Circuit City's last day: March 8

Yahoo!Tech ^ | 3/6/09 | Ben Patterson

[L.A.Justice]

Hoping to scoop up some last-minute deals from the soon-to-be-defunct retailer? Better hurry up, because Circuit City's final weekend is nigh. Just remember: buyer beware. The liquidators behind the massive Circuit City fire sale have announced that the remaining 567 stores will close for good on Sunday, March 8, at the end of the business day.

So far, liquidators have sold off more than $1 billion in Circuit City's remaining inventory, according to CrunchGear, with "deeper discounts" expected through the final days. Those who've gone to take a long, last look at the remaining, tattered Circuit City stores have reported some pretty depressing scenes.

Harry McCracken at Technologizer found his local store in a "gloomy disarray" earlier this week—"one part rummage sale, one part junk closet, and barely recognizable as the splashy consumer-electronics merchant that has been around for sixty years." CNET's Don Reisinger checked out a Circuit City and found plenty of remaining inventory, along with depressed, "rumpled" salespeople (hey, they're about to be laid off, so who can blame them) wearing hoodies, jeans, and baseball caps. As far as bargains go, McCracken found a decent deal on copies of Microsoft Office ($45 for the Home and Student versions), but was underwhelmed by the laptop and desktop prices (just 20 percent off); meanwhile, Reisinger found better HDTV deals over at Amazon.

[Jakarta ex-pat]

"McCracken found a decent deal on copies of Microsoft Office ($45 for the Home and Student versions)."

IF that's the best deal available how lame.

Most of Asia pay...well almost nothing for the same "deal".

Suckers.

[Tempest]

Yeah you’re right about that, they have managed to get rid of a lot of the inventory. The amount of easily fooled people amaze me.

[jwpjr]

I purchased a laptop from them several years ago. I stressed to the salesperson that I am a very active freelance photographer and a laptop is essential to my business, that I wanted warranty coverage that would protect me against anything short of nuclear war, even if I had to pay a premium for the coverage. Hey, no problem! I spent an additional $300 plus dollars for their top of the line ‘extended’ warranty. Even covered batteries!

Less than a week later I dropped the laptop and destroyed the screen. Yup, you guessed it! The warranty was useless in this case. I'm pretty sure it would have been useless regardless of what had happened to it, but never had the chance to prove my theory.

Went back to the Circuit City store, willing to pay whatever it cost to get it repaired, I really needed it. They wouldn't even take it to honor the factory warranty!

Never stepped foot in their store again. Hate to see people lose their jobs, but as for a company it couldn't happen to a more-deserving bunch of bastards. They certainly didn't give a damn about my job and how they were adversely impacting my ability to earn a living.

[Tempest]

Ughhh... I could get the exact same things at Fry’s Electronics for the same price or better on any normal day.

[Varda]

You’re lucky to have a Fry’s near you. The closest to me is two states over.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

I get all of my electronics and computer stuff at TigerDirect.com. Very low prices with fast shipping. I bought a new Gateway AMD Quad-Processor computer with a new 22-inch monitor. Both for $600 bucks.

[razorboy]

I stopped going to CC when I switch gamepad brands. They were the only guys that sold Saitek and I always hated when it was time for a new one because CC was such an unpleasant store to shop in. Then I found Logitech’s gamepads at Target, felt just as nice as the Saitek, a little cheaper, and they’re at Target.

[dfwgator]

[Republic of Texas]

It sounds to me like the business model of high prices, dishonest tactics and poor customer service doesn’t work. Imagine that. Next thing you know the government will force banks to loan money to people who can’t pay it back.

[Selmore]

this from March 2007.......(hehehe.) Circuit City Cuts 3,400 'Overpaid' Workers

By Ylan Q. Mui

Washington Post Staff Writer

Thursday, March 29, 2007;

Page D01

Circuit City fired 3,400 employees in stores across the country yesterday, saying they were making too much money and would be replaced by new hires willing to work for less. The company said the dismissals had nothing to do with performance but were part of a larger effort to improve the bottom line. The firings represent about 9 percent of the company's in-store workforce of 40,000.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/28/AR2007032802185.html