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Circuit City Liquidation Prices Still More Expensive Than Wal-Mart

(Mis)Uses of Technology

from the liquidate-that dept

Wed, Jan 21st 2009 11:30am — Mike Masnick

With Circuit City finally giving up the ghost last week and deciding to liquidate and close down its remaining stores, you might think there would be some decent bargains on electronics. Not necessarily. Consumerist points out that a local TV station checked out some of the prices and found that, in many cases, the liquidation prices were actually higher than buying the same items at Wal-Mart online. Apparently, the liquidation experts running the sales figure that as long as people think they're getting a steal of a bargain, they'll really believe they are.

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Filed Under: liquidation
Companies: circuit city, wal-mart

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Anonymous Coward, 21 Jan 2009 @ 11:35am

Funniest thing ????
This is all I have heard for the past week. On radio, in emails on my local television stations, "Circuit City deals are not that great" . . . "dont be fooled" . . . It seems somewhat obvious to me that an organized media campaign is underway here (seems a little too coincidental that this story is suddenly EVERYWHERE). Is bestbuy doing this, walmart, who is so afraid of consumers going to circuit city sales that they are pushing these stories through all media in dozens of markets? Its curious . . .
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John Doe, 21 Jan 2009 @ 11:36am

This is news how? Going out of business sales have been bad deals for a long time now. They sell at at some discount off of full retail which is usually still as high or higher than you can get the item elsewhere. People snap everything up at those prices "feeling" like they got a deal. By the time they really discount things, the only things left are the stuff nobody wants. So if you want something that nobody else does, you will get a deal. Otherwise it is best just to avoid the crowds.
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:Lobo Santo, 21 Jan 2009 @ 11:38am

Die, Circuit City, Die!
Peon: "Sir, I'm dying!"

Commander: "Very good. Continue dying."
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Davin Peterson, 21 Jan 2009 @ 11:54am

I saw a news segment on liquidation last year and they mentioned that liquidation prices aren't necessarily cheaper than regular or sale prices. In fact they can be more expensive. So, don't go to Circuit City looking for a bargain
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Jan 2009 @ 11:56am

I wonder if they're still pushing the "extended warranty" for what people are buying.
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Bill Curnow, 21 Jan 2009 @ 11:57am

I'm not certain why anyone would think that they could find great deals at a liquidation sale, at least not during its initial weeks. Liquidators have one goal: to realize a return on their investment, namely to ensure that they bring in more than they spent for the failed company's assets. Few retailers sell at MSRP, so step #1 is to raise prices back up to MRSP, then "slash" them by 10%, meaning the sale price is often higher than last week's shelf price.
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Jan 2009 @ 12:07pm

Walmart is awesome. Support walmart and support poor people around the world.
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Donna, 21 Jan 2009 @ 12:13pm

circuit city
I went in on the first day of the liquidation sale to buy a small flat screen TV. I had already planned the purchase and got a fair price, not a fantastic deal or anything. I never would have gone to Wal-Mart even if they had the same one for less, their practices depress me and I hate to contribute to them.
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Jan 2009 @ 12:20pm

I had a fair idea this would happen because I remember CompUSA liquidation/going out of buisness sale being pretty darn bad.

Also Circuit City has no one else to blame but themselves. As far back as I can remember they have sucked, a lot. I don't like Best Buy but at least I can recognize them as being much better at business than Circuit City. Good bye CC I can barely feel bad for even your employees because even most of their computer experts could tell a hole in the ground from their rear quarters when it came to anything beyond today's hype words and sale slogans.
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asdf, 21 Jan 2009 @ 12:21pm

Re:
Over xmas I was lined up outside the best buy early in the morning. Some circuit city guys came by passing out flyers. The best buy manager came outside and literally said "just remember who is not going to be in business when you have to make a return"
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John Doe, 21 Jan 2009 @ 12:24pm

Re: circuit city
Practices? It is Circuit City's practices that put them out of business! Remember the big layoff 2 years ago? Run a 3 year stock price graph on Circuit City and see if their problems didn't start right after the layoff.
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Streetlight, 21 Jan 2009 @ 12:26pm

Our local paper said the sale would start on last Saturday so on the way to Costco (which is next door to a local CC), I went to Circuit City to check the price of a D-Link 655 router. The MSRP is $130 and CC had it for $100 which is the generally the street price. The clerk said the liquidation prices would be posted Sunday and to wait. Costco had the same router for ~$95. Today, I went to CC and the router was priced at $150 - 10%, or $135. My guess is that when CC is advertising 70% off everything, folks will have picked up this "deal" for $125.
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Jan 2009 @ 12:27pm

IS this a suprise? I would bet that the liquidators are the same ones who did the Compusa ones. Prices were higher than before the "liquidation" coupons were not accepted, and good luck returning anything.
I just hope that the employees filled up their cars parked out back.
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Jan 2009 @ 12:28pm

Re:
Why would a SoHo router be worth $100 anyway . . . ?
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Pitabred, 21 Jan 2009 @ 12:30pm

Wal-Mart's electronics aren't the same
Thing is, many times Wal-Mart has the "same" model for sale, but it's not really the same. Wal-Mart requires lower prices or different features from it's suppliers every year.

http://www.highdefforum.com/flat-panel-tvs/82529-walmart-electronics-lesser-quality.html
h ttp://www.gamespot.com/pages/forums/show_msgs.php?topic_id=25456799
http://www.businessweek.com/inn ovate/NussbaumOnDesign/archives/2007/02/can_this_be_tru.html

It's not that Wal-Mart's electronics are bad necessarily, it's that you can almost never compare like-for-like with them. They're cheaper many times because they leave out features that you'd get from the models at Circuit City and so on.

