CompUSA

[Pistons < Spurs]

I don't know if any of you have heard, but CompUSA is closing 126 of its 229 stores in the next 60 - 90 days, and are currently in a liquidation phase at those stores.

I'm waiting to see if there's any kind of blowout sales or even some decent floor model promotions on some Plasma TV's as they get closer to shutting down. Might even see if I can get a laptop at a good price.

If you go to their site, and use their store locator, there's an option to see which stores are closing. I'm pretty sure there were none in San Antonio, but I did see Dallas and Houston listings

[KEDA]

since there is only one location here in SA, and from what I hear it does pretty well in sales, I doubt it will close.

[Shelly]

That would be a negative...

http://www.consumerist.com/search/compusa/bydate/

Scroll down the site and read about their 'deals'

[smeagol]

Comp USA is owned by the richest LatAM dude. Carlos Slim.

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

Shelly, you and I are hooked on The Consumerist. :lol

[Shelly]

Shelly, you and I are hooked on The Consumerist. :lol

:lol

I LOVE that site. Everybody should be reading it!

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

:lol

I LOVE that site. Everybody should be reading it!

I actually sent something in to them this past weekend.

Consumerist, Lifehacker and Deadspin are my favorite sites from Gawker Media.

[Shelly]

I'll have to check out the other two.

I love the "Ask Mehgan's Dad" feature.

What did you send them?

[boutons_]

March 8, 2007, 12:10 pm

The Gutting of CompUSA

Did you hear? In the next couple of months, CompUSA will be closing over half of its 225 stores.

You can find a list of the doomed stores here, if you’re interested.

But something tells me that if anyone were actually interested, those stores wouldn’t be closing.

This may sound a little harsh–but frankly, I’ve never quite understood how CompUSA stayed in business to begin with. Most of the stores I’ve visited have been sterile and soulless, and pervaded by a feeling of abandonment. You’d think a gearhead like me would get all excited to be there, but for some reason, I just can’t wait to get out.

Here’s the official reason the chain is shuttering 128 stores, as it appears in a statement by Roman Ross, CompUSA’s CEO: “Based on changing conditions in the consumer retail electronics markets, the company identified the need to close and sell stores with low performance or nonstrategic, old store layouts and locations faced with market saturation.”

Well, whatever.

( http://spurstalk.com/forums/images/smilies/smilol.gif http://spurstalk.com/forums/images/smilies/smilol.gif http://spurstalk.com/forums/images/smilies/smilol.gif why so many business mgmt assholes are such over-paid clowns. )

I think the real culprit behind the gutting of CompUSA is Internet pricing. You can order computers, accessories and electronics from the Web for a fraction of CompUSA’s in-store prices–and evidently, most people are doing exactly that. (It’s not just CompUSA, by the way. Circuit City is closing 70 stores, too. And don’t forget the 30-year-old Good Guys chain–46 electronics stores in California–which CompUSA bought in 2003 and then closed in 2005.)

Even among retail shops, though, I’ve found CompUSA to be overpriced. One day last year, I stopped in to a CompUSA to buy an Ethernet cable; the least expensive one they had was $25. I found a $6 cable next door–at a Home Depot.

But what about the old argument that local shops offer hand-holding, friendly advice and personal service?

Well, there may be CompUSA employees who provide all that. But I haven’t met many of them.

In 1999, I wrote an article about CompUSA for a computer magazine. I visited CompUSA stores in five states, posing as a computer novice and asking questions. I tallied up some of the ridiculously misinformed remarks made by the CompUSA sales staff. My favorite: “That computer doesn’t have a level cache.” (I believe he meant a Level 2 cache, but what the heck–maybe the thing really was a little tilted.)

The company’s corporate spokesperson at the time acknowledged, “Getting staff is a problem across the board. We need specialized talent; finding it can be a challenge.”

Between her lines, you could read the truth: technology experts are in demand everywhere. At $6.50 an hour (what CompUSA was paying at the time), you’re not going to attract many people who, ahem, excel in both personal and technical skills.

It’s really a shame that CompUSA managed to fritter away its ubiquity and name-brand advantages. Despite the Internet’s price pressure, there’s a crying need for local computer stores; the average person’s sense of technological helplessness is growing these days, not shrinking.

Besides, Internet or no, it’s not impossible to create a successful computer chain. I’ve never been to a Fry’s computer store–it’s a regional chain with no stores in my region–but it has armies of loyal fans.

Maybe a corporate analyst can say what’s wrong with CompUSA’s business model from a spreadsheet standpoint. But it shouldn’t take an MBA to spot the greater problems; just checking out these forlorn warehouses and sullen salespeople ought to make the problems perfectly clear.

