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- Best Buy laid off numerous employees in its field tech support division.
- Geek Squad workers told 404 Media they were let go last week in brief calls with managers.
- CEO Corie Barry hinted at the cuts in February, citing inflationary pressure and other investments.
Best Buy's Geek Squad is scaling down.
The in-home tech support division got hit with layoffs last week as the company looks to cut costs.
Several former Geek Squad workers told 404 Media they were terminated following a work-from-home event on Wednesday regarding a "company change."
"I spent more than half my life with this company and sacrificed a lot of personal time and experiences just to be let go," one laid-off worker told 404 Media.
Another former employee told the outlet, "Our leadership gave individual calls stating we were being let go for the simple fact that the company couldn't afford to pay us, more or less. It was extremely short notice and devastating."
Dozens of others posted photos of their Best Buy employee "Agent" badges to multiple groups on Reddit, saying they were "going sleeper," meaning they had been laid off.
Other commenters who said they had previously worked as Geek Squad agents were quick to point out that demand for their combination of technical and interpersonal skills remains strong.
In a statement to Business Insider, Best Buy said: "We know better than anyone that the consumer electronics industry is always changing with new technology, more innovation and evolving customer expectations, and that means we need to make changes too."
CEO Corie Barry hinted at the cuts in Best Buy's earnings call in February, citing inflationary pressure and investments in other aspects of the business.
"Our fiscal 2025 initiatives are focused on driving further efficiencies across forward and reverse supply chain, our Geek Squad repair operations, and our customer care experience," she said.
Retailers have grappled with a pullback in consumer spending on electronics following the pandemic-era boom, with Best Buy in particular reporting several years now of sluggish sales.
Barry also said on the February call that tech brands weren't making her company's job any easier.
"Right now there isn't any massive current innovation that would spur you to go buy a new laptop," she said.
A company spokesperson told BI that this round of cuts was primarily in areas serving installation and support of products like home theater equipment. The company also recently stopped including free installation in its paid membership benefits.
Meanwhile, Geek Squad's in-store support teams would not be significantly affected and home health services teams are expected to expand, as Barry indicated in February, the spokesperson said.
If you are a current or former Best Buy employee and would like to share your perspective, contact Dominick Reuter via email or text/call/Signal at 646-768-4750. Responses will be kept confidential, and Business Insider strongly recommends using a personal email and a non-work device when reaching out.