That said, I was just at Circuit City, and most of their prices are still above what you can get online. But for big things like speakers and TV's where you have to add in shipping, it can be a reasonable deal now, whereas before you were just getting ripped off shopping there.
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TPBer, 21 Jan 2009 @ 12:31pm

Pricing
I went in there last Saturday and began to laugh at all of the people scrambling for the overpriced crap. Tell fools there is a sale and they will come in droves.
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Ima Fish, 21 Jan 2009 @ 12:33pm

I went over to Circuit City yesterday to check out the deals. There were none. Games and peripherals were a mere 10% off the full list price. In other words, they were very expensive. Considering you cannot return anything I cannot understand why anyone was buying anything.
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Jan 2009 @ 12:35pm

Up until a few days(?) ago all employees were capable of marking down items to whatever price they wanted. I have heard several stories of people getting hookups.

I also heard them mention there was a 40% markup before the 10% discount.
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Miami, 21 Jan 2009 @ 12:44pm

Hudson Cap
I just went through the Tweeter liquidation with Hudson Capital, one of the firms doing CC liquidation. Everything goes back to MSRP - and often, if MSRP has dropped from when the piece entered the system, it'll go back to original MSRP (big deal in electronics). They'll maintain aggressive discounts on 1-2 categories, to make sure they can put up the 10-xx% off signs. People will grab anything thinking it won't be around when they come back. Extended warranty sales are stopped. How long they take gift cards is up to the courts - it'll probably stop soon, so smoke 'em if you got 'em.

Contracts are based on recovery - Hudson gets paid based on hitting a certain recovery target, generally 5-8% beyond what the company would be likely to get if they ran the liquidation themselves. Unlike other recovery companies, say Gordon Brothers, these folks are very focused on daily and weekly targets, and are likely to be compensating management that way, so it's in their interest to control the flow out the door. Unless you need something in their "draw" categories, these sales won't be good deals for anyone.

I actually have nothing against CC or Hudson - Hudson treated Tweeter employees far better than Tweeter did. But I do have an intimate and recent knowledge of how these folks liquidate an electronics retailer.
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Jan 2009 @ 12:47pm

Re: Funniest thing ????
That would be due to people *thinking* they're getting a good deal, then finding out they didn't... and contacting their local media outlet to complain about it. They see a story, snazz it up a bit for sensation and ratings, and viola! Having been to Circuit City's "liquidation" sale, the prices are actually higher *now* than before the sale! Until I can buy a 65" LCD for 600 bucks, I fail to see how it's liquidation, personally. ;)
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Jan 2009 @ 12:50pm

Re:
"Up until a few days(?) ago all employees were capable of marking down items to whatever price they wanted. I have heard several stories of people getting hookups."

That obviously cant be true. Most of the associates at a CC store dont even have the authority to override the price at the register, they certainly cant change SKU value, etc. Also this would largely be considered stealing (or more technically maybe conversion) so I am farily certain its not and never was an official policy at Circuit City.
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Overcast, 21 Jan 2009 @ 12:52pm

Walmart is awesome. Support walmart and support poor people around the world.

Yeah, buy their shrimp - here's some info on where it comes from!!

Report alleges abuse in Asia shrimp industry

Workers told Thai police who raided one factory in September 2006 "that if they made a mistake on the shrimp peeling line, asked for sick leave, or tried to escape, they could expect to be beaten, sexually molested, or publicly tortured," according to the report.

hehe, my daughter tells me that it won't make any difference if just I refuse to buy shrimp from that area because of that...

So maybe some other person with a hint of humanity will go along.

But that's not really just Wal-Mart. Other than the pricey stuff at the Fish Counter, almost all of that junk is from Thailand.

Nothing against the people there in fact, I don't buy it for quite the opposite reason.
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Mike, 21 Jan 2009 @ 12:53pm

ex CC employee
I have to comment on this as I was a former CC Firedog employee. To those who were mocking the Firedog crew... the PC service bay was started by a couple of network engineers who were moonlighting @ CC. It was that idiot of a CEO who twisted the computer service department into "Firedog" because he was jealous of the BB's Geek Squad. As for any of us not knowing how a computer works... I think our credentials spoke for themselves with the 2 of us in our bay having 30 yrs collective service in the computer industry.

I'll have to agree with John Doe's comment that the problems really became an issue after that big layoff. That was just a cover to inflate the companies balance sheet by trimming payroll so the CEO could get a bigger bonus that year. That idiot was a corporate raider, and left the last 2 companies he was CEO at in ruins. When I found out what that moron actually did; I left CC which was about 1 month later. Corporate CEO's & their upper cronies will be the death of America if they are allowed to continue raping the company payrolls for in some cases up to 70% of the payroll cash. CC's CEO, and 30 of the top executives comprised 65% of the company's payroll, but yet the chose to layoff 3500 actual workers to save their sorry butts! They chose to layoff the workers that were actually in the stores every day making money while the corporate kiss-butts sat in their offices finding new ways to wipe their back-sides with it.

