EXCLUSIVE: CompUSA Closing 100 Stores

By consumerist.com February 23, 2007

CompUSA will close 100 stores this year, according to an industry insider speaking to us under conditions of anonymity.

Currently, CompUSA has 229 stores.

News of the shuttering comes after recent corporate restructuring, and a swirl of rumors in recent weeks about the ailing retailer. One was that CompUSA might get a $400 million-plus infusion from Mr. Carlos Slim, Mexican billionaire chain owner. Another one posited that the retailer might buy, or be bought by, Tiger Direct.

Hammered by competition from Best Buy, Wal-Mart, Circuit City, and internet retailers, and burdened by over $100 million in unsalesable store inventory, Mr. Slim evidently thinks CompUSA’s chances at recovery too narrow.

This bodes well for shoppers. Can we say fire sale? — BEN POPKEN

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Comments

  1. pbco2001 says:
    March 1, 2007 at 9:27 pm

    Will the last one to leave Detroit please turn out the lights!

    5 stores in the area, all of them off the survivors list. Nearest remaining is Lansing, Mi 120 miles away. But then there is a MicroCenter just down the street from one of the closed CompUSA’s. at 14 Mile and I 75.

    I used to shop there, and I never understood their business model. Giving stuff away for free after rebate. Admittedly there were some problems with rebates getting fulfilled, but that was before the FTC “Cleaned their Clock”
    How do you say consent decree, and rebate fraud!
    Recently they have been great on rebates, i just cashed a check, hope it doesn’t bounce!

  2. djson1 says:
    March 3, 2007 at 12:43 am

    I’m so glad they are closed down! They had the worst customer service. I once reserved a laptop online with my credit card and drove 25 miles to pick it up. Guess what? They sold it to another customer and couldn’t even offer me a raincheck. Stupid assess! That’s no way to run a business….as you learned. Haha~

  3. fb1972 says:
    March 5, 2007 at 9:04 pm

    Former CUSA worker at #397 (Glen Burnie MD) and #147 (Duluth GA), both on the hit-list. Worked there for 7 years.

    While it’s a shame that this had to happen, in truth I’ve seen it coming for years. The stories about double-dealing management and unfair hiring/termination practices are all true – it was certainly the case in my tenure there. And a place like CUSA isn’t going to survive when there are so many online retailers now, with better prices and savvy technical support. I used to refer to CUSA as “the McDonald’s of the computer industry”, and that’s just what it turned out to be – robot employees, uncaring management, items not worth their inflated cost (and it was inflated, I assure you – a 2.00 cable would be priced at 19.95, unfeckinreal).

    I feel bad for the people who are left behind in all of this. One of the people that I worked with in #147 is still working at a location in Maryland – luckily, that one will stay open – for now – but what about the future? What about the people who lost their jobs today, and the possible loss later on? They’re the ones that lost out here, and continue to lose, not the customers or the management.

    Sad. But not surprising, really.

  4. DcSka87 says:
    April 22, 2007 at 8:23 am

    I work for CompUSA right now and yeah the store may nt be the best at everything and well to behonest we sold out of inventory pretty fast we are actually closing may 7 due to how little we have and that Micro Center is moving in (yes you heard correctly they bought out the retail space) so for all you living in Montgomery County go the the Rockville store location where CompUSA used to be in Middle May and you will find a more well equipped friendly staff, better inventory, and yes better prices
    Hope to me workingthere myself so well maybe you will see me, maybe you won’t
    Peace

  5. rickydoo says:
    December 22, 2007 at 4:03 pm

    Well I went to Compusa in responce to an ad in the Sunday paper.I attend church so I did not arrive until about 1:00pm.
    They had a laptop computer for 699.00 that had good features and I decided to purchase one.
    When I inquired about the laptop they told me it was sold out.I said this sort of thing happens to me all the time.
    The sales lady said,”but we have a replacement if you’d care to see it” Well I said yes but I was thinking it was going to be something so horrible.
    To my surprise she brought out a HP dv7000.Holly smokes!!!! You got to be kidding!!!!
    I can get this for 699.00???????
    She said this is the replacement for the one in the ad.I thinking there is going to be alot of consumers that bought the other laptop reaaly sore.
    Well I figured when I check out the real price will surface and kill the deal.Nope it rang up 699.00.Thank you Compusa
    It pays to go to church!

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