CC has been dying a slow death for over 10 years. It was like shopping in a Kmart except the prices sucked. The employees didn't care, it took forever to check out and I could always find whatever I bought or was going to buy cheaper at Best Buy. Goodbye brother of CompUSA. I won't miss you.

MichelleDatsun

@hexydes: is it weird that i have never even seen a wal-mart? i don't know if the even have a store here in portland.
just yesterday i went into a CC to kill some time and i started talking to one of the clerks. i brought up the recent news about the CC demise and he had no idea what i was talking about

kickass solo

@dudenextdoor00: Yeah that does suck. Theres probably gonna be a lot of thefts in those stores. But honestly, its time for some bargains, baby. Ever since CompUSA went down, then came back, I've been shopping there for all my pc needs. Just bought a Geforce 8600 for $50 over there.

geiko

@dudenextdoor00: Happy Holidays!!!

deadhouseplantz

My buddy is a CC employee, all CC's here in Cleveland will be closed. I don't know any exact date though. He told me December 31st

jim82488

@hexydes: I think maybe before this happened with Circuit City that Best Buy could have been in the same situation. But now, BB has cornered the market for consumer electronics. And I don't think WalMart is that big of a contender in consumer electronics. Their selection is limited and their prices aren't that great. When I was in the market for a new TV, I checked Walmart and their selection was all low-end stuff. That's just been my experience with them.

I think Best Buy will survive now that the others have died out.. Unless Best Buy cocks it up and sees this opportunity to gouge customers since their B&M competition is gone.

GiantEnemyCrab

Kinda ironic... CC just had an Grand Opening near my place... I guess they got a lot of business as it was pretty busy.

SDreamer

I'm kinda sad about this one. They often offer $10 gift cards with new video game releases. That's why I usually shop there for new 360 titles.

GiantEnemyCrab

It's not a rumor..it's true. The stores were closed based on low performance or bad marketing areas. All the stores that are closing are going straight into liquidation so go figure out where they are and get in on some deals!

The sad thing about the closings was that all the stores that did close only found out this morning and are now immediately no longer part of the circuit city family. There was no way to know which ones were gonna close so a lot of people were blind sided... :/

dudenextdoor00

@Jpesci: Yeah...and that's called Wal-Mart. ;)

hexydes

I stopped shopping with them when they pushed the DIVX format.

[en.wikipedia.org]

I refuse to shop at Wal-Mart, and try to limit my shopping at Best Buy. Thank heaven for Fry's.

ctaylor

@hexydes: I don't think it will happen to Best Buy. I would say Best Buy contributed to putting CC out of business. CC never had a great selection of inventory, and never had great prices, IMO. Online retailers are definitely taking hold of the electronics market, but there's always going to be people who want the convenience (me included) of buying something retail, not having to pay shipping, and having an easier opportunity to return something.

Jpesci

This has been a long time in coming. Not surprising at all though. Up next is Best Buy. Go ahead and say I'm wrong, but I said this would happen to Circuit City back in 2000 (predicting it would happen in 5-10 years), and people just laughed at me.

The fact is, it's getting very hard for brick and mortar retailers to compete with both Wal-Mart (who gets the rock-bottom prices for physical retailers) and online (who have no costs for stores). Disagree? Look at CompUSA. They were THE big store to go to for computer parts in the eastern side of the states. Then came Newegg, and within five years they completely folded. Circuit City is just the first of the electronics retailers because it was in the weakest position, but it will happen to Best Buy as well eventually. Then it will just be Wal-Mart vs. the Internet.

hexydes

@ctaylor: I too stopped shopping there because of the DIVX mess too. Good bye Circuit City you won't be missed.

brian

@GiantEnemyCrab: The comment about Wal-Mart's selection. I see Wal-Mart as the cheap, low-end version of other stores. Sure, things may be cheaper, but who knows how long that TV will last you? My friend's father has gone through 12 Wal-Mart DVD players in the last year alone.

Kymeira

@hexydes: I disagree that this will happen to Best Buy. Not for a very long time. They're business plan is so much better than CC's was. In my town there first came a Best Buy, then Circuit City built a store Across the Street. At any given time, there would be dozens of cars infront of Best Buy and the store would be hopping. Even right up to closing time. You look across the street at CC and the lot was empty save 1 or 2 cars. You go inside and it's dim and quiet, with a hint of mildew smell.

latterman

I just went to the CC is my area a few hours ago. I've never seen that store so clean before. In the 30 minutes I spent in there I was asked if I needed help 7 times (each time by a different employee). It was nice to see them trying to better the shopping experience there, but it got to the point of actually being a nuisance.

