Comments on: Last days of Circuit City: Lousy bargains, rumpled salespeople

Don Reisinger spent a few hours at Circuit City over the weekend and he didn't like what he saw.

[bold_y2k]

#1 Circuit City as a company in the us does not exist anymore. The liquidators are in control of everything. changing the price of an item withouth getting the liquidators ok will get you fired.The liquidators dont have to pay anyone back. they have a deal with the creditors. liquidation company gets 30% creditors get 70% of sales. also the liquidation includes all the items in the store. fixtures, company computers, trash compactors. everything, hell even the ccity shopping carts are for sale. as for teh so called deals. you either buy at the price you see it at or you dont buy it complaining about it being cheaper accross the street will get you no where. At my store we all still have to be in uniform, we all still have to be nice and help customers.... we still load tv's and help people loading stuff into their cars. its pretty much business as usual, we just have a right to say no. there is no reason to try to make a deal since you try to make deals to build repeat business. and if you didnt know. those video game sytems.... at retail we made about -5.00 on a ps3. so 10% or more is a killer deal. same with laptops... every single one is at negative gross margin. its only posted all over the store no returns or echanges. and if you were told you cant open the item and check it first then someone didnt do their job.. we were directed to set up a table and post a huge sign saying to check the items before you leave the store. but in retail you cant please every customer no matter how hard you try.

[ikramerica--2008]

So an entire article written by someone who doesn't know what liquidation of a large company means, and doesn't bother to research it.

For one thing, it is likely that all the original CC stock is already gone, especially the TVs. What you were looking at were additional items brought in by the liquidator to sell in the store, using the CC name and liquidation sale as credentials. Heck, it could even be grey market.

The DVDs were very likely trucked in, thousands of overstocks of crappy movies nobody would want. Not original CC stock at all.

I remember when GoodGuys liquidated a few years ago here in California. You wondered why they had so many copies of such horrible movies until you realized that they never did, that the liquidator had basically bought lots of crappy films at pennies on the dollar and was then selling them at a huge profit, even at $2.99 a piece.

[bold_y2k]

actually all the stock we have was what was left in our own distribution centers at the time of liquidation. our last delivery was almost a month ago. also we have not received any additional inventory of dvds or cds. theres been some movement of tvs and stands to level out inventory in the different stores in the area but nothing that we have never sold. adding skus on the fly especially stuff we dont carry is beyond the capability of the liquidators. especially since the headquarters has been skeleton staffed and the liquidators have no clue on how to use the computer systems, of which three different versions exist... lol only adding to the confusion.

[Matt_h]

You are funny. These comments are rediculous. The Product in the stores is from the stores. maybe some from the Distribution, depending on the stores.

[ikramerica--2008]

You can believe that if you want to, but you can't know that because:
Liquidations are being performed by different companies in different regions. What is happening in one store or region may not be happening in others.
Liquidation companies do supply their own stock. It doesn't mean you never carried it.
Reports from the beginning said this is what the liquidators planned to do.

[bold_y2k]

If you want to rely on "reports" then go right ahead. half the comments here are about "reports". i would be glad to have more product to sell, we would actually be in a better position becuase we would be open longer. in fact we are closeing earlier than scheduled because we sold so much so fast. and as to the liquidators planning to bring in their own product that "report" was actually about selling the circuit city brand name, when they were thinking of selling the company peicemeal.

[ender21]

THIS is actual news:

http://bitstream.soundandvisionmag.com/blog/2009/02/liquidation-madness-did-circuit-city-sell-off-its-ability-to-use-math.html

[Bozco11]

No where was he whining, moron.

[scot405583]

CC, is at 60% in my area. they are ripping people off...

western digital external drive 500gb for 189.00 come on people that very stupid.....

u can go to same club and get the same drive for 69.00 even buy a 1tb for 99.00

i seem to be drawn to CC because i go tell people to go else where to buy stuff...

CC get a life stop ripping people off...

