"We're positively optimistic. The first half exceeded our expectations, and we have plans in place that we feel will work for the holidays," Vitelli told Dealerscope. Vitelli, who delivered a keynote address at the event, added that the retail giant was "pleased" with how the Windows 7 launch went last week.
He also praised Twelpforce, the Twitter-based support service launched by the retailer last summer.
"I love it. People are trying to stump Twelpforce every day. But they do a good job." He added that employees of the Best Buy stores do similar things in store every day.
In his address, Vitelli, who spent many years at Sony, said Best Buy is bullish on the format because it has "a tremendous amount of potential. When people buy Blu-ray, they love it."
"Our decision point is right now," he added. "We can follow the curve and creep along until a 30 percent penetration- or get to 40, 50, 70 percent household penetration."
Vitelli also said that Blu-ray "must get portable," in that Blu-ray functionality needs to be available in as many places- TV, computer, in-car- as DVD is now. Indeed, the conference coincided with the news Tuesday that Best Buy had reached a deal with Sonic Solutions' Roxio and CinemaNow, to make movies on first-run DVD available to customers both in physical form and online. The effort is scheduled to launch early next year.
"People consume content in a variety of ways, and this deal is about that," he said.
Vitelli concluded his address by proposing an industry-wide Blu-ray education campaign, and even suggested the slogan "Your HDTV Wants a Blu-ray!"
Best Buy is the #1 seller of Blu-ray players, and the company has recently released circulars advertising its in-house Insignia Blu-ray Disc players at as low as $99; Vitelli would not comment when asked how low he expected Blu-ray prices to go at Best Buy.
When asked how Best Buy's corporate culture has changed with Brian Dunn taking over as CEO earlier this year, Vitelli called Dunn "a part and a product of the culture. When you have a transfer from the original leadership, it's good to have someone who grew up with Best Buy."
