The pundits are concerned that shoppers will be reluctant to buy electronics from a retailer that has declared bankruptcy, because they’re worried about whether the store will be there to honor their extended warranties and gift cards. (Ew, extended warranties!)
Will Circuit City’s bankruptcy affect your shopping plans?
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This is not a problem. Circuit City avoided honoring as many warranties, discounts, gift cards as possible before. So going bankrupt won’t change anything. Go and buy with the same confidence you had before!
@vastrightwing: couldnt agree with you more….
@vastrightwing:
I once bought an extended warranty on a hard drive based MP3 player (waaay back in the days before the iPod). Was shocked when I got back home and actually read the warranty terms and discovered that it was a one-time replacement warranty, meaning if the device went bad they’d replace it and your warranty was over. One of the sleaziest things I’ve ever run across.
Just burned the last of my CC gift cards last friday. Never going in there again. Prices on electronics will continue to go down. Ill buy my flat screens at Costco next year.
@SalenaBabblerash: looking to burn my last 100 in gc’s today after work myself.
@SalenaBabblerash: Why would you burn gift cards? It’s free money…
@DennisOrthrus:
I think it’s a figure of speech.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some bridges to burn.
@Parapraxis: Terrorist!
@InfiniTrent: Dammit you made me LoL in the library computer lab!
@rockasocky:
I LOL’d at home, and now I’m getting weird looks from my roomates…
I wouldn’t shop at non-bankrupt Circuit City so I sure as hell wouldn’t shop there now.
@xjeyne: exactly.
@xjeyne: ditto
@xjeyne: agreed!
I was just thinking the same thing.
@xjeyne:
Yep, one of the worst box retail stores in my area. No way, no how.
@xjeyne: I was completely underwhelmed by them before–so nothing’s changed for me.
If I can find a good deal on things that don’t need warranties (video games, ink cartridges etc…) then sure I’ll still shop there. Granted you can rarely find all that great of a deal at Circuit City.
@Raekwon:
What do they sell that does “need” a warranty? I used to work there (back before they canned the best paid people thank God) and while I sold mad amounts of big screen TV and desktop computer “service plans” I could never really convince myself that they were truly needed.
@reviled: Laptops I usually get a 3 yr extended and I guess I would want one if I ever bought an Xbox but other than that I see your point.
@Raekwon: Isn’t it better to get an extended warranty for a computer from the manufacturer than from a third party?
@Raekwon: Beware of buying even printer ink on a close out. I made that mistake at CompUSA and wound up with dried out cartridges. All sales final, of course.
I’ve been shopping there, and will continue to shop there, since they are not closing my store.
That doesn’t stop me from shopping elsewhere, however. The last electronics things I bought were a hard drive and a scanner at Staples.
I still love CC for my big TV. They also have a turntable thing that rips records that I want reaaaaaaaaal bad.
@HogwartsAlum: Guess what? I was at a “private shopping event” at Best Buy last night and they also have a “turntable thing” that rips records. Go there instead, if you must.
@HogwartsAlum: got my vinyl to mp3 turntable online, on sale. 2 years ago. they’re everywhere if you just look around, no need to depend on circuit city
@HogwartsAlum: http://search1.pricewatch.com/s/search?s=USB+turntable
http://www.circuitcity.com/ccd/Search.do?c=1&searchType=user&keyword=USB+turntable&searchSection=All&go.x=0&go.y=0
Notice that the ones listed everywhere else are on average $30 cheaper than CC, even with shipping included?!
@HogwartsAlum: They filed for chapter 11. There’s a good chance that it will close. Besides, there are other places to find USB turntables.
I was going to say what xjeyne said!
It’s not like manufacturers’ warranties will be invalidated because the store ceases to be. It’s only a concern for extended warranties and gift cards, not the products themselves.
@acknight: And your credit cards might be able to give you extended protection anyway.
@acknight: The extended warranties are covered by a third party company, so they’ll be valid too.
I’ll take a shot for basic stuff like video games, but only if there are better deals when compared to other stores.
@theblackdog: I’ll second that. Except for the occasional bargain-hunting for inexpensive DVDs and games I can do without Circuit City.
I haven’t stepped foot in a Circuit City in about two years, so I doubt I’ll do it now. Unless blu-ray were to miraculously only be $5, I’ll stay away.