Amazing the greed!
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Mountain Dew It, 21 Jan 2009 @ 12:54pm

Circuit Shitty
Circuit Shitty and Walmart both suck. Walmart sells crap that doesn't have all the same features that GOOD electronics have. Circuit City has always had problems since they first opened. I made the mistake of buying a DVD player from them when they first opened. Took it home...dumb thing didn't work. Took it back, had to argue with them to get a new one. Got the second one, that one didn't work. Took it back and told them to basically shove it and that I wanted my money back and that I was taking my business elsewhere. They refused to give me my money back saying that I had to contact the manufacturer. I contacted the manufacturer and they told me I had to take it up with the store. I went back to CC and went round and round with them. I finally had to get a lawyer to get my money back and CC ended up paying the lawyer's fees and giving me my money back. I ended up getting the same DVD player from Best Buy and didn't have any problems whatsoever.
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$t3v3, 21 Jan 2009 @ 12:54pm

Re: Funniest thing ????
Hey genius have you looked at their liquidation prices? They are not that good.
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Jan 2009 @ 12:58pm

Re: Re: Funniest thing ????
Notice in this thread that this is ALWAYS the case in these sales. Why all the sudden is it in this case, national news across all media? Thats what I find curious, the fact that the prices arent that great is not surprising, which makes all the media attention dedicated to that fact all the MORE surprising?
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Jan 2009 @ 1:01pm

Liquidation Goes On Through MARCH
Which is probably why. Honestly though, I was surprised. The TV's are only 10% off currently. I went to Best Buy and got one off the wall for 20% off.

Even better, the same model at Circuit City (40" 1080p LCD Samsung) was 1599.99 while its normally 1199.99 at Best Buy!

I also found out what a rip off Video Only is as their TV prices were closer to Circuit City's than Best Buy's.
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Bizkit, 21 Jan 2009 @ 1:01pm

Makes you wonder...
...why Circuit City didn't just decide to become a 'bargain electronics outlet' years ago.

I tried to visit the local CC this weekend just to check it out and to see what the deals were. I couldn't even get in the parking lot. It was *far* busier than I've ever seen it before. Way more than any 'Black Friday' sale, ever.

I've read different blogs/posts by many different CC employees stating that they simply can't believe how much business they've had since the started their liquidation sales. Lots of stuff flying off the shelves. And an understandable amount of frustration from those soon-to-be-unemployed employees as to where all these customers suddenly came from.

And as we're discussing here, for anyone that actually comparison shops it's pretty easy to figure out that CC's liquidation prices are still higher than what you'll pay online. And often still higher than what you'll pay at the Best Buy that's inevitably just down the road.

Seems like they could have just dumped the 'we compete with Best Buy' model years ago and become a 'bargain outlet' for electronics. Think like 'TJ Maxx' but for TV's and cameras. Even if the prices weren't any lower, it's pretty clear that loud & large promises of '30% Off!' are enough to get people in the store and buying.
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Jan 2009 @ 1:04pm

"That obviously cant be true. Most of the associates at a CC store dont even have the authority to override the price at the register, they certainly cant change SKU value, etc. Also this would largely be considered stealing (or more technically maybe conversion) so I am farily certain its not and never was an official policy at Circuit City."

I worked at both Circuit and Best Buy during my college years. That kind of description wouldn't surprise me at all of the latter. Some line level employees did have the ability to manage prices. When I worked in customer service, I could bring a computer down to $1 in price without the system questioning me. There was no checks and balances in place at all. At Best Buy, anyone can do a price adjustment, but it must be backed by a ton of paperwork (signed forms, coupons, advertisements being matched, etc.)

Circuit City was disorganized and any good idea they had was adopting Best Buy's practices. It was too little, too late, though.
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Crispin, 21 Jan 2009 @ 1:06pm

I wrote about this Saturday
http://www.bryanhitch.net/2009/01/hows-your-circuit-city-doing.html
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Evil Mike, 21 Jan 2009 @ 1:11pm

Re: Pricing
The trick to unloading garbage and crap is to put it on sale, and advertise "Limit: One per customer" and then watch people pay you to cart your crap away.
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Rookie, 21 Jan 2009 @ 1:17pm

Lame Pricing
I went there last night. 10% off most stuff and 30% off of the crap stuff. No real deals at all.
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Dave, 21 Jan 2009 @ 1:18pm

Re: Funniest thing ????
Don't take their word for it, check prices at other stores and then check Circuit City, you will see that the prices are higher. I went into Circuit City just before they closed down and found numerous DVDs at $19.95, now they are in liquidation, those same DVD's are at $21.95 and higher. If you wish to spend your money foolishly, then believe the prices and spend away.
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Ben Lee, 21 Jan 2009 @ 1:23pm

But what you can't get any other place but Circuit City....
is smart-ass self-absorbed bitchy employees ready to not help you with anything. Best Buy tries in this area, but CC is legendary in its level of customer unfriendliness. I can't tell you how H A P P Y I am to see CC go out of business!!! This is a great day for free-market economics!
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Jan 2009 @ 1:23pm

LMAO... Circuit City FAILS and FAILING.
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Jan 2009 @ 1:26pm

Re:
The report says Walmart s just one of the companies that buys from exploiting factories. Your small neighbor shop probably sells the same stuff for a higher price.

On the human exploitation subject I would rather trust walmart than any other "small" shop as they have more control and most probably implement more humane conditions (Not because they want to, but as a PR measure and compliance to the law).

Anyways, I oppose use of exotic food sourced from faraway countries and oceans because of hygienic and environmental reasons.
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Jan 2009 @ 1:27pm

Reminds me of a local store that closed years ago. They advertised their week long going out of business sale as:
Mon, Tue - Everything 50% off marked price.
Wed, Thu - Everything 75% off (50% off from Mon & Tue).
Fri, Sat - Everything 87.5% off (50% off from Wed & Thu).
Sun - Whatever is left is free.

