• September 24, 2010

In a bid to boost its multichannel muscle for the coming holiday season, Best Buy says it is offering an expanded in-store pickup service.

Called Store Pickup Plus, the program "serves as an evolution of traditional free shipping promotions," it says in its announcement -- allowing consumers to shop online and pick the purchase up in as little as 45 minutes.

It also means that out-of-stock and online-only purchases can be bought without shipping fees, and allows for something called Friends & Family Pickup, which gives out-of-town relatives immediate access to a gift or purchase.