These polls are a bit reductive, aren’t they? I’ll shop at CC if I see a good deal there and I have a good reason to not be worried about warranties or things like that. But no, I won’t go out of my way to patronize them, and I’ll be more suspicious (if that’s possible) of their goods and prices than I was before.
Seriously, consumerist, I know some marketing major told you that polls are a good way to build a community or whatever, but you guys got to step up your game.
Althought Bankruptcy has saved quite a few businesses, for retail, its the kiss of death.
@thebluepill: Hmm, I still see KMart operations. They did so well by screwing people in bankruptcy they merged with Sears Holdings.
I used to work there about 4 years ago. Their getting what’s coming to them. The got rid of all of the people who actually knew anything and hired people who would work for next to nothing. Kind of sad really, we used to take pride on knowing the product and helping the customer.
@APFPilot: Isn’t that true for all retail chains…
I stopped by my local CC, I found a shelf full of “Taiko Drum Master” games with the drum controller going for $16. On Amazon they still go for $50 or more!
Sadly, that was the only deal I could find there.
I think I might have to vote yes just so that it isn’t a complete shutout
If they still carry occasional good deals, which would be even better than what I can get through online stores (all things considered: delivery charges for online retailers and local sales tax if purchased at CC), I’ll still buy from Circuit City.
I will continue to shop there when I see a deal on something like a clearance video game that is priced much higher elsewhere, but I would never buy anything that could potentially fail on me (at any chain store that was in trouble) and that I would need to take advantage of a store return policy on. I shop at CC only about 2-5 times a year because thats about how many deals I find in their store.
I can’t trust them to do their job accurately, and that is a management issue (or lack there of). I honestly feel that management at any of these CC stores is a deterrent to shopping there.
Pocket Hitlers, all of them.
No, F* them. They didn’t treat me right before they were bankrupt, I have no sympathy for them now.
@Johnny_Roastbeef:
Are you kidding? They are owned by liquidators…you d be supporting the liquidators. Who, by your opinion of CC , would be your friend. Since they are helping tear the company down to the nothing it has become.
On my bicep are two crossed sticks of DDR3 RAM with text beneath that reads “NEWEGG 4EVA.”
Seriously though, if it wasn’t for me wanting to buy new video games on release day I wouldn’t have a reason to ever shop in a brick and mortar store any more.
@concordia:
Not to shill for Amazon, or anything, but here goes my shill for Amazon: if you have Amazon Prime you get free release date delivery.
Living in Chicago this saves me not only the hassle of going to a brick and mortar store and fighting through throngs of other nerds, but saves me the 10.25% sales tax (which I of course report and pay yearly on April 15th, if anyone asks).
@Hate_Brian_Club: And I thought 8.25% was insane…sheesh man, move out of that horrible place!
@Hate_Brian_Club: Release date delivery is not avialable for all games. Only select titles.
@concordia: FWIW I pre-ordered GTA4 before its release from Amazon, and they shipped it so it actually arrived at my house on its release date. I have amazon prime also, which includes free 2-day shipping and 1-day shipping for usually 1.99 or 2.99.
I might check the store/website as CC burns just to see if there are any bargains on small electronics/headphones/the like. Something like that would not strike me as too big of a risk. Big electronics? Forget it. Of course, I’m not really in the market for any big electronics right now, seeing as how there’s an economic apocalypse going on.
Yes. I’ve been able to find a great deal on several particular items from Circuit City in the past. They’re not a regular shopping stop,but I do go in there from time to time.
I walked into my local closing CC for a laugh and it was quite funny. My main interest was games and they were selling games for $60 that I’ve seen everywhere else (and I mean everywhere) for $20. My husband was like, “no wonder they’re closing”.
I’ll shop there the way I normally do, that is to say that I will go the day after Thanksgiving for their sales on DVD’s and memory cards. For anything bigger, I didn’t shop at CC before and I won’t now.
They just opened up a new CC right next to me. I went in to see if a new CC was any better than an old one. Answer: NO!
Poor selection + lazy/non-existent staff + confusing layout + bad prices = crappy store.
on the plus side, this one still had a “Now hiring” sign in front of it. So if you need a new CC polo shirt, stop by the CC in Fairfax Towne Center
I’ll just stay away from any that are under liquidation, but I really hadn’t planned on shopping there, but it also depends on where I can get a cheapo GPS this Xmas.
Who cares, gift cards and extended warranties are a rip off anyway, don’t buy them.
