CircuitCity.com is back, and it looks eerily familiar. The zombie website is now controlled by Systemax, the same folks who own Tiger Direct. Though the new site may look similar to the old, no doubt part of Systemax’s goal to keep alive a “proud brand that America has grown to count on,” it isn’t nearly as consumer-friendly as we would like…

Consider CircuitCity.com’s new return policy, which looks like something you’d expect to see returning from a Mexican escapade:
Let’s compare the policy to NewEgg’s.

NewEgg generally lets you return an item for either a refund or replacement. Not Systemax. They reserve the right to refuse all returns, and if they do take back your newly orphaned product, “such returns will be for store credit or refund at CircuitCity.com’s sole discretion.”

NewEgg also replaces software and accepts for return unused consumables like printer cartridges. Systemax does neither.

And don’t even think of returning anything from “Compaq, IBM, Hewlett Packard, Toshiba, Epson and others.” Their products are “not returnable to CircuitCity.com FOR ANY REASON.”

Circuit City may be a “proud brand that America has grown to count on,” but this isn’t Circuit City. It’s Systemax. Before buying, shop around and make sure you understand all the new policies.

(And no, you can’t return things from the old CircuitCity.com.)

CircuitCity.com
RETURN PROCEDURE [Circuit City]
NewEgg RMA Procedures [NewEgg]
NewEgg Return Policies [NewEgg] (Thanks to everyone who submitted to the tipline!)

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