Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Circuit City Closing 155 Stores

my profile | my password | search | faq & rules | forum home

»	Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE » Community » Film-Yak » Circuit City Closing 155 Stores (Page 2)

This topic comprises 8 pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Author

Topic: Circuit City Closing 155 Stores

Joe Redifer
You need a beating today

Posts: 12859
From: Denver, Colorado
Registered: May 99

posted 11-03-2008 07:14 PM

quote: Bobby Henderson
I'll probably end up having to buy the AV receiver I want from Ultimate Electronics. Best Buy tends to only have mostly mid-range to entry level receivers in stock.

Look in the "Magnolia" section. That's where I got my receiver. They even let me buy it without the warranty. I noticed some $190 HDMI cables in stock while I was there. Very temping, but I went ahead and save several hundred dollars by ordering from Monoprice. Oh well. Anyway, I am super happy with my receiver.

| IP: Logged

Bobby Henderson
"Ask me about Trajan."

Posts: 10973
From: Lawton, OK, USA
Registered: Apr 2001

posted 11-03-2008 08:56 PM

I'm considering the Yamaha RX-V1900 or RX-V3900. None of the Best Buy locations in metro Oklahoma City or Wichita Falls, TX have any in stock. The two receivers cost $1399 and $1899 respectively. Either would have to be ordered.

On the bright side, Best Buy is currently offering a 0% interest for 18 months financing deal. If I bought it through Ultimate Electronics I would probably pay for the receiver 100% up front (may do that anyway regardless of where I buy it).

[ 11-03-2008, 10:46 PM: Message edited by: Bobby Henderson ]

| IP: Logged

Joe Redifer
You need a beating today

Posts: 12859
From: Denver, Colorado
Registered: May 99

posted 11-03-2008 10:04 PM

I paid for mine with cash money. No credit cards for me! I have them, but I hate to use them. And checks are for girls.

| IP: Logged

Bobby Henderson
"Ask me about Trajan."

Posts: 10973
From: Lawton, OK, USA
Registered: Apr 2001

posted 11-03-2008 10:47 PM

It certainly is best to pay cash up front. No bills to worry about afterward. The only way I'm going to finance an electronics purchase is if I can get it with no interest. Otherwise I'll just save up the money and buy it outright.

| IP: Logged

Joshua Waaland
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 800
From: Cleveland, Ohio
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 11-03-2008 11:09 PM

The Circuit City by us in on the list. I bought a UPS for my computer from Circuit City years ago. Other than that I always found their prices to be higher than Best Buy's and they had less options to choose from. I am no fan of Best Buy either. In fact, I am no fan of any store that has a bunch of teens working who just want to play around with their friends and gab rather than work and help you.

Bottom line: I make 90% of my purchases online now. I go to the store and check out the item and then go online and find it way cheaper somewhere else. With a few clicks you can have something on order very fast and have it within a few days.

| IP: Logged

Randy Stankey
Film God

Posts: 6539
From: Erie, Pennsylvania
Registered: Jun 99

posted 11-04-2008 12:59 AM

quote: Jack Ondracek
CC's hard-sell on warranties really turned me off.

Employees of stores like that are required to push the warranties and if their sales averages fall below minimum they can be "counseled" or lose their next opportunity for a pay raise. If their averages fall below the minimum for more than three months in a row they can be canned.

I used to work in the electronics department of the local Kaufmann's store. (Now bought out by Macy's)
I had to sell those damn warranties even though I hated like hell to do it. I was "counseled" several times. I lost a pay raise because of it and I was eventually let go because my average was too low.
(Not that I was sorry to leave... [Roll Eyes]

)

So don't blame the employees for pushing those warranties.
It's not their fault. They have to do it or face losing their jobs.

| IP: Logged

Bill Enos
Film God

Posts: 2081
From: Richmond, Virginia, USA
Registered: Apr 2000

posted 11-04-2008 10:48 AM

There are big bucks in those warranties. CC's policy on open box, returns, etc. is that the box must be destroyed before the item goes to be sold, that prevents it being sold as new, the small stuff--cables, books, manuals etc. go into a plastic bag. That's from a former coworker who worked for CC.

| IP: Logged

Brian Michael Weidemann
Expert cat molester

Posts: 944
From: Costa Mesa, CA United States
Registered: Feb 2004

posted 11-04-2008 04:23 PM

The warranties are just upselling. Our concessionists (and our theatre is by far not alone in this) are absolutely required to upsell, or hard sell the various combo deals. Not sure about the disciplinary action for those employees who don't meet some quota, but the list of things for them to say is exhaustive for the customer who just wants, say, a bottled water.

