Sheesh, you guys need to do better with your threads. I work at Best Buy as a part time sales floor member. Being a photography major, they swiftly took me off the register and put me in with the cameras where I've been for the last 9 months or so. For as long as I have worked there, we did carry Pentax cameras on our website, as far as I recall.
I occasionally bring in my white Pentax K-r and put it in the display case to show off to people who are looking for a new camera. It looks quite fierce with the DA* 50-135mm and the 540FGZ flash on it compared to even the 7D or D7000. I don't do this under any special request from management- I just like having a camera I am familiar with should I need to demonstrate depth of field or something.
I also bring in my camera to help newbies broaden their camera catalogs. I mean, the K-r on BestBuy.com can come with the 55-300mm lens for $799. That's still $50 less than the Canon T3i! We also sell the camera on the website- and yet our strongest advantage- in store demos and floor models- is forfeit since we don't have a camera to represent Pentax. As a bonus, it also sparks conversation like nothing else. When people see it and I tell them its mine, their opinion frankly turns from "Ugh, annoying salesman" to "Hotdog! I got a camera guru!" ^_^
Without getting into specifics I think I can give some very general feedback.
The first being Pentax/Ricoh needs to get cameras in stores. I've seen even end caps for mediocre cameras draw plenty and continued attention but even just having a lonely camera on a post will occasionally draw someone by and ask "What about this one?" Without presence though, how do people know what models to consider?
The WG1 merits attention. There is a fuji and two olympus cameras that compete in the waterproof arena but have lukewarm reviews. The WG1 has pretty stellar reviews, and not just on BestBuy.com.
The Pentax Optios are carried from time to time on the website but totally fly under everyone's radar since nobody knows about them.
Hardly anyone comes into my Best Buy for binoculars. I think I had one person casually inquire about carrying some, but we just don't. It could very well be a regional thing, though.
We occasionally get refurbished Pentax cameras on our website for very cheap. We had a K100 not too long ago IIRC. It was going for $250. Seems like now we have a
refurbished K2000 for the same price. In white none the less! This is one of my favorite parts of periodically checking our website. You can find gems like that!
We have a pretty good collection of Pentax lenses on our site including some DA Limited lenses as well as most of the DA*'s. Funnily enough, we don't seem to carry the Pentax flashes.
Best Buy also has free photography handouts. One of them is a magazine called "First Glimpse" and has some basic info on what to look for in electronics. The camera section has nice break downs in chart form of different cameras by class. The charts are not comprehensive though since they can only fit so many models on the page in any given issue so some models rotate, but I have seen the Pentax K-r and K-5 both get featured and be put side by side with the T3i, D5100, D7000 etc.
Why do I do this though? Why bring in several thousands of dollars worth of gear at a part time job. Simple. I'm dedicated. I want to help people find the right camera so it doesn't become another dust collecting trinket in their closet. I want people to come back to the store and show me a memory card full of vacation photos and dramatic sunsets. I want people to thank me for not just being another salesman.
In this regard, I think Pentax makes DSLRs with the right stuff. Stabilized sensor so no more choosing between a $200 telephoto and $600 stabilized telephoto for a beginner. Neat and clean interface that isn't confusing to the novice. Heck, even the choice of colors for added personality. Mind you, these aren't features I cram down people's throats. I show them the D5100 interface and how to navigate. Then show them something like how to get shallow depth of field on my camera (mostly because we aren't tethered by the security things) and they start pawing at the screen, "Whoah, its so simple to use!" Simply put, given the chance, these things sell themselves.
That being said, despite choosing Pentax for my own shooting and being a fan, I cannot and do not default to the K-r or K-5. I hear the customer's needs and find solutions. Every single time. The biggest concerns I see and have myself regarding the Pentax cameras are that finding lenses and equipment for rental can be a hassle since there is less market penetration. Another thing is that video capabilities are lacking. These things are nothing new. I also don't trample over familiarity if they had a previous camera from another manufacturer.
This all being said. I love my job. I really do. I get to meet interesting people, excite them on what excites me, and help them appreciate photography just a little bit more than they used to.