Apr 1 2010
Best Buy Co., Inc. today announced that it has begun a nationwide initiative to improve the checkout experience for Best Buy customers who are blind or visually impaired. The company has begun to add tactile keypads to point-of-sale devices at Best Buy stores, enabling shoppers who cannot read information on a touch screen to privately and independently enter their personal identification number (PIN) in order to protect their financial privacy.
“I congratulate Best Buy, a premier retailer of electronic and entertainment products, for recognizing the privacy and security needs of its customers who are blind or visually-impaired”
The announcement was praised by the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB), American Council of the Blind (ACB), California Council of the Blind (CCB).
"I congratulate Best Buy, a premier retailer of electronic and entertainment products, for recognizing the privacy and security needs of its customers who are blind or visually-impaired," said Jeff Thom, president of the California Council of the Blind.
His thoughts were echoed by Brad Hodges, a blind Best Buy shopper in West Virginia and a technology expert with the American Foundation for the Blind: "Flat screen point of sale devices leave blind customers using a PIN-based payment card at risk for identity theft. Every retailer in the country should follow Best Buy's example to ensure that customers who are blind or visually impaired can independently enter our PIN and other confidential information when paying for products and services."
Keys on the device resemble a standard telephone keypad and work in conjunction with Best Buy's point of sale terminals. All Best Buy stores in California already have the new devices, as do many other stores across the chain. Keypads will be installed in all Best Buy stores nationwide by September 30, 2010.
"We are pleased to collaborate with organizations committed to advocacy for the blind and introduce service enhancements in our stores that will improve the experience for Best Buy's visually impaired customers," said Barry Judge, Best Buy executive vice president and chief marketing officer.
SOURCE Best Buy Co., Inc.