But then, that's the nature of the marketplace. You wanna buy something? You're going to be pitched to. Plain & simple. As long as we have the choice to refuse, just nod along while the spiel plays. [Big Grin]

Never been a Circuit City fan. I'm a Best Buy loyalist ... although they've been testing me the last couple years by drastically reducing the CD department. Their latest addition of a musical instruments department, akin to a mini Guitar Center, has won me back by an appreciable margin. Circuit City should probably have stayed more specialty ... perhaps become the connoisseur's Radio Shack, instead of expanding. Then, perhaps, it wouldn't have to close stores.

I'm good with managing my credit, so those 0% financing for 6, 12, 18 months deals are so, so tasty. Never paid a cent of interest on my Best Buy or Guitar Center cards, likely never will! [Wink]

| IP: Logged

Jennifer Pan
THE JEN!

Posts: 1219
From: Denver, Colorado
Registered: Nov 2003

posted 11-04-2008 05:08 PM

Hmmmm.... good thing I didn't get the warranty when I bought my new tripod there recently.

| IP: Logged

Jon P. Inghram
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 124
From: Wichita, KS USA
Registered: Jan 2007

posted 11-04-2008 05:46 PM

A while back I bought a Canon S3 IS camera from CC, along with CC's "2 year" warranty. Less than a year later the LCD started acting up so I took it to CC figuring they'd just exchange it. Nope, their warranty doesn't take effect until the manufacture's ends, but that time still counted against the CC warranty. Also, it would have to be sent to CC's "repair center." [Eek!]

They did however refund the cost of the warranty when I told them to, so at least I didn't get ripped off too badly beyond paying too much for the camera in the first place.

| IP: Logged

Bruce Hansen
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 847
From: Stone Mountain, GA, USA
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 11-04-2008 06:17 PM

Here in Atlanta most of the CC stores are in out of the way places. I guess that some management-moron type figured out that they could get cheaper rent in out of the way places, but did not figure out that they would not get very much foot traffic. That may be why they are closing just about all of them.

| IP: Logged

Bill Enos
Film God

Posts: 2081
From: Richmond, Virginia, USA
Registered: Apr 2000

posted 11-08-2008 06:47 PM

Circuit City canned between 400 and 500 headquarters office staff here in Richmond on Friday. With a third fewer stores they need a third fewer support staff.

| IP: Logged

Pravin Ratnam
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 844
From: Atlanta, GA,USA
Registered: Sep 2002

posted 11-08-2008 08:22 PM

I went to a Circuit City store in Atlanta today. The closeout sales were underwhelming. Just 10% off regular prices. The 20% offer extended to mainly CDs.

| IP: Logged

James Westbrook
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1133
From: Lubbock, Texas, Usa
Registered: Mar 2006

posted 11-09-2008 02:50 AM

As weeks go by, the sales will go up to 30%, 40%...eventually to fixtures. Then bye bye.

| IP: Logged

Jon Miller
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 973
From: San Diego, CA, USA
Registered: Sep 1999

posted 11-09-2008 12:48 PM

quote: Pravin Ratnam
I went to a Circuit City store in Atlanta today. The closeout sales were underwhelming. Just 10% off regular prices.

According to this post on the Consumerist, you should be especially suspicious of items without price tags:

quote:
So if the liquidator wants the price to be higher, they can't print a tag (easily at least). So basically what they do is just not put a tag on it, raise the price, then give you the 10-30% discount. So really the customer is just paying normal or higher prices. They suspect it to be like that for a while depending on how fast they sell through inventory. If they aren't selling through product, then they should start giving real discounts.

What's worse, the liquidation company won't allow you to power up your prospective purchase (this article by the HD Guru specifically mentions HDTVs, no surprise here) to ensure you won't get stiffed with a DOA set, making a visit to one of the liquidated CCs even less attractive. I've found surplus auctions much more accommodating... [Roll Eyes]

| IP: Logged

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

This topic comprises 8 pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Printer-friendly view of this topic

The Film-Tech Forums are designed for various members related to the cinema industry to express their opinions, viewpoints and testimonials on various products, services and events based upon speculation, personal knowledge and factual information through use, therefore all views represented here allow no liability upon the publishers of this web site and the owners of said views assume no liability for any ill will resulting from these postings. The posts made here are for educational as well as entertainment purposes and as such anyone viewing this portion of the website must accept these views as statements of the author of that opinion and agrees to release the authors from any and all liability.