Death Spiral: Circuit City Closing 155 Stores
Death Spiral: Circuit City Closing 155 Stores
November 3, 2008
On Saturday GamePolitics reported that PlayStation 3 manufacturer Sony had cut off shipments to Circuit City, fearing that the troubled retailer would not be able to pay its bills.
Industry watchers had previously predicted that such a move would trigger a death spiral as other suppliers quickly followed suit. While there is no word of additional inventory shut-offs, Engadget is reporting that Circuit City will close 155 stores tomorrow:
Details are sketchy, but it seems that the company's traditional "holiday kickoff" meeting was actually a "holiday layoff" discussion instead. Apparently, a full list of store locations getting the axe will be revealed.
Meanwhile, Gizmodo reports that the Circuit City closings will begin in the Midwest.
One of the [Circuit City] store directors... is quoted as saying that "we should have done this 10 years ago". The source points out that Circuit City is trying to refocus on the customer: "They are really stressing to us that we must have better customer service than before because they want us to win back our customers".
GP: Perhaps CC can stop the bleeding by shuttering underperforming stores, but it's very late in the game...
A PUBLICATION OF THE ECA
SUBSCRIBE
LOGINGamePolitics ShoutBox
Posted 02/09/10 at 01:16pm
Andrew Eisen: Shouldn't be. Spirit of anti-discrimination laws would seem to include sexual orientation (and eye color). Plus there's always equal protection and such. Never know until you try.
Andrew Eisen: Shouldn't be. Spirit of anti-discrimination laws would seem to include sexual orientation (and eye color). Plus there's always equal protection and such. Never know until you try.
Posted 02/09/10 at 01:10pm
Andrew Eisen: Should have sued (unless that wasn't an option given her financial situation or something). Might have won.
Andrew Eisen: Should have sued (unless that wasn't an option given her financial situation or something). Might have won.
Posted 02/09/10 at 01:00pm
Valdearg: Story about a Male to Female TG who was expressly told she wouldn't be given a job because she was TG. Its not the main point of the story, but explicit, perfectly legal discrimination like this exists.
Valdearg: Story about a Male to Female TG who was expressly told she wouldn't be given a job because she was TG. Its not the main point of the story, but explicit, perfectly legal discrimination like this exists.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:53pm
Valdearg: Lol, I don't know. It may very well be legal to do so. Though that might able to fall under the "race" restriction, depending on how that point is argued.
Valdearg: Lol, I don't know. It may very well be legal to do so. Though that might able to fall under the "race" restriction, depending on how that point is argued.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:51pm
Valdearg: I don't think they do have any legal recourse. I'll have to dig around, but I seriously believe that if the law doesn't specifically mention Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity, they can still be discriminated against in those 29 states.
Valdearg: I don't think they do have any legal recourse. I'll have to dig around, but I seriously believe that if the law doesn't specifically mention Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity, they can still be discriminated against in those 29 states.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:51pm
Andrew Eisen: Eye color isn't covered either but I doubt it would be considered legal to refuse to hire people with green eyes.
Andrew Eisen: Eye color isn't covered either but I doubt it would be considered legal to refuse to hire people with green eyes.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:48pm
Andrew Eisen: My explanation is longer than the Shoutbox will allow. Suffice to say that while those who are discriminated against do have legal recourse, anti-discrimination law should specifically cite sexual orientation so that there’s no question about it.
Andrew Eisen: My explanation is longer than the Shoutbox will allow. Suffice to say that while those who are discriminated against do have legal recourse, anti-discrimination law should specifically cite sexual orientation so that there’s no question about it.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:42pm
Valdearg: "There is no federal law that consistently protects LGBT individuals from employment discrimination; it remains legal in 29 states, and in 38 states to do so based on gender identity or expression." From the Human Rights Campaign.
Valdearg: "There is no federal law that consistently protects LGBT individuals from employment discrimination; it remains legal in 29 states, and in 38 states to do so based on gender identity or expression." From the Human Rights Campaign.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:40pm
Valdearg: @AE: Why don't you think I'm correct? I know Wiki could be flawed, but as far as it says, its up to date as of June 2009.
Valdearg: @AE: Why don't you think I'm correct? I know Wiki could be flawed, but as far as it says, its up to date as of June 2009.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:39pm
Andrew Eisen: I don't think you're right but I really don't know and don't have the time to find out. However things actually are, it's very clear how they actually should be.
Andrew Eisen: I don't think you're right but I really don't know and don't have the time to find out. However things actually are, it's very clear how they actually should be.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:34pm
Valdearg: "just because there's no specific state level protection for it, doesn't make discrimination right or legal." I would disagree. If there's no laws against it, it makes it perfectly legal. It's definitely not right, but perfectly legal to do.
Valdearg: "just because there's no specific state level protection for it, doesn't make discrimination right or legal." I would disagree. If there's no laws against it, it makes it perfectly legal. It's definitely not right, but perfectly legal to do.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:33pm
Valdearg: Meaning in 29 states, private sector discrimination against gays is perfectly legal.. Sickening.