Go early and you don't get much of a bargain, but your selections are better. Go late and there is nothing worth getting, unless you are a junk dealer.
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Rizwan, 21 Jan 2009 @ 1:28pm

Circuit city was always overpriced. newegg ftw
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shakir, 21 Jan 2009 @ 1:42pm

Re: Re:
because its a top of the line router-- http://letmegooglethatforyou.com/?q=d-link+655+router
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ServerMonkey, 21 Jan 2009 @ 1:50pm

I disagree... but I may have just gotten the right things.

What I purchased:
Guitar Hero World tour for the Wii (With one guitar) (Usually $99)
Les Paul Guitar for the Wii (usually $40)
Western Digital My Book World Edition 1 TB Network Storage System - WDG1NC10000N (Usually $278.00)
A Jeff Dunham DVD (marked at $10)
2 CD's marked at $4 each
My total? $312.47

The My Book World Edition is priced at $278.00 at walmart.... I think I got myself a good deal....

Link to the My Book World Edition at walmart
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5717110

Link to the Les Paul guitar
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=7811168

Where they are screwing people is mostly on their TV's and their Computers. The prices there I felt were high, but then again I couldn't cross compare while in the store.

I recommend going down there and looking anyway.. saving about $125 on things you are going to purchase anyway... well... I can't complain...
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Crash, 21 Jan 2009 @ 1:58pm

Not in Liquidation yet
Contrary to popular belief, Circuit city is not in liquidation yet. They are still trying to sell items with a margin. Full liquidation (when a seperate firm comes in and set prices to move) Propably won't happen until late feb. Early march.
Every one will just have to wait.
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Ben G., 21 Jan 2009 @ 2:06pm

Seen it first hand
Store in Temple, Tx has already closed. Went by every other week waiting for them to REALLY drop the prices....to... I don't know, below internet prices....never happened.
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Joe, 21 Jan 2009 @ 2:06pm

Total Rip off
I went to circuit city to check out the sales after i heard about the store closings. They have no signage explaining what is and what is not on sale, nothing is tagged, it is all selling for the regular price.

Line was huge though, I opted to just leave. I'm not saying it is right for people to wait for a store to go bankrupt before buying, but there was no incentive to pick up any of their inventory.

KB Toys on the other hand had some excellent going out of business sales, we picked up some things we didn't need yet just because it probably wouldn't be that cheap again.
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ehrichweiss, 21 Jan 2009 @ 2:07pm

Re: Re: Re: Funniest thing ????
What you should find surprising is that there used to be laws on the books that prevented this type of manipulation during a closeout.
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Dave, 21 Jan 2009 @ 2:21pm

I don't understand the comments. It's the same as when Tower went under. The liquidator raises the prices to MSRP and drops it from there. It continues dropping the price until everything (fixtures, light bulbs) is sold. The first customers might pay more if they're bad at shopping research but they get a better choice of products. The liquidator needs to make money. Some stores sell enough product to move what's left to another store, and shuts down. Just because the CC next to you doesn't shut down right away, it doesn't mean that one in the next city stays open.
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Sensei, 21 Jan 2009 @ 2:41pm

Been there, done that
We thought for sure that the 30% off would make the purchases a good deal. We stopped in and picked out a few things then found out, it wasn't off the sticker price, the sticker prices WAS THE DEAL and computers, camcorders, and cameras were excluded.

We put everything back and left.
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ka, 21 Jan 2009 @ 2:49pm

Re: Wal-Mart's electronics aren't the same
So you are telling that because you found some internet forums saying this that, it is true???????? You are also going tell me that any company would take a chance on you buying one of their products and find it inferior???? I would love for people to wake up and realize just because they read it on the internet it is not true. And even if it is true it is your fault for not doing your homework before spending money on a product. Because if you buy a xbox or ps3 at walmart they wont play games or a tv you wont be able to watch channels 4-6.
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Gary, 21 Jan 2009 @ 2:57pm

This is real simple folks. It is kind of a Dutch Auction at these liquidation sales. Each week the price goes down. Should you buy or wait. Will the item still be there. 10% off first week no big deal but it gets the folks out there. No real deals but people say oh I want that when they are there. Some folks walk out waiting for a better deal hopping next week price will be lower. I have seen this before. Comp USA by my house closed up last year and every day or week price drops. They keep items in the stock room to make it look like there is only one or two left.
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CVPunk, 21 Jan 2009 @ 2:57pm

Re: ex CC employee
Good Morning!!! Welcome to Capitalist Wage Slavery!
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Jan 2009 @ 3:15pm

Shop at Wally World if you don't like America!
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Lester, 21 Jan 2009 @ 3:31pm

Re: Die, Circuit City, Die!
Are you referring to your next-of-kin?
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Jan 2009 @ 7:29pm

Western Digital Cavier Green Edition 1 TB HDD
Circuit City $ 264 After discount.
Newegg $ 109.99
Are they freakin serious?
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ToySouljah, 21 Jan 2009 @ 8:55pm

Re: Makes you wonder...
That is my thing with Kohl's. I had never shopped there before they opened one by my house. I went in when they first opened and saw all these signs "20% off" or more in some cases. So that was about a year and a half ago. I went in the other day and they still have the same signs up. I looked at the tag and saw that yeah the prices were indeed 20% off, but could not see anyone paying the original price. If the sale is ALWAYS on then why don't they just mark those items down to that price and have a real sale every once in a while?
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Jan 2009 @ 8:59pm

Circuit city right by my house has the going out of business signs up... only tumble weeds inside. LOL
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Pitabred, 21 Jan 2009 @ 10:08pm

Re: Re: Wal-Mart's electronics aren't the same
If you buy an XBox or PS3 at Wal-Mart, you're paying the same price you'd pay anywhere else. No big deal there.

