Circuit City closing all stores -- watch for bargains coming soon (1 Viewer)

[MielR]

That's what they did when they were closing my local CC last year. I walked around for 5 minutes, saw that there were no bargains to be had, and walked out. I never bothered going back.

 

[Stephen J*]

When the sale gets down to 50% off or more, you might be able to find the odds and ends that were in the back corners of storage that might be interesting. Stuff like out of print DVDs etc.

 

[EricSchulz]

When I lived in Denver (1994-2002) there were several Best Buys that opened...soon to be followed-wherever possible-by Circuit City. When I moved back to WI, there were now CCs within a few blocks of nearly every Best Buy. I NEVER understood why they didn't open stores where they would have more business to themselves, rather than competing head-to-head.

 

[Richard Gallagher]

More info available at their website:

Circuit City

 

[LarryH]

I'm kinda sorry to see them go - I've bought a ton of stuff there over the years - though not so much lately. Their staff really were trying to get on the ball of late - they always approached me to help, but I guess it was just too little too late. While I don't think the Divx debacle still affects them, I do think it was a major blunder to dump their most experienced staff. That left a bad taste in everybody's mouth. On top of that, their store here had such dim lighting it was a real drag just to go in there. I mean, it was actually a pain for my aged eyes to try to focus on the merchandise. The sunlight sometimes glared through the window so much brighter than the interior lights that I could barely distinguish anything. Talk about literal gloom reflecting their economic gloom!

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

I used to very much prefer Best Buy, but now they have the muzak blaring so unbearably loud (in addition to and in competition with the home entertainment section, music section, car stereo each blaring their own sperate noise) so that I can't stand to be in the store for five minutes. I still run in for the occasional deal from them, but that's it.
I've boughten a DVD player and three Zenith DTA converter boxes from them, all working great. The second Zenith box was purchased with every intention of being returned; my coupon expired two weeks before the DTT901 came out. They let me exchange it for the new box (my third) without any hassle. Other than the abominable crowd management on Black Friday, I've always been treated well by CC.

 

[Qui-Gon John]

It seems to me CC was the first player in the large electronics/computer stores. I remember CC back when I lived in Va Beach, and I left there in 1995. But I do not recall Best Buy and CompUSA coming on the scene until sometime after I moved to Fla, so I'd say 1996 or later.

I'm reminded of DEMOLITION MAN, where all restaurants are Taco Bell. Looks like we're headed to only 1 electronics store. And while I never think it will get down to just 1, I think auto brands are going to be on the decline next.

 

[Brian^K]

I think it is more than that. That would just lead to individual store closings to bring the system back to the right level of saturation. Failure of one of two has to have more significance. I suspect that what we're seeing is the fact that there isn't enough of a market out there to support competition in the b&m retail electronics business. Too few people are willing to pay too little of a premium for the ability to see and touch and thereby understand what they're buying before they buy it. I remember my last big purchase at CC -- I went in with my order form from an online retailer, showing how much I'd pay. (I actually had made the decision what to buy before even seeing it or touching it, but you get the idea.) I told the salesman to meet the price within $100 (for a $2200 television) or he wouldn't get the sale. The guy grumbled for a while (I think he ended up getting a few pennies of commission on the deal), but gave in. That's not enough to cover the added costs of rent on so many locations, transportation of stock around, etc.

I just hope folks who complain about how poor the service they get from b&m stores understand that we did this to ourselves.

 

[Harpozep]

While I feel bad for the employees,, I'll not shed a tear. CC played hard and fast with their employees last year if you recall, getting rid of experienced higher paid help , hiring new cheaper less knowledgeable folks to "Help" us.
The store I stopped in a few times over the years was stocked with no-nothings that made the BB crew look good! I never met a knowledgeable sales associate at a Circiut City. I guess we 'net geeks can really run circles around the help, eh? still......

Plus I still hold a grudge against them for "Masterminding" DIVX, the pay per view DVD scheme that confused the market and helped slow the introduction of DVD to countless homes. Imagine having to pay each viewing of a DVD? Yup, modem and all, so they could allow you access to the DVD content, and charge you per "view cycle"

" DIVX was a rental format variation on the DVD player in which a customer would buy a DIVX disc (similar to a DVD) for approximately $4 US, which was watchable for up to 48 hours from its initial viewing. After this period, the disc could be viewed by paying a continuation fee to play it for two more days. Viewers who wanted to watch a disc an unlimited amount of times could convert the disc to a "DIVX silver" disc for an additional fee.[1] "DIVX gold" discs that could be played an unlimited number of times on any DIVX player were announced at the time of DIVX's introduction, but no DIVX gold titles were ever released.

