Best Buy exclusively sold Guns N’ Roses’ Chinese Democracy in the United States when the album was released.
The long-delayed sixth Guns N’ Roses studio album arrived in the U.S. on November 23, 2008, through a retailer-exclusive arrangement. Best Buy stocked the physical CD and vinyl, while its website handled online sales and digital availability. The deal gave the retailer a major marketing opportunity around one of rock’s most heavily anticipated releases.
The album’s exclusivity is sometimes confused with earlier speculation that Walmart might distribute it. Walmart had used similar arrangements for major albums, including AC/DC’s Black Ice, but Chinese Democracy ultimately went to Best Buy. The arrangement applied to the U.S.; international release dates and retail arrangements differed.
Best Buy reportedly purchased about 1.3 million copies from Universal Music Group and agreed not to return unsold stock. The album debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200, but sales fell sharply in its second week, and the retailer was later reported to have overestimated demand.