Even now, as over half of the stores prepare to shut down, CompUSA misses an opportunity to be customer-friendly. Its final offer isn’t much of a fire sale: 10 percent off everything in the shuttered store–and no returns.

http://tierneylab.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/03/08/the-low-fat-diet-flunks-another-test/

[baseline bum]

“Based on changing conditions in the consumer retail electronics markets, the company identified the need to close and sell stores with low performance or nonstrategic, old store layouts and locations faced with market saturation.”


i.e., Fry's is kicking their asses. :lol

Every LA area CompUSA is being shut down. The closest one to survive is in Bakersfield. :lol

[KEDA]

every time I go to the CompUSA here in SA, I allways notice how bad the store presentation is. Shelves cluttered, product on the floor, closing duties obviously not done, basically the stores look like shit all the time.

And the service levels there are not very good either, basically a bad experience all around.

I could see why they are closing stores, thay might have to close more stores if they dont change their ways.

[smeagol]

CompUSA, BestBuy, Circuit City, they are all the same. Service sucks and they are terribly expensive.

Before leaving the US, I bought a 52' Sharp Aquos on an store I found on the interent which was $1,000 cheaper than any of those three stores. And I did not pay any taxes.

Fuck CompUSA.

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

I'll have to check out the other two.

I love the "Ask Mehgan's Dad" feature.

What did you send them?



Dear Consumerist,

This happened to me two weeks ago and as soon as things happened, I thought of this site.

While in Austin, Texas (I'm from San Antonio and was in Austin to get some vehicle work done from the only mechanic I trust - my father) and on my way back home, I stop at Highland Mall to check the Lids store for a new MLB cap. The night before, I read a story and saw there were some new league and batting practice caps being introduced and I wanted to pick up a Braves cap.

I walk into the store, ask the sales guy for the new caps and he points them out to me. I find a large Atlanta Braves BP cap and try it on in front of the salesman. It feels fine and I buy it. While driving back, I decide to wear it so I can start getting that broken-in feel and within a minute or so, my head starts to hurt (which I know happens when I wear fitted caps that are too small for my head). I take it off, put it back in the bag and drive home.

Two days later, I go to Ingram Park Mall in San Antonio and attempt to exchange my hat for a larger size. The saleswoman is speaking with another customer when I walk in, so I find the row of caps, dig through for an XL and stand aside while she finishes speaking with the other customer. She then asks me how she can help me and I tell her I'd like to exchange the hat for the larger size. She asks why I didn't get the right size in the first place, so I tell her I had tried it on in the store, it felt fine, but when I wore it later, it felt too snug. She then tosses the cap back to me and says she can't take it back because she can't sell it as new.

I explain again how I wore it a few minutes, felt discomfort and simply wanted a new hat (the previously purchased cap had no wear, no scuffs and the tags were still attached). She says she won't exchange or return it. I tell her that people try on hats all the time and inside their stores and they still sell them as new (I was lucky that at this exact moment, one of the other employees happened to be trying on a cap off the rack and I make a note of that). I ask if she's going to sell that cap as new and if so, how is that different from me wearing my hat briefly and feeling discomfort. She says that "it just is." I ask for a contact number for a manager or district office and she hands me a generic Lids card and says there's an 800 number on it. I take my hat with original receipt and the card and walk out.

When I get back to my vehicle, I look at the card and it does not have any contact number on it, only a Web site address.

I decide to drive 10 minutes to the next mall and attempt an exchange. When I get to the Lids at North Star Mall, the saleswoman asks how she can help me, I tell her I'd like to exchange my hat for a larger size. She happily comes from around the register to the hats and says she might not have my size while looking for it, but eventually finds it and doesn't even ring it up since it's apparently an even exchange for the hats.

My thoughts are: If you've ever been shopping for fitted caps, you pretty much have to try them on as different manufacturers and different materials fit differently and at what point does the hat become worn while being tried on by numerous shoppers?

http://www.lids.com/returns.html

According to Lids.com, " All items must be unworn, unwashed and in new condition."

Again, at what point is the hat worn since people try them on all the time in the stores?

If you choose to use my story or not, I still enjoy reading The Consumerist every day. Thanks for the service you provide.


Not earth-shattering, I know, but it irked me enough to get writing.

[Kori Ellis]

every time I go to the CompUSA here in SA, I allways notice how bad the store presentation is. Shelves cluttered, product on the floor, closing duties obviously not done, basically the stores look like shit all the time.

And the service levels there are not very good either, basically a bad experience all around.



I think the same way about Circuit City. The floors are dirty, the shelves are cluttered, and no one helps you when you need something. We once stood in the camera department for 20 minutes trying to flag down someone to assist us (it wasn't busy there at all) and then finally we just left.

[KEDA]

I think the same way about Circuit City. The floors are dirty, the shelves are cluttered, and no one helps you when you need something. We once stood in the camera department for 20 minutes trying to flag down someone to assist us (it wasn't busy there at all) and then finally we just left.


just as long as you dont feel that way about Office Depot, then we would have issues!!!

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

That Office Depot by Windsor Park Mall sucks.

[KEDA]

yes it does, but not as much as it did.

Im trying to get it in better shape, but when you are by yourself you cant do it all in one day

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

yes it does, but not as much as it did.

Im trying to get it in better shape, but when you are by yourself you cant do it all in one day

My statement wasn't to be taken seriously, B.

If any OD sucks, it's that one in Austin I sent you a text message about.