, order pizza, and get movie tickets from Fandango.

Best Buy would also integrate TiVo software and search tools into its Insignia-brand HDTVs and Dynex DVD players. It would also have access to TiVo's Showcase area and other locations to promote its own products and services. The alliance may also result in Best Buy selling its products via the TiVo interface and explore bringing other services to the DVR front-end.

By Electronista Staff