Valdearg: Meaning in 29 states, private sector discrimination against gays is perfectly legal.. Sickening.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:33pm
Valdearg: 19 states have no protections, and another 10 only have protections for public sector jobs.
Valdearg: 19 states have no protections, and another 10 only have protections for public sector jobs.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:32pm
Andrew Eisen: Well, most businesses have equal rights policies in place and just because there's no specific state level protection for it, doesn't make discrimination right or legal. Still, no argument against adding such protections.
Andrew Eisen: Well, most businesses have equal rights policies in place and just because there's no specific state level protection for it, doesn't make discrimination right or legal. Still, no argument against adding such protections.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:28pm
Valdearg: More information. Apparently, it's worse than I actually thought.
Valdearg: More information. Apparently, it's worse than I actually thought.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:28pm
Valdearg: Check the link. Apparently, its more like 20 states that have no protections.
Valdearg: Check the link. Apparently, its more like 20 states that have no protections.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:26pm
Andrew Eisen: In the US? Not that I'm aware of. Sad if true.
Andrew Eisen: In the US? Not that I'm aware of. Sad if true.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:25pm
Valdearg: @AE: Actually, I think, at least for now, businesses can still discriminate against gays in a few states.. Something like 5 or 8. Its part of why Gay Rights Advocates are in support of the Employee Nondiscrimination Act, or ENDA.
Valdearg: @AE: Actually, I think, at least for now, businesses can still discriminate against gays in a few states.. Something like 5 or 8. Its part of why Gay Rights Advocates are in support of the Employee Nondiscrimination Act, or ENDA.
Copyright © 2007 ECA. All rights reserved.
Game Politics and Game Politics logo are trademarks of the ECA.
Game Politics and Game Politics logo are trademarks of the ECA.
Comments
Very very late in the game... I used to be able to go to a Circuit City and ask a question to the guys that work there and they would explain what I need to do, and everything, even the best place to go for equipment they didn't have. Now I go there and ask a basic question outside my normal tinkering and 2 out of 3 of the guys couldn't even identify a S-video female port...
---
Me: 'It's S-video...'
Guy1: 'No I think it is something else... Hey guy 2 come over here. What is this?'
Guy2: 'I don't know... Hey guy 3...'
Guy3: 'Yeah, he is right, it is S-video. What you need?'
Me: 'Just an adapter to RCA video.'
Guy3: 'Let me go to the back and check...'
10 minutes later
Guy3: 'sorry we dont have any'
Me: 'Do you know of a place around here that might have it?'
Guy3: 'Nope...'
---
About the same thing happened in Best Buy, but without the people not knowing what S-video was. Either way, online there is a little adapter that is about an inch long that cost $5 that does it for you. Good ridance... Radio Shack normally has better people, but their quality is down a bit too, but still the #1 place to go for info like that around here for me, but it is a 45 minute drive to the nearest one.
I agree with this assessment completely. The big-box stores don't hire staff that know or care about the product, leaving the consumer to do all the work before setting foot in the store. I was in a CC store a few months back and overheard this exchange between a customer and sales droid who were discussing big screen TVs...
Customer: Both Mits and Samsung seem to be good names.
Droid: Yes, Mits and Samsung are both really good.
Customer: The Mits seems to be a bit sharper.
Droid: Yes, the Mits are known to be somewhat sharper.
Customer: But the Samsung has better colors.
Droid: Yes, the Samsung will usually have better colors.
I just wanted to slap the idiot. "Bwaak, Polly want a sale!" If all they can do is hire doofuses (doofi?) who repeat the customer's every word it doesn't surprise me they're folding. Their audio section has been a joke for years, with half empty shelves and equally useless sales people.
Oh, did you get the experience the joy I did at bestbuy when they were on their 'we are not paid on commision' run, where everyone that comes up to you will tell you that, and they come up to you about ever 3 minutes. I was just browsing, 4 people come up and tell me that, then I was like, fuck it, I am out of here... Those guys went WAY overboard...
For anyone wondering, Sharp is one of the worst name brand LCD TV makers...
CNET Best 5 HDTVs
Pioneer has best overall
Panasonic has best picture for the money
Sony has best flat LCD
Samsung has best big screen
Panasonic again for best bang for the buck
NewEgg has a lot of good deals going on, and they may get better after thanksgiving. I am looking for a common name brand 42" for $700, and it doesn't look impossible. There are a few 42" brands that are decently respected that are going for that price and lower depending on if you want 1080 or lower.
Very seldom do retailers manage to save thier asses by cutting back.
Say goodbye to Circut City
Well ,tiem to inform my family of potential going out of business deals
That sucks. I hate to see stores like this go away. But I can't really say anything can I? I haven't bought anything from CC since 2005 when I got my DS there.
I am not really shocked, although I am disappointed because Circuit City likes to cut the prices on the video games pretty fast to move them off the shelves. Still, the stores in my area have been looking sparse and the help has been rather retarded for any questions asked them, but the video games were always available and in abundence.
Here's the list of closing stores. Fire Sale!
http://consumerist.com/5074854/complete-list-of-closing-circuit-city-sto...