Yes, people should do their homework. But Wal-Mart still sells similar models that are cut-down versions of the "real" ones, often with much shoddier construction and materials in them to make them cheaper. People don't realize that, and part of a free market is information. Welcome to capitalism.
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Alan, 22 Jan 2009 @ 12:25am

I gotta agree. I was at a Circuit City today, to buy an iPod Classic (120g) for my sister and all they had was 10% off msr of $250. Fry's was selling at less than that ($228), and with a take-back guarantee.

I'll wait till 20% off or better ....

Alan (in LV)
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Derek Kerton (profile), 22 Jan 2009 @ 3:11am

CC Tried To Rip Me Off
I was looking for a 5-disk carousel DVD player about a month ago, and popped into the local Circuit City because they were having a liquidation sale.

I found an open box, Sony 5-carousel disk player, but it had no box, no manual, and just the unit and the remote. I asked what the price was, and they looked it up and told me $170. That didn't sound too great for a floor demo model with no packaging, and no return policy. On my way out, I looked at it again to see if it had the ports I need, and realized only then that it was a CD player! No sale!

When I got home, I looked on Amazon, and found many models of new-in-box Sony 5-disk carousel DVD players for $120. Deal done.

Wow, those crooks were trying to "liquidate" me a beat up CD player for $170!!! What a scam.
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Anonymous Coward, 22 Jan 2009 @ 4:47am

F**k Circuit Shi**y. They've run the worst bait-and-switch operation in the retail sector for the past twenty years. They used to have sales fliers in the paper that would say "name brand VCR: $99" back when a new VCR still cost around $150-200. The problem was 1) the "name" brand was one you'd never heard of, and 2) they never had any of them in stock.

I have made exactly TWO purchases from them, both in 1988 when I was a lot more naive, and BOTH times the item I decided to purchase was "out of stock" and I ended up purchasing a more expensive modelsystem that turned out to be an inferior brand with fewer features. Both items were christmas presents I purchased while I was home on leave from the navy for a few weeks and didn't have a lot of time to shop around. After that I swore I'd never shop there again and I never did, and I made sure everybody I ever met knew not to shop there. F**k them.
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Devious, 22 Jan 2009 @ 9:10am

Bad Deals
Went in there this weekend, had just been in Costco next door, looked a Wesetern Digital External 750 Gig hard drive Costco had for $95, looked at the exact same item in Circuit City for $179... And that was with the %10 off.
What a rip off, and people were in there buying these "bargins" like it was going out of style....

Glad to see them go under...
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Devious, 22 Jan 2009 @ 9:13am

Bad Deals
The Week after Christmas I did pick up a Laptop Bag, Book Bag style, for $35 bucks on sale. It was a little better deal than online and I needed it right away, I was desperate.

When I went back in there this past weekend for their new sale, I was really just bored, I saw they had the same bag I bought two weeks ago for $99 with 10% off... Talk about ripping off people..
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CC Manager, 22 Jan 2009 @ 9:25am

SImple Understanding
I urge people to work in retail for a month minimum to understand how processes work or exactly what our associates are going through. THe prices set in the store mention "Origional Sales Price" This defines the starting point from the product. Customers i.e "YOU" over look this as 10% off from a normal SALES price. This is incorrect, the prices if you know what you are looking for have decent deals and already exited product skus i.e (Sony KDL32M4000 for 560.99) Quite personally I enjoy hearing everyone complain and thank and welcome the warm comments to customers who can understand things gracefully. I hope that you don't buy anything from the former CC. As this will just keep me having a temporary job just a little bit longer
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nasch, 22 Jan 2009 @ 10:54am

Re: Makes you wonder...
They should go out of business more often.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
lar, 22 Jan 2009 @ 11:27am

Re: Re: circuit city
your exactly right!
[ link to this | view in thread ]
lar, 22 Jan 2009 @ 11:32am

best buys
If Best Buys continue operating the same way they will be next too. For instance purchasing an item then realizing it wont't work for you, then take it back for a refund and then being told it will be in the mail. To this day I haven't returned to Best Buy. They're next!
[ link to this | view in thread ]
lar, 22 Jan 2009 @ 11:44am

Re:
maybe they should eliminate the liquidators and do it the hard way sell on sale themselves
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Left 'Em Long Ago, 22 Jan 2009 @ 12:05pm

A Great Company Ruined by Management
Interesting to watch as this all transpires. I was with CC for 20 years and worked my way from salesman on the floor to store management to regional management but left them 10 years ago. In the 80's CC was a thriving, growing company. Electronics were hot. Management was "hands on".....store managers could call corporate and talk to buyers about what they needed, etc. Every year the company took their managers (and spouses) to some nice getaway to talk about business. Management listened to store feedback and reacted to what they heard. Store management teams had a profit goal each month. In addition to their salary, they received bonuses for exceeding their goals. Store managers were given the flexibility to do what they needed to "get the deal" from other competitors. It was a great, fun time. There were stock options for store management teams, the stock was outperforming virtually every other retail stock. Employees loved working for the company. Then, in the mid 90's, the company started getting bigger and bigger and more "corporate." They started recruiting the "MBA brigades" bringing in super-salaried so-called experts from other industries who knew little about electronics retailing or taking care of people. It was a revolving door for these upper management executives, as none seemed to have any staying power yet they all thought they had brilliant ideas. They have all left (usually with huge financial rewards) but unfortunately their "brilliant ideas" remained. Soon the focus had moved from a profitable, employee-oriented company to constant cost-cutting, employee berating, losses of benefits to improve bottom lines, the usual corporate brilliance. That trend continued into the 2000's as these executives came and went. It's amazing to me that the company was never able to look back (hindsight is 20-20) at those hugely successful years and ask themselves what was different then vs how they were currently operating. The answer, in my opinion, was extremely simple. It was all about the people. I must say, that even though executive management has been terrible there since the mid 90's, this last CEO was the worst. It's a shame that one person can negatively impact so many employees, shareholders, customers and yet continue to earn millions and ultimately just walk away as the lives of 30,000 people are shattered. And of course he walked away with the infamous golden parachute and millions of $. This is a classic story, it’s what's wrong with business at so many companies today. Believe me, the issue at CC was not the occasional arrogant sales person you may have encountered, it was an upper management issue. When you don’t compensate fairly and take care of employees, that arrogant punk is what you end up with and as go your people, so goes your business. When companies like CC revert to focusing on people vs systems, customer service will return and perhaps the economy will begin to move in the right direction. Sorry for the novel, but the story needs to be told.
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M T, 22 Jan 2009 @ 12:14pm