I stopped shopping at Circuit City when they wouldn’t repair a documented feature on my VCR and said it wasn’t a supported feature. I even told them they’d be losing a customer and well…
Sure, I’ll consider shopping at a Financially Bankrupt Circuit City. I’ve been shopping at the Ethically Bankrupt Circuit City for years.
If I had access to one, I’d check ‘em out and purchase stuff that had manufacturer’s warranties. As long as you make informed purchases by checking the prices on things before you go in or use an internet-ready mobile device in the store (yay technology!), you can avoid getting ripped off and potentially get a few good deals.
Interesting way to posit the poll… The post ends with:
“Will Circuit City’s bankruptcy affect your shopping plans?” To which I’d answer “no.”
Then the poll question is the opposite, “Will you shop at bankrupt Circuit City?” To which I would answer “yes.”
Unless their massive restructuring plan somehow includes $50 DV cameras, I wasn’t going to shop there anyway.
I’d only do it for bargains, but not for shopping.
It’s not a matter of warranties and deals, its the matter of the shady liquidators handling the closeout sale. The deals always suck so there’s no reason to shop there.
I’d still shop at a Circuit City if there was one local to me if I found an item that I wanted at a decent price. I never buy their extended warranties however so their going out of business wouldn’t effect me. Electronics still come with a manufacturer’s warranty.
Circuit City has been circling the drain for several years now. The stores I’ve visited are dirty and disheveled. The salespeople either clump in small groups or follow you around like a store dick following a shoplifter, and they are generally rude and know almost nothing about their own stock. The stock selection is minimal at best.
They should have gone under 3 years ago. I haven’t made a purchase there in 5 years and that’s not going to change any time in the foreseeable future.
They filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, so technically they are not going out of business yet. The government is going to protect it to see if it’ll get back on its feet after a while. They will still be honoring and selling giftcards.
I want shop at ANY company that has the management problems that CC has.
I can’t wait until we do this for Best Buy.
My girlfriend’s sister always gives everyone handwritten “coupons” as gifts promising dinners out or something which she never honors. So, we are buying her a five dollar gift card to CC for christmas.
i never really bought from brick/mortar stores anyway…
(read: circuit city/best buy/compUSA)
last time i went into one of those 3 was best buy about a month ago, we played rock band for an hour.
before that was black friday 2007
I refuse to go into any Circuit City in my area simply because they’re dark, outdated, and unwelcoming. Say what you want about Best Buy, but they are bright, clean, and well organized. Not that I buy much from Best Buy either, but the shopping experience is much better. I would compare Circuit City to an old, run down K-Mart and Best Buy to a new Target.
And, should Circuit City offer something on sale that week, I’ll still buy it at Best Buy due to their price matching policy.
Most consumer electronics are commodities. Who needs help? Just need someone to ring up the purchase. Pay with a credit card so that you can do a charge back if they give you any grief about a return.
You’re asking the wrong question. Will I buy a calculator as Circuit City? A Dell computer that’s backed by company warrentee? A plasma tv?
I’m still shocked that Best Buy is still in business whereas Circuit City is nearing its demise. I have worked at both companies and I can honestly say that Best Buy is one of the worst companies in existence. At Best Buy we were instructed to do/say whatever possible to get out of honoring warantees as well as overcharge for services.
Circuit City always went above and beyond when it came to warranty and customer service issues. I guess screwing customers out of their hard earned cash is a more viable business model.
I might go there to look for a closeout deal.
If I can find an open store near me.
There probably should have been a separate option for “No, but I wouldn’t shop there before either, so the bankruptcy has had no effect”!
I am not worried about my warranty will not be honored; but I will not shop at Circuit City during a going out of business sale, or at any other time, just because they are such a terrible store. I have had too many bad experiences there to ever consider stepping foot in a Circuit City again.
Maybe some of their problems arise from alienating so many customers by failing to honor promised rebates, selling used products as new and having ridiculously bad customer service. That might fly in a flourishing economy, but not in one where people are more being more conscious of their spending decisions.
To all those looking forward to a sale; Beware. You will get screwed.
Actually, federal law requires all retailers to have their extended warranties insured in the case that the company does go out of business. CC warranties are backed by General Electric, and i dont think they are going anywhere.
The warranties are covered by a third party with Circuit City Advantage. Circuit City filing for Bankruptcy protection will not stop the buyers from getting their warranties honored. It is not a problem to buy items, even if it needs warranties. We can find some good deals also.