One of Dixons’ directors has laughingly dismissed any threat to the market-leading electricals group from recent entrant Best Buy.

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Dixons group operations director Sebastian James made the comment on social networking site Twitter (pictured), in response to a question from a follower who asked why a Best Buy director had been given a store tour by boss John Browett.

James replied that such visits were entirely normal in retail, adding: “Besides bb is barely a competitor!:-)”

US giant Best Buy opened its first big-box store in this country last year, in partnership with Carphone Warehouse. However, industry observers believe that it has had a very limited impact so far on Dixons, which has suffered in the tough trading environment but has benefited from a renewal and transformation programme spearheaded by Browett and in which James has played a key role.

Dixons declined to comment on James’s tweet. It is understood, however, that James mainly uses Twitter as another way of communicating with colleagues and his comments reflected office-style banter.

A Best Buy spokeswoman declined to comment.