E. Zachary Knight
Oklahoma City Chapter of the ECA
MySpace Page: http://www.myspace.com/okceca
Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1325674091
The last time I went to a Circuit City, I asked for 3 CD's (2 were common CD's by Billy Joel and Dropkick Murphys, the third was an obscure Pogues CD) and the dumbass who was supposed to be searching the computer for it actually walked off, less than 30 seconds after he said he'd look. I assumed he'd walked into the back to look for the CD's, but 10 minutes later I had had enough, started walking to my car, and noticed the stupid fucker standing there smoking. So I got the manager to come out and talk to me, and the guy lost his job, but the people they hired afterwards weren't much better.
One of my friends had the 'parrot salesperson' experience, and ran with it. One of the things he said while he was browsing Tv's was 'Well, at least the Samsung produce a lot less radiation than other TV's', and the salesperson actually said 'yeah, Samsung's always been good about cutting radiation emission'. He went on to say some even more ridiculous things, but I honestly can't remember those. The whole radiation thing really stood out for me.
But let's face it, Sales People are less knowledgeable all around. I went to a Guitar Center a few months back with my Gibson Les Paul (one of the Classic Les Paul Standards, made way back when) that was in perfect condition, and had some 18 to 20 year old jackass tell me it was a piece of crap and I should buy a Gibson Les Paul Robot (which is in the 4000 dollar range). My response was to tell the little shit that if in all his life he ever saw another guitar that was as great as the one he had just insulted, he'd be a lucky little bitch, and to ask if he was a musician, to which he replied that he was a 'singer', but didn't actually know anything about microphones either. On my way out, I asked the manager why he hired people who had no expertise in anything that was being sold, and he said that he hired quality staff, which is the reason I no longer shop at Guitar Center with their 'quality staff'. This Les Paul, by the way, was the same Les Paul that Billy Bob Thornton had said was beautiful when he saw it while I was picking it up from a guitar shop in Indiana.
The moral of the story? Don't shop at places populated by idiots. If a store really can't find people who know about TV's and other electronics to sell them, they probably don't care much about their customer.
"The moral of the story? Don't shop at places populated by idiots. If a store really can't find people who know about TV's and other electronics to sell them, they probably don't care much about their customer."
I agree, but the boutique shops (which is where you tend to find people who care about the product and customer, are getting few and far between because the big box stores have driven them out of business. Unfortunately most people don't want to be educated and shop on price alone (otherwise why would Vizio TVs be so popular). I updated my home theater system and bought from a boutique store in the area. I paid a little more then if I'd bought the various pieces on-line (about $500 on a $7000 purchase), but in my opinion it was worth it to get a knowledgeable salesperson.
Oh yeah, it's hard to find a boutique shop. I go out of my way to buy firearms from smaller stores (not places like Gander Mountain, Dick's, or Bass Pro), and I go out of my way to buy guitars from either A) Sam Ash (never had a problem with Sam Ash, and I love their large selection of Guild Guitars) or a smaller, family owned guitar shop in my area. Electronics, I get from Best Buy for the most part and games I mostly get from Gamestop or best buy.
How do you figure it's hard to find small shops? Do you live out in the boonies or something? I live in the Dallas / Fort Worth, TX area and there are great little small shops for anything you can think of. Gun shops, CD stores, electronics, books, music equipment and most likiel;y anything else you can think of. Anyone who lives in a reasonably populated area should be able to find these places easily. Just look.
I think the moral has more to do with professional pay for professional services.
Would you like some fries with those Mcnuggets?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
"The most difficult pain a man can suffer is to have knowledge of much and power over little" - Herodotus
Circut City fired all the good folks awhile back just to cut costs.
Fuck yeah, time for a new TV.
If they want to focus on the consumer, then they shouldn't fire all their knowledgeable employees and hire a bunch of minimum wage kids who don't care enough to...well, to care.
Too bad they made such a horrible name for themselves by lying to sell extended warranties. As far as saying "This product has no manufacturer warranty" to someone in front of me.
ALRIGHT, SO HERE'S THE DEAL AT CIRCUIT CITY:
ALL THOSE SHOPS LISTED ARE CLOSING TOMORROW. THEY WILL OPEN WEDNESDAY UNDER THE OWNERSHIP OF A LIQUIDATION FIRM, WHICH WILL BEGIN SLASHING PRICES. SO IF YOU WANT TO SHOP, DO IT WEDNESDAY OR LATER.
My wife works at CC. And while I may not think its the best company, it certainly has treated her well. We both came from Best Buy and when I finished college and pursued my career, CC is what helped out. Her customers love her.
I'm not goig to defend CC and say they are the best. But Best Buy, behind the scenes act like a cult that CC is the devil and they should spit on a CC employee when they see them.
Luckily She isn't losing her job, because she is in one of the stores that actually make money for the company. Both big box retailers have their faults but youcan't say that everyone from CC or Best Buy for that matter are crappy at what they do. There are people on both sides of the fence who do their job well and love what they do and more often then not (in retail) people don't care about their jobs. They just do it to get by or like me just to make some money while finishing school.
I hope CC does pull out of this, not just for my wife, but just for good competition between BB and CC.