All-in-all... I can't wait for the going out of business sale. Just hope its after Christmas so I have some extra cash on hand.

Mykich

aww man I have no fry's by me, only CC, Best Buy's etc. If it goes out of business I'll have to shop at Best Buy
:(
(this is only for items that I don't want to get online and shipped to my house or wait for shipping)

br4nd0n

I could care less, CC has always sucked, I'm surprised they managed to stay open for as long as they did. Always overpriced, and their employees were clueless.

unibrow4o9

@GiantEnemyCrab: Well, now you'll get the whole game for $10. So, its a win-win

geiko

Circuit City has always been behind in the market anyways, products were never as good as ones offered in Best Buy or Frys, they had this coming for a long while.

colinv12

I was actually in a Circuit City yesterday trying to help them out. Unfortunately for them, they were playing bad music on loudspeakers outside their front doors, and they didn't have VGA cables. I went to BestBuy begrudgingly and found exactly what I needed within seconds. Maybe there's a reason this place is going out of business.

Ike_Skelton

This isn't a move of desperation, it's Circuit City's carefully considered economic planning. See, they're shutting down all the stores that are making money. This will cause people to go to the CC's that aren't making money, and make them even more money.

(Ssh everyone, keep quiet, don't tell them that isn't how it works, if you show the slightest bit of competence they'll fire you!)

Stitchopoulis

Good riddance. Poor management, crappy customer service and shitty prices, will eventually kill any business. The Circuit City near me is about 2 years old, and the parking lot is always empty...

Best Buy suffers from this as well, but they are only slightly better. They too are at risk of going under if they dont learn from Circuit City's demise.

stingray

@DJJS: How is that lucky? Thats like standing an area where everyone is getting shot to death, being free to run, and just standing there. She better get her resume together ASAP.

Joseph

My g.f Just Called me this morning at her Meeting at Circuit City that 155 are closing for Sure.. Lucky (she says) lol her store is not = )
Good Luck C.C!

DJJS

Been expecting this for a long time. Never understood how the CC near me has stayed open the last 5 yrs. Never more than 15 or 20 cars in the CC lot (half of those being employees cars). The BB lot down the street is always full. But this still sucks, if nothing else because of one less competitor for WorstBuy in my area. Less incentive for BB to lower prices or wheel-n-deal w/ the customer on a big purchase. Thank god a Fry's opened up recently near me. I was able to use Fry's prices to leverage $800 off a plasma tv purchase at BB. Competition FTW.

Jackhole

@latterman: Costco Anyone? Less evil than Wal-Mart, competitive pricing, decent selection of electronics, although not rivaling Best Buy, Nor Wal-Mart. I know I'm saving up my checks for Costco HDTV, with some warranty backing it up.

SmartedPander

I saw this coming also. I shopped there once, and the customer service was awful so I didn't go back. Best Buy is next. I DO hate to see people lose their jobs. This is happening at my company too. We are not closing, just doing 'cutbacks' like most companies.

Laedeekat

good riddance to bad business.

r.o.c.k.

Very official. I work for CC don't hate on me...every store had an all-store meeting today to prep for the less-than-stellar upcoming holiday, and first thing announced was that there would be closings for underperforming stores. Decision became official as of today. Luckily, I'm in FL...FL and CO are CC's money-makers. Yet, they still wipe their ass with any profit they manage to pull in. Sad. Hopefully this James Marcum walks as well as he talks.

DoyleBabazoid

@hexydes: It could be possible for brick and mortar stores to compete if they introduce a Walmart like warehouse system ie. lack there of. With easy internet to store purchasing/returns/displays. A few companies are turning towards this approach and I think it will succeed as a business model. The one thing that brick and mortar stores have an advantage in is a physical presence where you can see goods first hand before buying them. I know I use BestBuy's stock of computer mice to try them out before ordering them somewhere like Newegg. The stores just have to get their prices down by saving money in other ways like getting rid of inventory.

Chewbenator

@Kymeira: The only good part about that is they will take almost anything back. I have returned stuff there that I didn't even purchase there. Just act like someone gave it to you as a gift and they never ask any questions.

