Goodbye, Circuit City! I Will Not Miss You

I couldn’t have said it better. The few times I’d actually been in there, it seem as though the lights were always dimmed a little. Customer service representatives scurried from aisle to aisle. The three checkout lanes were always closed, leaving me to stand in the returns lane behind 4 people who bought defective merchandise, only to buy a simple twenty dollar headset.

Hopefully a gem rises from the ashes of this forgettable waste of a shopping experience.

Why flog a dead retailer? I bought frequently at Circuit City because 1) they had the product, 2)they had the price, and they were responsible for introducing “buy online” and “pickup in store,” with no shipping charges. Even had a 24 minute guarantee :)

I generally found that buried in the 20-something masses were one or two people who could actually answer a technical question–some of them even knew more than I did. Not bad for retail….

I also don’t entirely agree with Mr. Grossman. If you used the online coupons that were frequently available offering 10% off, you could get some pretty good deals on top of the sales. They had good selection of flat screen TVs. I think that was their specialty. The home audio/theater offering was not bad either. Once upon a time, their PDA offering was really spectacular, but then it basically dropped off a cliff. Their camera selection was always fairly good.

On the other hand, their computer products have always been absolutely horrible. They always had the oldest video cards and the worst laptops and desktops by some of the lowest quality names.

In many areas, except computers, Circuit City often had the latest technology before any of the other big retailers. They sold HDTV, SACD, Bluray and other “high-def” stuff very early in the game. I got a great deal on a camera there too.

But in the end, I think it was really the Internet and the growth of the discount electronics retailers like Fry’s and Microcenter that did them in. Of course, competition from Best Buy has to be acknowledged. I never liked their prices or the store layout, but they did offer more under one roof in a friendlier, less intimidating environment. Circuit City always kind of seemed like a dimly-lit, man’s hangout that really made you want to leave the wife at home.

C-Ya Yeah i hated the Service in the La Habra store… I was the only one in there and getting harrassed by an employee whose trying to sell me internet services when im only going in to buy a video controller.. There was 3 of them one was $35.00 for the cheapest( in need the older style gamepad to play some of the older games). I Left because he wouldn’t stop talking and giving me sales pitches. I went down a block to Best Buys and bought the same one for $25.00. And That’s when Circuit City had a Sale??? The environment is scary too.. and i love electronics.

Circuit City may have had its faults but it is sad that 30,000 people will be losing their jobs. But I would just like to say thank you Circuit City for being a competitor in our market, it is sad to see #2 go out this way.

[...] retail is really simple – adapt or die.  The chains that are leaving us will not be missed.  Sure, there is a nostalgia factor associated with losing a favorite “brand” once [...]

Its about time, plenty of alternatives are available
http://www.cellplan.se/index.html

I worked at Circuit City years ago, and I couldn’t hack it so I gave up and got a job in the lower-pressure industry of door-to-door steak knife sales. Seriously. I did much better at that than I did selling consumer electronics, even though I had to pay for my own display knife kit, and with the Internet who actually buys stuff from door-to-door guys like me, brandishing knives?

The reason? Not commonly known, but Circuit City was primarily a comission-only store. They’d give you a salary to start out with, plus a comission above and beyond that. The base salary was just to get you started, you were expected to live off the comission, and if you fell below the comission level they expected, they’d dock you for it in your next paycheck.

Amazingly, some people were actually able to make a living doing this, and did it for years and years and years. What amazed me about this, though, was that as everyone here has pointed out: the staff were generally rather listless and non-personable. I don’t get that. “I’m gonna’ blow 20 grand on a flat screen tv, but I just can’t find a dead-eyed porn-addicted 25-year-old compulsive-gambling looser (Oh, did I mention *Everyone* on the staff gambled constantly?) to give my money to….dammit, I guess I’ll have to go to Best Buy and give it to someone who’s paid a living wage.”

Amazing. Eventually this african customer dude named “Felix” said, “You know you could probably make a better living selling knives door to door,” and I thought he was joking, but it turns out he had a Knife-selling business and he was right.

LAST!

Oh, and PS: Those Customer Extended Warantees? They actually realy were totally worth it!

Mr. Grossman,

I am currently employed with Circuit City. Although you made the comment:”And I want to be clear about something: it is a terrible, terrible thing that those people are losing their jobs.” It’s almost like saying with all do respect(like saying your an idiot in a nicer way) If you have been in one Circuit City, you have not been in them ALL. It all falls on Management, in which case I am one until March 21st. Unlike other competitors that have a 30-minute training video. We have programs for training in each department. Each associate had to complete it prior to helping any customers. Comparing buying from Circuit City to buying porn is a little disturbing, but hey what you do on your personal time is your business. We took pride at my store helping every customer about any product that they had questions on. If we didnt have the answer we would get the answer. The fact that 34,000 people are losing their jobs (myself included) is very sad. And many other retailers on a hiring freeze doesnt help either. Although I have only regretted helping a couple of customers, I have enjoyed helping all of you. Circuit City hasnt paid commission for a few years, but many customers thought we did for the simple fact that we were nice, courteous, helpful, knowledgable, and most of all great listeners. I have heard many customers say I’d rather shop at your competitors, and this is because they wanted to buy a brand new product, but at swap meet cost. We guaranteed the lowest price, and even implemented a One Price Promise (web-or-store sam low price, only retailer to do this).

It is sad to see so many people buying so many products during this liquidation sale. Wondering why its sad? It’s sad because all the prices that people are buying these products at were cheaper when we were in business. But hey I wont stop you. Its been fun helping all of you who shopped with us. Thank you for your support!

Truly yours until March 21st,
Paul
Circuit City

I read the article and the reviews and honestly, I agree with the article. I pretty much stopped going to Circuit City a long time a go. I remember going in the stores, which always seemed confusing. I could never find anyone to help me. Most of the sales people looked like they were in highschool, or just graduated highschool. Also, some of the employees seemed a it shady as well. No one seemed interested in their job. As far as the outlook of the store, it looked like it never changed in the 30+ years circuit city was around. Very dull, not very exciting. I have to say that the management and higher ups obviously were not doing their job trying to compete, to me. Its their own fault for its demise. Im actually suprised CC lasted as long as they did. Im one who definitely will not miss them either.