What good is a website if they just rat you out? I know I've given out info that could get me/consumerist sued. Thats the whole point, the internet brings truth.

Waah. Just wait until the day after Thanksgiving flyers are publicised. It always happens. If someone were to buy a unit a week before a price drop, they could just go back and have an adjustment made. Most scrupulous retailers would do this within a reasonable timeframe of purchase (whether or not they would tell you that you could is another story). But in this case, I can see why Circuit City would be mad due to their lack of said scruples.

@Cowboys_fan: But how confident are you that you won't be ratted out by the consumerist? ;)

their information leaking is not anyone else's problem other than their own.

wah, cry me a river.

@SaveMeJeebus: Actually, for most of those Black Friday deals, they put a limit on how many can be sold at that price, and most won't adjust the prices to match the deals.

Didn't Apple get a shit-load of bad PR over this? Apple failed in court, as I recall. Same thing applies here, especially since I highly doubt ads are classified as trade secrets.

@Cowboys_fan: "Thats the whole point, the internet brings truth."

So you're saying that if it's on the internet, it must be true? ;)

@medic78: Yeah, that is right. I meant for the non-special days. I know that AEO has an unwritten policy to adjust price within two weeks of purchase. They are notorious for putting stuff on clearance that just came out. It pisses off customers that don't bother to save receipts.

Come on. The least we can do for them is let them borrow Gaby for a couple of days.

I just love the fact that there is a legal proceeding entitled "CheapAssGamer v Circuit City."

Also, didn't the owner of CAG move to Japan?

IANAL, but what about Journalist Shield laws? This may not be Pulitzer-grade material, but if it's news and the applicable state laws include such protection (It sadly does not exist on the federal level) couldn't cheapassgamer consider Speedy1961 a protected source? (IMHO, the non-leagally binding principle behind such laws could be considered in play here. Shame on you, Circuit City.)

@cde: CheapyD moved to Japan, but if the website is on American servers, it doesnt matter where the operators live.

i have my own fresh circuit city story to tell, but maybe another day soon.

the end result was me not buying the laptop from CC and got the same price, for the same laptop, with better service and a much better financing deal from Office Max. Office Max has been a great store to me on many of my tech purchases.

@Yogambo: I SO want to read the court preceedings, if only to giggle about the defendant's name.

Circuit city needs to suck it up, seriously. If people know the PS3 is having a price drop early, they'll start saving pennies to pick one up, from their store. They probably would grab a few games on the way out.

@Bay State Darren:

The problem is, which state's jurisdiction would a shield law fall under? For example, I'm in a state that doesn't have a shield law and there's still no federal one (and probably not one coming soon anyway).

But from a CAG to CAG: kick Circuit's ass.

@Bay State Darren:

@JRuiz47:

Someone in the Kotuko thread pointed out the Data Protection act, which also applied in the Apple Vs. Doe case. CAG is only required to turn over any ip information to government organizations with a valid cause as determined by a judge. A private company like CC has no recourse.

I've been part of CAG for years now, and I can say there have been many-a-time deals have been leaked on that site. So why all the hullabalu now? BTW, I stopped frequenting that site a while ago because I was spending more money than I was when I wasn't a part of that site (an account many CAG's can vouch for). I think this is something Circuit City should have taken into account before hand.

I would definitely expect the protection of my privacy if I've done nothing illegal. But leaking trade secrets and other damaging information? I'd stick to small and unknown forums for that.

@MEDIC78:

Except places like Circuit City have a Price Guarantee. If they refuse to honor it, it is considered false advertising or perhaps even breach of contract.

The problem with the leak is that it most likely originated with an employee. That employee gave away company information. Sure it is a flyer, but that flyer had sensitive pricing info for Sony's price drop, which they were going to announce at E3. Since the price drop was leaked before the show, it stole Sony's thunder, and made for a less interesting presentation. I'm sure they would rather have been preparing for the show, then trying to figure out how to deal with this debacle. An early leaked ad does not do much when these places have price guarantees.

I know Consumerists users hate people who take the company's side rather than the little guy's, but I've really gotta do that here.

Here it goes: I have to emphasize with the Circuit City. Can you imagine what'd be like to have your information discretely obtained and used however the other party pleases and distributed to those who'd use it in a way you find annoying? Especially when the offender uses minute legal points to try to justify it! We shouldn't do that to major corporations. They would never do it to us.