What’s the first thing shoppers will see when they walk into the new Best Buy store that is opening today on Manhattan’s Upper West Side? Handbags.

Designed by Liz Claiborne, the bags, which are meant to carry laptops, are part of Best Buy’s strategy to reach out to female shoppers to lure them into its stores or keep them engaged while they are there.

The Liz line includes laptop bags, totes and accessories, like leopard print cell phone covers and metallic MP3 holders.

But Best Buy’s not just using Liz to lure ladies.

For shoppers obsessed with coordination, the store has a table displaying a red Sony Vaio laptop, a red Nikon digital camera, a red Liz Claiborne handbag and a leopard print fold-over cell phone cover with red trim.

“No one has ever seen a Best Buy like this,” said Tom Davis, the store’s general manager, adding that it is geared toward the female shopper.

One other twist at the Upper West Side store? A full-sized kitchen displaying high-end appliances. While this mock-up may be common in Best Buy’s suburban stores,  it isn’t typically seen in its other Manhattan stores because of space issues.

But in an attempt to appeal to the local demographic, which includes many families and lots of female shoppers, the 3-level store – its largest in New York City – is selling a wide range of appliances, like a convection oven for almost $3,500 or an electric cooktop for $1,029.

One feature sure to draw attention from all of its shoppers? Its high-end Magnolia home theatre experience room – which can help shoppers decide if they should buy that 65-inch flat panel TV or splurge on that 71-inch flat panel TV.

(Photos: Best Buy)