Re: Funniest thing ????
No, it's people going into the stores and comparison shopping and then reporting to the media. Also, the liquidator handling the store closures doesn't have a sterling reputation.

If you do your research, you'll find that while the liquidations may hurt Best Buy and Wal-mart in the SHORT TERM, they actually come out better in the LONG TERM because the market is much less crowded.
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denise o., 22 Jan 2009 @ 12:38pm

Re: Not in Liquidation yet
So why don't you move to China where all your money is going. Walmart has done nothing but slowly put all small buisnesses under from electonics to grocers to eye doctors phamacist need I go on?
And for the idiot that thinks the liquidators are not there, I know a CC employee that has had to close two stores underneath these people and all the CC employees can do is stay or go home without even unemployment. But I guess 35000 families not knowing when or how they will ever get back on their feet considering even Microsoft is laying off thousands today. Have a good laugh you jerks , it will come back to haunt you.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
John, 22 Jan 2009 @ 1:53pm

True, and Walmart isn't always the least expensive one.
It's probably no surprise to anyone that Circuit City is going down (though certainly sad). After all, the services have not been great and for the most part, they have not been able to compete on prices with Best Buy or Walmart and many other online stores.

Still, liquidation sales don't necessarily mean great deals as far as I am concerned. CompUSA did not have any good deals when they went out of business.

It's probably time to make sure that if there are outstanding rebates in process, they are still valid.

Personally, I have been avoiding Circuit City rebates for quite some time based on the advice at: http:/www.uberi.com

They also have a quick note about liquidation sales in general. They have saved me from a lot of headaches through deals and shopping advices from time to time. Maybe someone will find it helpful.

By the way, it was nice when Best Buy decided to eliminate all rebates about two years ago. That was a nice touch.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Zac, 22 Jan 2009 @ 4:40pm

Girls Gone Wild
Went to Circuit City on my lunch break the other day. Laughed at how high priced everything was. Good times. But it didn't look like they had marked up the price on Golden Girls Season 2 at $19.99 so I picked it up at 20% off.

Go Liquidation!
[ link to this | view in thread ]
firedog, 22 Jan 2009 @ 8:03pm

And you wanna know whats funny? they/you do buy it! Ha, you deserve to pay more than what it was before liquidation! Should have been there buying when the company needed your support. now we all have to deal with Best buy or bust (unless you really want to enter a......waaaaaalllll maaarrrt, id rather die). As a consumer that upsets me very much, we all benifit from competition. Thank goodness i shop online...jeshhh.
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agrees_with_donna, 23 Jan 2009 @ 6:59am

Re: circuit city
Yes walmarts practices do sicken most. I love their prices but hate their service. When you buy something they put it in a bag and just leave it on the "bag carosel" hoping that you forget it. And when you walk away they just put it back on the shelf after you paid for it. Their clothes are very poor quality but you can get socks for real cheap. I dont know what to say. I can't competely boycott them. But hearing what they do to their employees just ouch that hurts. I am a union employee and they are very anti union
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Anonymus, 23 Jan 2009 @ 10:01am

Sony LCD KDL40S4100
Absolutely ...I had an experience the other day..went to the local Circuit City found a Sony LCD KDL40S4100 clearance priced at $899 with 10 percent discount making it just over $800..not bad..wanted to check with the family on a decision. Went back the next day and walla !!!! The price tag had been jacked up to $989 and with the 10 percent discount put it back to $899. I argued with the salesman to no avail....Liquidators set the prices and obviously realized they set it too low and changed the price tag. I walked !!!!
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charley, 23 Jan 2009 @ 2:45pm

Re: A Great Company Ruined by Management
you are exactly right. i worked for cc for 12 years. when i started it was not even like working retail. management treated employees with respect, took care of customers, and never walked a sale. we used to smoke best buy because we had the talent and they were working kids. what 50 year old lady wants to buy a new range from a 16 year old kid with blue hair and hoop earrings? dumping major appliances, getting rid of commissioned full time sales EXPERTS that cc was their only job, and upper management hasseling store management till they could take no more all contributed to the downfall.
one day, someone out there will realize that customers will pay for good service and be loyal to a company that provides it. too bad it took 35000 people out of work for them to figure out the "new" plan aint makin' it.
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chaz, 23 Jan 2009 @ 5:43pm

I usually got good deals...
I for one will be sad to see 'em go as they are right down the street from me. Just recently (prior to BK), I bought a 32" sharp LCD for $475 (online still cannot touch that price), a 30' HDMI cable for $50 (clearance bin) , and a new guitar for GH for 10 bucks. To top it off, I just received a $48 CC rebate merchandise card (from Entertainment book) for the TV purchase, and promptly used it for a 4GB Extreme III SDHC card. Free.

