Best Buy Canada says it has let go of 750 employees as the company sheds store jobs from its workforce.

Best Buy’s U.S. parent company reported Thursday that it laid off 5,000 full-time store employees this month, even as sales surged during the pandemic.

The company said it was taking the move because its customers are choosing to buy online more rather than coming into stores.

Best Buy Canada said 750 positions have been affected north of the border, including 90 full-time positions and 660 part-time jobs.

In an email to CP24.com, Best Buy Canada said it has also seen a shift in consumer behaviour that has led to some reorganization.

“Just as in the US we’ve seen consumer behaviour change in Canada and so similarly we’ve had to evolve to meet those needs,” the company said. “This includes adaptations in the way we work, some individuals changing roles or locations and we’ve had to say goodbye to some colleagues.”

Some of the full-time jobs are being replaced with part-time positions, the company said and some employees are being retrained to fulfill online orders.

Best Buy reported Thursday that online sales increased 89 per cent from November through January compared with the same time a year ago. Profits also rose nearly 10 per cent that quarter to U.S.-$816 million.

⁃         With files from The Associated Press