PCLoadLetter

Yeah, they said since the stock started dropping that one of their plans was to to close 150 stores and liqudate inventory in the remaining ones.

tande04

Yes this is true. We had a meeting this morning, they informed us of a shit load of stores closing in the cleveland area.. toledo stores are in the clear.

chags

@ctaylor: Ditto. Greedy bastards.

yelraf

As a fellow barely-got-a-job-in-this-market... person: I feel bad for the employees.

As a consumer: they deserved to die. Worthless frikkin store. "Ooh, maybe CC has some decent computer parts. *go in.* What's an 'e-machine'?" Circuit city never had what I needed. Best Buy has what I need, want, and also shouldn't buy but want to.

Caidence

I was at the meeting, and I do believe by being there we had a verbal non-disclosure agreement, ya know, don't tell anyone kind of thing til it's actually announced?

My store makes money, I still have a job.

God bless the internet.

Wildarms7000

@Mykich: I wouldn't count on those sales. they will likely ship out whatever they can to other stores and the only things that they will mark down will be the stuff that would cost way too much to send. perhaps in an area like Cleveland where all the stores are closing you'll get a full sale. but otherwise, don't be shocked if you don't see much going down

ArleenCabango

@hexydes: i knew there was a reason why I went with Apple.

ArleenCabango

I want the list...liquidation sales rock!

masterthundar

@ctaylor: Yes, thank heavens for Frys, oh wait we don't have one on the east coast! If Frys is so great, why aren't they trying to compete with Best Buy huh?

bbfreak

@hexydes: I don't see where you get the idea that its going to happen to Best Buy, Best Buy is thriving at the moment all things considered. Not to mention with the demise of Circuit City there is no serious competition for Best Buy as far as consumer electronics go. Sure there is the internet, but the internet is kind of limited as far as electronics go. I mean I certainly wouldn't get a TV online, not to mention shipping costs have gone up since gas prices have. Anyway, my point is there will always be a need for a store like Best Buy and no Walmart isn't even remotely a threat as long as they care exclusively about keeping costs low.

bbfreak

@Jackhole: I love Frys. Im so Glad I have one in my state, though I wish they had as many open as Best Buy.

MarkHawk

Best Buy will be untouchable now. The people that buy B&M will head there, you know, the ones who think one of those internet computer thingies will just steal their money. Old people.

Con Seannery

@hexydes: I think the B&M will always have it's place, but the main revenue streams will shift to the web. Adapt or die, BB.

Tom cruise DIDN'T kill me, yet!

I went to the local CC not long ago - looked shabby, half empty shelves, dead-eyed sales people who knew nothing about the products - I left - it was clearly not a store that was going to be there for the long haul.

JDisnidiet

@Con Seannery: For a while, but most of the older generation that grew up without a computer and with a black and white TV has kids. Those kids are in the 10-30 year old age group now, and have grown up with technology. Not only will they be able to help the older generation make good buying decisions, but as they become the dominant consumer force, the market will become more intelligent to good technology decisions, and more open to options like online retailers.

Best Buy is going to have huge numbers starting in 2009 and for the next few years after that...but their days are numbered. Hopefully for their sake, they are thinking long-term strategy.

hexydes

@chags: Sorry to hear. Get out while you can. At 26 cents a share, manufacturers halting distribution of goods, and corporate starting to close shop...I can't see how this could possibly turn around for Circuit City. To me, this smells of buying time to maximize short term revenue before unloading everything.

hexydes

Circuit City is not closing they are closing stores that are not profitable and are liquidating only those stores. They will use that money to pay off the leases they have of empty stores. They still have money in the bank and with the stores that are doing nothing but drain money they can maybe turn a profit next quarter. Sony did not stop shipments a distribustion center was closed temp due to a sinkhole with bad weather. These rumors are pretty ridiculous.

ShylaAgenor

Since my husband and I were told we weren't CC's "targeted demographic" when shopping for in-ceiling speakers, I can't say their demise is any surprise. This was a statement made by a manager! We had turned down the overly-loud stereos in the auto sound center so we could listen to the speakers we were interested in buying. The manager rudely turned them back up and when my husband asked him to turn them back down again, he made the "target demographic" comment. All I can say is if my wallet is not your target demographic, then you appaerntly don't understand how business runs! Won't miss them and can't wait to cash in on the good deals. We'll see how much of my money is their target demographic now!