I agree with everyone that the liquidators jacked up prices. They're doing their jobs and it works. People don't have to buy.
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becky, 24 Jan 2009 @ 5:16am

Re: Re: circuit city
I work for wal-mart and we do not wait for you to forget your bags. If your too stupid to make sure you don't leave anything it's your own fault!!!!!
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RM, 24 Jan 2009 @ 9:39am

Re: circuit city
I went in one of their stores the other night. Found out even the "Open Box" items were inflated back to the original MSRP then the 10% was deducted off of that. What a rip off! I've bought open box items plenty of times. Even a few from CC. I saw that as a complete rip off. They even had the open box tags under the item. They used a black marker to cover the open box price but I was still able to make out the prices. Sad that open box price was still about $50 to $100 cheaper then what they were asking. If you go to buy something from them, do your research first, chances are you'll find the same item cheaper elsewhere.
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Eclectic Shopper, 24 Jan 2009 @ 11:57am

Here's the thing...
I won't buy from Circuit City because they obviously don't want my business.. I went in the the "liquidation sale" to purchase a digital camera. It was only marked down 10% from retail. OK. I get it.. but here's the rub... the floor model was the only one left of that particular camera. That being the case, they STILL wouldn't mark it down anymore than the 10%.... I'm sorry folks, but that doesn't sound to me like anyone is really wanting to dump their inventory, kwim?
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Frank, 24 Jan 2009 @ 12:57pm

no change today
Dropped in today (the 24th) still no change. 10% off on anything I might be interested in, but 10% the "full price", which is higher than it was before the sale. I'd wait and see if they have a real sale before I bother again.
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Reality, 24 Jan 2009 @ 1:21pm

Re: Funniest thing ????
The reason the prices are higher right now is because the "liquidator" makes the price - not C.C. The liquidator is trying to get as much money for product he can. The deals really don't come until the last couple of weeks before closing. It's not like this just with C.C. it's the same for "any" going out of business liquidation. There's no other motive except for the liquidator trying to get the most money he can for the item so debts can be paid off as much as possible.
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Istovit Rebusco, 24 Jan 2009 @ 3:14pm

two minutes in CC
Thats all I could take.in the camera section there was two 1gb PNY SD cards in one package.The price....$47.95
But I have mixed feelings about them leaving the scene.
Bestbuy has that much less competition and you know what that means.
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Jan 2009 @ 4:31pm

Re: Funniest thing ????
It's the consumers making a big hype. I've been in a few stores the last week or two only to be met by rude, unhelpful employees with prices that were a rip off.
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Crawfish, 26 Jan 2009 @ 10:16am

CC Liquidation a Rip Off
I went by the local CC saturday (1/24/09) to check out the supposed "liquidation pricing" - and most things are back at their regular price, with maybe a 10% or 15% markdown.

You can get better buys elsewhere, to be sure. It's a total rip off so don't bother.
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jordiNYC, 29 Jan 2009 @ 9:42am

Re: ..why anyone would think that they could find great deals at a liquidation sale..
Bill Curnow said "Liquidators have one goal: to realize a return on their investment, namely to ensure that they bring in more than they spent for the failed company's assets."

I'm sorry, but isn't ROI what you're supposed to be doing when you're IN BUSINESS? .. as opposed to GOING OUT OF? Clearance means you're not going to be around anymore and you're trying to get rid of things as fast as possible, not make as much money as you can from every piece of stock or make what's known as a "Profit" which is, again, what you when you're IN BUSINESS.

However if you think it makes sense to pay more for something that you can't return, soley for the privilage of a nice shiny "NO RETURN" sticker on it, then maybe these agents of darwin are doing the human race a service.
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Andrew Luckadoo (CCity employee), 1 Feb 2009 @ 8:48pm

Re:
listen... i work for circuit city... and its a crying shame that people are coming in and worried about their discounts and their bargains... especially on tvs... people aint worried about 30,000+ people being out of a job... because people, in general, dont really care... all they want is their bargain and their deal... you werent there buying from us while we were in business so dont try to come in and show us your sympathy by giving us your business now... trust me we dont care what yall have to say... there isnt a corporate you can call to tell them associates at a certain store were being dicks to you... we could care less... we dont need your business and we dont want your business... at the end of the day, everyone is still the same... bargain shoppers cuz were in a freakin recession... keep best buy in business or HHGregg cuz they need all the help they can get... great customer service your saying huh? oh well... guess thats why were going out of business... so just save your hateful comments about how bad ccity is cuz your wasting time and your wasting your breath cuz there are 30,000+ people who dont give a shit what people have to say about ccity!!!!!!!!!!
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Johnathon Frake, 2 Feb 2009 @ 7:10am

Circuit City Selling Inventory Overseas
When Linens and Things went out of Business they had actual deals for 50% off. Way better than any sale they had. Circuit City is trying not to sell their stuff to the American Public so that they can sell it to a foreign buyer (check out BBC) at a much higher profit.
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Steve, 2 Feb 2009 @ 11:10am

I can attest to this. Just yesterday, 2-1-09, My wife called me from Circuit City, we were excited by the "liquidation" and "20% off" ads, maybe we can finally get an HDTV. I told her what to look for. 1080p, above 42inches, LCD, etc. She calls back with a 40" Sony Bravia, 1080p, LCD. $1,395.00 I thought, what the @#@@!!???

