Poll: Will You Shop At Bankrupt Circuit City?
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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Comments:
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.
I wouldn't shop at non-bankrupt Circuit City so I sure as hell wouldn't shop there now.
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.
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.
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.
I'll take a shot for basic stuff like video games, but only if there are better deals when compared to other stores.
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.
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.
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.
@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.
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.
@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.
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.
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.
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.
@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.
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".
@theblackdog: I'll second that. Except for the occasional bargain-hunting for inexpensive DVDs and games I can do without Circuit City.
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).
@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'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.
@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 think it's a figure of speech.
Now if you'll excuse me, I have some bridges to burn.
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.
@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
I was just thinking the same thing.
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!