[scot405583]

CC, is at 60% in my area. they are ripping people off...

western digital external drive 500gb for 189.00 come on people that very stupid.....

u can go to same club and get the same drive for 69.00 even buy a 1tb for 99.00

i seem to be drawn to CC because i go tell people to go else where to buy stuff...

CC get a life stop ripping people off...

[lagarez]

Hey Cnet editor, you usually buy HDTV's at amazon?
I most of the times bought them on tiger, but my last 7 or 8 have been on newegg

I will surely check best buy for the next 3 or 4...

cnet are becoming a fake?

[dkarageo]

Don, surely you must know that during your experience in a Circuit City store that you weren't dealing with Circuit City, per se. "Circuit City" as we knew it is gone.

You were dealing with the liquidation company, owned by a foreign hedge fund. Of course some employee didn't give two figs if the hedge fund/liquidator that bought up CC merchandise and contracted to use CC store fronts, makes money or not.

[Chuckiebod]

Being a current CC employee myself, let me throw my 2 cents in. 1) for those saying it is the employees fault that the company is going out of business is a bit much. The real reason that CC went out and BB did not is because of linear projected sales numbers. BB did the correct thing and adjusted thier projections according to the current economic downturn. CC on the otherhand did not. Every week i went to work in the home entertainment department and look at what our budgets were and pretty much cried. i tried my best to obtain the unrealistic budgets but with the lack of foot traffic, it was extremely hard. 2) its not that CC employees dont care about the customers anymore. well actually it is. how does anyone expect for us to keep our heads up and care. we have no incentive to perform (ie. bonus'). and we are constantly bombarded by customers yelling at us because they cannot either return an item or because they want a deal. we are constantly told by customers that we are the reason that CC is going out of business. very rude in the wake of 30,000+ people losing their jobs. I can tell you right now our store still answers customers questions because thats part of selling product. but seriously please dont hassle us about getting a deal. WE HAVE ZERO POWER! ZERO! NONE! NADA! ZILCH! If you would have come in and asked us that question a few months ago the answer probably have been yes depending on what you were looking for. Another tidbit. Ask the CC employee to test your tv's before you leave. we do that with every TV, both new and used. once you leave the store with the product it is yours and there is nothing we can do unfortunately.

[octocentric]

boooo hoooo youd couldnt get your new HDTV you rich ******* "i usually buy my HDTVs from amazon.." just how many do you own? you spoiled ass hole

[G-RUBZ]

He is a technology columnist - of course he's bought a lot of TVs... ITS HIS JOB TO REVIEW THEM.

If you want reviews or product advice from someone who doesn't know anything about the subject, just go to Circuit City and ask one of their employees. Don't hate on this guy because he has a better job than you!

[ShroomDuck]

about 90% of the products (excpet for movies, cds and games) ccity had it for cheaper during holiday season. if u morans came to shop with us before we went under u probably wouldve gotten better prices with better customer service.
Hate the people that are coming into circuit city these days, and if I get pushed enough my last conversation will go like this:
Cu: Well this is why your company is going out of business (or something similar but equally ignorant)!!!
ME: No, this has nothing to do with why Circuit City went out of business. In fact, contrary to your simple views, there is absolutely nothing that I, as one manager in one store, could do to take down the second largest electronic store in the country. More importantly, ignorant customer, is it people like you that caused the company to go under. Simply because you want to buy **** you don't need for prices less than the cost to make them. Therefore you shop online or where you think you are getting the best deal but really are not. ( it is market research that we did have the best prices 80% of the time). On top of that, becuase you are no longer spending our economy is in the crapper, and because of u Me, my friends and 40,000 workers lost their job!!! So genius customer contrary to your initial well thought out plan on why I wont return your defective product when there are maybe two thousands signs saying you can't, everything is your fault

[Matt_h]

Are you really that arrogant? You think that The liquidators aren't selling the merchandise? It is selling fast! You are just mad that you aren't getting a steal on the Merch. The goal of a Liquidator, along with EVERY OTHER Company is to make as much money as possible. You say that the CCIty Associate didn't care and was going to move onto "Bigger and better". Ever think that they might be a little upset that he was losing a job. Maybe a career, and could be having trouble finding a job in a work force that is laying off more and more people every day. Why is the Economy falling? People like you that won't settle for a great deal on product and want to buy it dirt cheap, below cost.