The status of the discs were monitored through an account over a phone line. DIVX player owners had to set up an account with DIVX to which additional viewing fees could be charged."
More here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DIVX_(D..._Video_Express)

Circuit City lost over 100 million dollars on that scheme. I wonder if it hurt them in the long run? Bet they could use the money now.

Bad decisions can be with you your whole life as a company. For myself and many others, the DIVX debacle was enough to sour us forever on the company.
I never gave them a dime after DIVX.

More over, Fight Circuit City DIVX Format: Divx Hacking and Information for DIVX Players
was established to bring enlightenment to the masses.
I won't miss'em, I have Staples and Sears. k, and occasionally BB. They get most of it done for me.

 

[Harpozep]

Yep. Pogo got it right:
"We have met the enemy and He Is Us"

 

[Robert_Z]

My knee-jerk reaction to this news was, "Cool, I'll buy a TV, a new receiver or several blu-rays at deep discounts." But then I remembered 5 years ago.

Ultimate Electronics went out of business. I went to their store in Austin after they had their GOING OUT OF BUSINESS signs all over the building. I was trying to buy a new TV at the time, and I thought with those signs, everything must be at least half price. Well, guess what, I thought wrong. Everything was only 10 or 20 percent off. Some sale, I thought.

But guess what again, the idiots were buying everything! Most of the TVs were only 10 percent off, but people were in heaven, spending like crazy. WTF???

Given how consistently people disappoint me, I expect to see much of the same at CC. People buying before the bargains ever materialize.

 

[Brian^K]

Luckily, the vast majority of customers didn't even remember, a month later, that Circuit City had anything to do with DIVX -- perhaps never even knew or cared.

 

[shawnMbrown]

Quick note from the website about their extended warranties:

Are Circuit City's extended warranties affected by the liquidation?
•No. Circuit City Advantage Protection Plans® (extended warranties) have been backed by third-party independent companies for more than 15 years and as a result, are not impacted by Circuit City's closing.
•Currently, all Circuit City Advantage Protection Plans are fully backed by the Assurant Solutions companies. Assurant Solutions operates as Federal Warranty Service Corporation, Sureway, Inc., and United Service Protection, Inc. Assurant Solutions is part of Assurant, Inc. (NYSE: AIZ), and its extended service contacts are backed by an Assurant insurance subsidiary rated A "Excellent" by A.M. Best Co.

 

[Doug Miller]

Anyone been in this morning? How are the Blu Ray disc prices this morning?

Doug

 

[Harpozep]

No arguments from me. Fine analysis. However, a group of consumers was put out by the DIVX scheme, and for us, it soured CC forever . We may not count as much, but bad will does spread more than good will. Heck, it's a decade later and I am not the only one who remembers.

But you are right in the big scheme of things, who cares.
B&M operations are never going to be the same since the internet came as some sort of great equalizer to the masses.

People sell top each other rather than through stores now, and Amazon and their ilk do a good job with their interests.
Evolution.
Things will get interesting as the governments, both local and Federal really ramp up their interest in taxing internet purchases and otherwise raising the costs to do business here.
B&M's may have some use after all.

 

[David Deeb]

I couldn't agree more. I asked the girl at the check out, "could they not possibly turn it down a little". She said it was company policy and that people asked her about the loudness all the time. I do think it has gotten a little less loud in the past year, but its still too loud.

 

[Qui-Gon John]

I hate noise pollution. You go into some store and they have whatever music playing, often too loud. And maybe I don't want to hear that music, or maybe when I'm shopping I'd prefer if any music was playing that it was very soft in the background.

 

[Brian^K]

The Circuit City in Burlington MA was mobbed midday today, with about 10 cars lined up on Middlesex Turnpike waiting to turn into the parking lots, the front parking lot (about 20 spots) was completely full, presumably the rear parking lot (about 80 spots) full or close, the front parking lot literally bumper-to-bumper with cars trying to find a stop, and about 25 cars parked on the side street.

 

[pitchman]

I stopped by the local CC while I was out running errands. The store was pretty chaotic and it was actually BUSY. Trust me, that is a word I NEVER use to describe this particular store! The only store discounts that were marked was a couple of hand-drawn "10% off all TVs" signs in that department. Nothing else. I finally tracked down an employee who informed me that all "new release" DVDs and CDs were 10% off and that "library" titles (as he called them) were 20% off. The section looked as ransacked as ever and the selection appeared to be as skimpy as always, so I just turned around and left.

 

[Doug Miller]

I stopped by the one closest to my house. Parking lot was packed. Consistent flow of people going in and going out -- one thing in common, neither had CC bags. I was told 10% off Blu Ray, that made my trip short. Waste of time.

Doug