A Circuit City manager told reader Ryan that the “unbeatable price guarantee” will soon be eliminated. Ryan was asking the Circuit City in Hicksville, NY to match Best Buy’s price for an Arrested Development DVD; though the cashier refused to honor the policy – which beats the advertised price of any local competitor by 10% – the manager explained that it was just a huge tiny mistake, and that so long as signs advertising the policy are up, the policy will be honored. After the jump, we ask Circuit City when the signs are coming down.

Ryan writes:

I recently changed from Best Buy to Circuit City. I figured if Circuit City isn’t cheaper, I’ll just bring the Best Buy ad and still get the cheaper price (plus 10%). Besides, this Circuit City is closer to my home. Anyway, a few weeks back I went in to the Hicksville Circuit City to get a couple of $9.99 CD’s (as advertised by Best Buy) which were 12.99 or so at Circuit City. The cashier price matched both CD’s at $9.99. I said, what about the extra 10%. She said, we stopped doing that. I said, OH, and went home. Not much to fight over anyway.

Now last week I go to a different Circuit City (Westbury, NY) and attempt to price match the Arrested Development seasons on DVD which were $14.99 at Best Buy (advertised) which beats Circuit City’s $34.99 by a long shot. They matched it and the computer calculated the extra 10% without a hitch. I was happy and figured something was up at Hicksville. Lucky for me, I still needed 1 more season.

So, back to Circuit City of Hicksville the next day… I am now armed with a printout of the pricematch policy from the web. I bring the DVD up to the cashier and I know what the total cost should be after price match. It’s off by the $2 or so, as expected. Why did I not get 110%? Again, “We don’t do that anymore”. I said, “The web site states that you do”. She turns to the manager for approval. He says, yeah we have to until they take those signs down and he nods toward the big yellow pricematch sign. She manually figures out 10% on a calculator and adjusts the price.

SO, one of two things is going on. The Hicksville Circuit City hasn’t been giving customers the 10% back in a long time and modified the systems to behave as such. OR, Circuit City is pulling the 10% price match policy and this store is a pilot for that (unlikely).

We called the Circuit City in Hicksville and had the following conversation:

The Consumerist: We heard that the price match policy is about to end and that you are about to take down the big yellow price match signs. Is that accurate?
Circuit City: When they take it down, then that will be in effect, but it’s still up.
TC: Are they taking it down?
CC: Um, it’s still up right now.
TC: Are they taking it down?
CC: Not that I know of.

Well that clears up nothing. If Circuit City refuses to honor the “unbeatable price guarantee,” immediately call corporate. If you see any stores without the big yellow price match signs, let us know at tips [at] consumerist dot com.

PREVIOUSLY: Circuit City Refuses To Honor “Unbeatable Price Guarantee” Because Competitor’s Price Is Too Low
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