Best Buy Thriving? Do you even watch the market?

And you say that CCity should just sell everything at a loss, "they are going to be in debt regardless" that is total crap. There will be money leftover after the entire process. Best Buy is the one that will be at a loss if this happens to them. and lets pray it doesn't. Wal_Mart will be the only Brick and Morter Retailer left. And you don't want that. Good luck finding your "Good Deal" when your cheap butt has closed down Competition. and Walmart is the only one left.

[ShroomDuck]

you people think that we should really care about our job and help you (who never shopped at ccity) find a great deal.??? please go to best buy or somewhere else and leave us alone. we dont give a **** about u

[Kainchild]

From what I heard, and I don't know if this true, but I was talking with someone who works for the third party company that runs things for Circuit City and I was told that the companies already bought all of that junk and are eventually going to sell them to other companies. Circuit City already got their money for everything. So they don't care about anything. They just are keeping the stores open enough to make sure these third parties companies don't feel like they got totally screwed.

[kotobuki9660]

Doesn't anyone get it? If you don't buy it some other sucker will and at this point customer service doesn't count for anything. Circuit City warehouses are empty and when the store is closes that is the end of the story. Why would they make things any cheaper or match any prices when most people are suckered into thinking its a good deal and buy it anyway. I work for Circuit and every weekend since the announcement the store has been overflowing with people(more that any "black friday" i've ever seen) and almost all of them are buying something and some are complaining about the prices as they are running their credit card through the machine. When a store like this goes out of business all bets are off, stop acting like we should still pretend that "customer service" and "low prices" are important.

[Edward_Virtually]

Circuit City died because they charged ridiculously inflated prices. I still remember getting gouged $30 for a $10 usb cable last June because I need it immediately and had to buy from them. Obviously they're no smarter now. I feel bad for the employees losing their jobs, and would even have supported the government bailing them out if it kept people employed, but as far as the company goes, good riddance to an overpriced and redundant chain.

[Mike+1]

What a load of overpriced, useless junk I found for 30% off and even less stuff anyone would want for 40-50% off, oh yeah and the fixtures are for sale as well, give me a break! Not even 1 out of 10 people bought anything during my half-hour or so visit this past Sunday, lots of comments about useless junk from would-be customers who were walking out empty handed as I soon followed them to the crowded parking lot and proceeded to Best Buy where I found what I wanted for less money in a much cleaner, friendlier store.

[DeltaBravo]

Most liquidation sales start by first raising all discounted products to full list price and then advertising them at 10-20% off the price marked. This results in most products being priced HIGHER than normal during the first few weeks of a "Going Out of Business Sale". It's not until you get close to the final days of the sale that you get the best prices. Also, much electronic merchandise is not "owned" by the retail store. Manufacturers often put their inventory into stores on consignment. When a store goes out of business, the manufacturer decides how low the price can go before they want to pay the transportation costs to take things back. You can guess that transportation costs plus price reductions over time mean that heavy electronics like HDTVs can be marked down pretty far, but not until all the "suckers" have rushed in to buy everything at higher prices during the well advertised first few weeks of the sale. My advice, wait until March for the prices to really start dropping and be prepared to find a lot of open box items.

[smellati]

You're lucky you didnt come to the bestbuy I work at. We never price match online prices.

[BigGuns149]

That is pretty much standard policy for most brick and mortar stores. Due to the higher overhead of running a retail store(eg. demos, shrink, salespeople, etc.) they often couldn't profitably price match some online prices.

[d--keller]

My goodness. Could you people (Don) complaining about the prices be any more stupid? Why should CC give you a TV? If someone else is stupid enough to buy it just because it's "30% off" why shouldn't they wait and sell it to the moron? What sense does it make to sell it to you for $200 less? They've got creditors to repay. Other people with jobs at stake. Get it?

They don't owe you a great deal! They don't owe you anything. They owe their creditors.