I ask her if that's with the 20% off. I could hear the salesperson in the background say "Yes, that's 20% off the MSRP." I told her to wait, we'll go together some day, it's hard over the phone. So I look up the TV at bestbuy.com, Best Buy is cheaper, and they're not even going out of business. IT'S A SHAM, SCAM!!
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techsup86, 2 Feb 2009 @ 1:37pm

Circuit City..
i am a manager at circuit city and the liquidation company is the same as CompUSA. All of their practices are the same...IE the increase to MSRP and discount from there. The company has made some mistakes in the past namely the firing of the experienced sales staff in a cost cutting effort, but the company had attempted to make a positive turn around with the one price promise and ensuring that our website and store would have the same prices. The thing that is most interesting to me is the fact that no one is pointing the finger at phil schoonover. He took over circuit city after working at best buy and drove the company into the ground after collecting a huge bonus, and thats not even the kicker. Schoonover now works for best buy once again. How is it possible that a company gets run by a senior member of its competition, gets run into the ground only to have that senior member of management return to his former company after the damage is done? dont fault the employees, the advertising or the prices.....fault schoonover.
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Brandon, 2 Feb 2009 @ 2:20pm

Re: Re:
lucky has a small penis
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Kenneth Noguera, 2 Feb 2009 @ 9:56pm

circut city
I walked into the store here in victorville ca representing the paper and one of the employee's when asked about the going out of business and she seemed afraid to talk to me. She asked me if I was from the news and I told her yes and she negated to talk to me. I can understand after reading about there so called deals. I would wait to get anything from them.
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Anonymous Coward, 5 Feb 2009 @ 1:23pm

cc
I just went to cc and got an xbox 360 arcade for $159.99 thats $40 less,you can buy a ps3 or the xbox360 elite for $320
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jeffster, 6 Feb 2009 @ 5:39pm

Circuit City
Yesterday, 2/5/09, I went to the local Best Buy which happens to be next door to a relatively new Circuit City. There was a big GOING OUT OF BUSINESS banner hangind on the front of the Circuit City and LOTS of activity...people going in and out.

I parked in the Best Buy lot, and sat in my car a few minutes, with a full view of the Circuit City and its lot. Even though were many people coming out of the store, not a single person appeared to have any merchandise in their hands. What's more, most seemed to head right across the parking lot to shop at Best Buy.

I have not set foot in a Circuit City store since the announcement. Quite frankly, I would feel too bad for the employees, most of whom have been hosed before by this company, either by working for rock-bottom wages, or being some of the previous employees unceremoniously let go and then "invited" back for half the pay.
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Bum, 7 Feb 2009 @ 6:02pm

Circuit City has always struck me as "we don't know what we are selling, or why". The sooner they are gone the better.
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Marc, 10 Feb 2009 @ 9:33am

Re: circuit city
Yeah I bet wal-mart really misses you. They dont even know about you and your personal boycott. Geez you sure are dumb, you are the one that gets hurt in the end. "I would'nt buy it from wal-mart even if it was cheaper...what a fool. In case you dont watch the news...wal-mart is one of the few retailers left that is actually prospering and profiting in this economy!
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ryan, 12 Feb 2009 @ 5:32pm

Was in circuit city today. Looked at a 52 inch Samsung (LN52A650). It was 25% off and priced at $2049. Funny thing was three weeks before they went out of business it was $2099. Amazon has the same model for $1850 with free white glove delivery and no sales tax.

Obviously the 25% is off MSRP. Saw some speakers I was interested in that were actually a good buy, but I think they'll go down more.
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bill, 14 Feb 2009 @ 9:00am

Re: I am!!!
I pay my taxes therefore, unfortunately, I am supporting poor people around the world thanks to the US Government.
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Anonymous Coward, 16 Feb 2009 @ 5:02pm

Re: Funniest thing ????
Have you gone into the store...THE "SALE PRICES" ARE HIGHER THAN BEST BUY OR WALMART... Sale, get real....
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Anonymous Coward, 16 Feb 2009 @ 5:21pm

Re: Re:
Get over your high horse... MANY MANY people are out of work, not just your little world. Be happy that there are people who are still shopping at all. And yes CC staff is rude and unknowledgable. It was terrible just how much they would fake knowledge, plus they are WAY WAY WAY over priced.

Perhaps if they cared about the people more, the staff would manage to educate themselves they business would have not disappeared.
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Anonymous Coward, 16 Feb 2009 @ 5:23pm

Re: Re: ex CC employee
and the problem with that is???? Perhaps you were more educated and gave great service, you would be paid more. Generally they are lazy, uneducated and more interested in talking to their friends. Now explain to me why you should be paid more......
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Steve, 16 Feb 2009 @ 7:38pm

Only US stores will close. Canadian stores will remain open.
Circuit City's Canadian operation "The Source" will remain open under bankruptcy protection. Only Circuit City's US stores will close their doors for good. "The Source" sells the same merchandise as the Circuit City, Maybe that's why the huge discounts aren't there.
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pwny, 17 Feb 2009 @ 2:26am

found a few decent deals BUT the people are right.. beware!
i have to agree with the majority, the deals are not that great. i did however manage to find a few "decent" deals. i got fifa 09 for ps3 for 30$, and a ps3 controller for 32$. lookin online, i could not find a better price for these items. i guess it all depends on what exactly you are shopping for. the tv prices are still ridiculous after their 30% off. and many prices are jacked up and then discounted. just do your research b4 you go and be sensible about it!
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Anonymous Coward, 17 Feb 2009 @ 1:57pm

wallmart is mean to their workers ):/
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Very Lucky, 28 Feb 2009 @ 1:10pm

Denon 889
Walked in today(Feb 28) to the local CC and found one remaining Denon 889 receiver, missing only an owner's manual. $400+tax=$431. Had to grab it. Very lucky. CC says they're closing their door for good Sunday night, Mar 8.
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