Brightstar won a competitive bid to provide its purchasing and logistics services to BuyCell Wireless.
The BuyCell Group and Brightstar initially began their partnership in July 2005 and have done previous deals together. The latest agreement means Brightstar will continue to be the exclusive provider of product distribution and supply chain solutions for Verizon Wireless handsets, smartphones and data cards to BuyCell’s independent retailers, which operate across 41 states. BuyCell companies include Celluphone, Wireless Zone, Mountain State Wireless, Wireless World and Cellular Plus.
Brightstar U.S. President and COO Mike Cost said the BuyCell retailers represent a sizable amount of Verizon’s overall business, accounting for sales of more than 1.6 million units annualized and more than 4,500 doors in the retail space. “It’s a great win for Brightstar,” he said.
Brightstar’s main mission in serving the retailers is to deliver the right product at the right time and price, he said.
As for Q4, Cost said Brightstar executives remain cautiously optimistic that handset sales will grow year-over-year and noted that this season is crunched into a shorter timetable, with Black Friday coming on Nov. 28, just a few days before the month of December.