Breaking: Future Shop stores closing across Canada as Best Buy consolidates

It's an end of an era for Canadian retailer Future Shop as all its stores in Canada are shut down. 66 Future Shop stores will be shut down immediately and another 65 stores will be closed for a week while they are converted to Best Buy stores. Future Shop says that approximately 500 full-time and 1,000 part-time positions will be eliminated as a result of the consolidation.

Best Buy acquired Future Shop in 2001 for US $580 million but continued to operate Future Shop as a separate brand. As a result of the consolidation Best Buy will have 197 stores in Canada.

Best Buy plans to invest up to $200 million to build a leading multi-channel customer experience on the Best Buy brand. As of this writing, Future Shop's website has a message about the consolidation and directs customers to Best Buy Canada.

Source: Future Shop

Contest: Win one of two Brother Label Makers!

We're ending the year with a cool giveaway. The best way to start the year is to get organized and nothing helps organize more than a nifty label maker from Brother and we have two to give!

1) Brother PT-P700 PC/Mac  desktop Label Printer and create useful and great-looking labels with the help of your computer.

or

2) Brother PT-H100 handheld label maker. It's designed with easy, one-touch keys and a portable form factor so it's simple to use anywhere in your house or office.

TO ENTER: 

Follow us on Twitter @CReviewer

And use this tweet to tell why you want this......

"Hey @CReviewer I want to win one of the Brother label makers to get organized in the New Year!"

...and use hashtag #FSholidaytech

Contest closes: January 1, 2014 at 12:00 noon EST. WINNERS will be selected at random and will be contacted via Twitter so make sure you're following us! Happy New Year and thanks for joining.

Contest: Win a Cricut Explore: Personal Electronic Cutting Machine!

We've got a great holiday contest with an awesome Cricut Explore personal electronic cutting machine. Cricut Explore (SRT $599) is a design-and-cut system for making amazing, affordable DIY and craft projects. It’s the easiest way ever to turn an idea into a finished project! 

Featuring Cut Smart technology, the Smart Set dial for easy material settings, and the ability to upload your own designs, Cricut Explore is our easiest and most innovative design-and-cut system yet. Use Cricut Explore with Cricut Design Space, the free cloud-based software, to make your ideas a reality. 

TO ENTER: 

Follow us on Twitter @CReviewer

And use this tweet to tell why you want this......

"Hey @CReviewer I want to win the Cricut Explore Electronic Cutting Machine because....."

...and use hashtag #FSholidaytech

Contest closes: December 31, 2014 at 12:00 noon EST. WINNER will be selected at random and will be contacted via Twitter so make sure you're following us!

2014 Gift Guide: Gifts for Him

What to get the special man in your life this Season? We have a few ideas. Socks, sweaters and neckties are always welcome but are soon forgotten and lets face it, they're not the most personal choices. Here are some sweet gifts for the gents.

Click to read more ...