CharlaRegulus

Circuit City built a store in Omaha next to the Famous Nebraska Furniture Mart, they couldn't compete and were gone within a few years. NFM is by far the coolest electronics store in the US. If you haven't seen it, I think you can see a video tour of it on you tube.

TrixieEspish

I'm a sales associate at circuit city and I can confirm this. I just got back from the 8am meeting. There is an error in the article though: "Consumerist also reports that employees in certain departments, like car installation, will be unemployed within 48 hours" These people are not being let go in 48 hours. The departments are being shut down and employees in these departments are being transfered to the sales floor to help with liquidation. No employees are being let go immediately. In fact we've actually been told they want to keep us on for the whole liquidation process and there's supposedly and undisclosed incentive to stay on until 31st of december.

CulbertOrestes

@kickass solo: Do they ever know what anyone is talking about? no! CC Sucks, I don't ask for help there because I know more than anyone on the clock there. If I ask some technical ??? about anything they pul the old employee shuffle and then say I don't know, but you can check online. LAME!!!!!

Some_F-in-ShiT_Ass

@hexydes: I second that!!!

Some_F-in-ShiT_Ass

I have had so many bad experiences there through the years, so many clueless sales guys, so many times I have gone in there looking for something that they didn't have. Having to pay a restocking fee to return a camcorder back in 2004... and I never went back.

Hey who remembers when the sales guys at Circuit City wore coats and ties?

scarbrtj

After CompUSA was supposed to be closing, I was hoping for Microcenter to move down (closest is Atlanta, which ain't that close). And then they had to gall to keep BOTH CompUSA's open here. Decidedly different from the old CompUSAs though.

@DoyleBabazoid: Sounds like I still won't be seeing a Microcenter around here, then. I've got a friend who may or may not be in line for a position there. We'll see what happens.

Although HH Gregg has hit the area recently as well (I haven't gone to, I didn't like them 8 years ago when I moved from Columbus).

Pity I never remember to check out Fry's when I'm thinking about getting something over the Internet.

Bryan Price

@Laedeekat:

Best buy is nowhere near next. despite everything that has been going on Best buy is still going strong...the only reason they would be gone is if walmart decides to take them out...

Supasam83

@bbfreak: Frys is not great at all...they have good prices sometimes...sure...but their staff are not trained...they are rude...always a long line...returns are a mess...I'll stick to my online shopping habits.

Supasam83

Maybe if they saved their money instead of having Goon #53 stamping receipts as you leave they wouldn't be in so much trouble. S'long Red Menace.

Kaiser-Machead's Cookie-Powered LEGO Machine

Walking into a CC Store always seemed like walking into a porn theater. Dark stores, shady looking isles, never bright, never cheery, and you have to look in 12 places to find 1 cable in each department.

Pretty much, just entering the store skeeved me out so much that I'd rather buy from Best Buy, which I don't do.

Lite

I hate Circuit City anyways. Aweful return policies, charge high on warranty and price, and in my area, the employees are speaking Spanish to serve the illigals. $#%@$%! I don't want Spanish or any other language to be a requirement to work at a department store. English all the way!

theeraserhead

Crutchfield will get even bigger. Better info, prices and people then Best Buy. Better goods than Wal-Mart.

Consumer Reports gives Crutchfield's top marks and so do I

wanago

@CulbertOrestes: thanks for the report!

dtemp

I worked for CC over ten years ago. I left right before they attempted to covert to a Best Buy sales floor setup. In my day the video and home audio sales people made anywhere from 50 to 60k per year. I even knew one home audio person who managed to pull in a 90k year as a sale rep!! This of course was when the stores were strait commission. This allowed only the TRUE salesman (or woman) to keep the jobs. They got paid for their knowledge and customer service so you bet they were the best around!! Now the Best Buy's and Wal-Mart's are fighting the old school commission setup by carrying the same brands, but much lower quality, entry level units. This in addition to lower paid, less knowledgeable sales associates allowed them to create a price war and sacrifice their margins. I also work for Best Buy for a short time in management and I can tell you that the focus is there on customer service, but for what they are willing to pay and the treatment they give their associates you will be lucky to see the same face twice in any of the departments. And for those who commented that Wal-Mart will take over, GOD I HOPE NOT. I would recommend you watch a documentary called, Wal-Mart the high price of low cost. It will defiantly open your eyes to what they are doing. I have not shopped at one in eight years and will go to my grave never giving them another dime of mine!! Sorry for being so long winded, but I am sad to see them go.

KyleOriole