Let the liquidation begin: Circuit City starts sales at closing locations

(Credit: Circuit City Stores/Richard Cadan Photography)

I have never been a fan of Circuit City, so I wasn't exactly broken up when it announced it was closing 155 locations. (I mean, I don't want people to lose their jobs, but I've never had a good experience shopping at "the City.") However, with those closings comes inventory liquidations on home and office electronics at 154 locations (PDF) with discounts up to 30 percent.

Like most inventory clearance sales, though, I wouldn't expect to walk in and find 30 percent off that digital camera, home theater, or HDTV you've been eying. And actually, while I was writing this, CNET Reviews' Editor in Chief Scott Ard confirmed that the deep discounts just aren't there (at least in the Dublin, Calif., store).

He said prices were only down 10 percent on most merch, with DVDs and CDs down 20 percent, and 5 percent off laptops. This was after the prices were brought up to MSRP, mind you. What's worse is that by taking the discount the item is yours to keep--no refunds, no exchanges.

If you live near one of the closing stores it might be worth a look-see as the sales grind on toward the holidays, as rumor has it that the bigger price drops are still to come. But again, I wouldn't get your hopes too high for a big-ticket item at a bargain price.