Plaud has partnered with Best Buy to sell its wearable AI note-taking devices in select US stores, marking its first major push into physical retail in the country.
The products are also available through Best Buy's website and app, but the store rollout gives shoppers a chance to handle the devices before buying them. Select outlets now feature branded in-store displays for demonstrations.
The arrangement gives the San Francisco-based company a route into bricks-and-mortar retail after building much of its customer base online. Since 2023, Plaud says it has attracted more than 2 million users worldwide.
Plaud's current product lines are included in the Best Buy rollout. The in-store format centres on a four-foot display designed to show shoppers how the devices record and organise spoken information from meetings, calls, lectures and other conversations.
Nathan Xu, chief executive officer and co-founder of Plaud, said the partnership is intended to make the products easier to discover in person.
"Plaud was designed for the real world, so it makes sense for people to discover and experience it in the real world," Xu said. "By teaming up with Best Buy, we're making wearable AI more accessible across the U.S. and giving people a hands-on way to see how Plaud can help them stay present while capturing the details that matter."
Retail shift
For Plaud, the Best Buy deal marks a shift in distribution strategy as it moves beyond an eCommerce-led model. Physical retail can help consumer technology brands reach buyers who prefer to test hardware before making a purchase, particularly in newer product categories where use cases may not be obvious from online listings alone.
Plaud positions its devices as wearable tools for capturing spoken content and turning it into searchable, structured notes. The products are built for workplace and everyday settings, including in-person meetings and phone calls.
The company has paired the hardware with software that summarises conversations and organises follow-up information. That combination places Plaud in a growing field of AI-assisted productivity products aimed at professionals looking to automate note-taking and documentation.
Growth claims
The retail announcement comes as Plaud points to broader commercial growth. It says it recently reached USD $100 million in software annual recurring revenue and expanded its software offering with the launch of an MCP connector and a Team suite.
It also introduced the Plaud NotePin S and said Plaud Note Pro received a Red Dot Design Award. Those milestones suggest the company is trying to broaden its product line while building brand recognition beyond online channels.
Best Buy's role is significant because of its national footprint in US consumer electronics retail. For a younger hardware and software brand such as Plaud, placement in those stores offers visibility with mainstream shoppers as well as business users who may encounter the products while buying laptops, audio devices or office technology.
The rollout began in late June, according to Plaud, with displays set to appear in select stores nationwide over the summer. The company plans to update the displays during the year with revised product content and seasonal changes.
Category test
The move also serves as a test of whether AI-focused hardware can gain traction in conventional retail environments rather than relying mainly on direct online sales. Consumer interest in generative AI has risen sharply, but dedicated AI devices have produced mixed results across the sector, leaving retailers and manufacturers to assess which formats can generate lasting demand.
Plaud is trying to distinguish itself from app-based note-taking tools by focusing on dedicated wearable devices for spoken interactions. That may appeal to users who want a more specialised product, though it also puts pressure on the company to show clear practical value at the point of sale.
The in-store displays are therefore likely to play an important role in explaining how the products fit into work routines. Demonstration-led selling has often been central to new consumer technology categories, especially when customers need to understand both the hardware and the associated software service.
Plaud says the partnership gives customers a way to hold, try and assess how its products fit into their daily routines. All current product lines are now available through the Best Buy channel.