.

@AMetamorphosis:

Chase will move your card should the need arise.

I had a card with no-name bank. When Citi bought the no-name bank I received a "new" card with the Citi name (with no changes to the credit limit or terms).

Likewise, I bought an open-box Onkyo receiver in January, and the 3-year warranty was $16. In another two years, I'm pretty sure the receiver's gonna get backloaded, a capacitor's gonna blow, and I'm going to get a few hundred dollars back. (Also spend $3 on a warranty for an open-box mouse. The thing was on display for almost a year, so I can't imagine it'll last longer than two years, so I basically gave myself $17 by buying the warranty.)

FWIW, the warranties are still valid if CC goes under; they're covered by GE.

In my area the Circuit City employees don't know anything!
None of their display models work, and they are also VERY lazy...

But the BB in my area the employees at least know enough to get you to buy whatever, and I actually get asked if I'm finding everything alright...

So from my personal experience, I prefer Best Buy.

"Trading has halted for this security" - according to Schwab.

It would be great if Microcenter or Frys could swoop in here, buy up the stores that are at or near profitable, convert them to match existing store layouts and rename them of course.

They could save thousands of jobs, expand their presence in the market, and keep up some pressure on Best Buy as competition.

Then Circuit City can just close up shop, close the remaining stores that didn't get purchased (ala CompUSA) and everybody moves on.

@BrianDaBrain:

Me too. Ours is pretty good. The Best Buy is noisy and the salespeople are jerky. I wish I had some money; I'd go buy something right now to help them out!

My question is what will this do to CC credit card holders?
I have a zero blance and a 5k limit.
Chase is the issuer on the card.
Will they close it and reduce my limit?
Will they move me over to another branded card?
( Note I think I have a credit limit with Chase between 3 cards of about 18k )

I'm just concerned of this lowering my FICO score.

Questino: how does this hit all of those "The Source by Circuit City" stores in Canada that used to be Radio Shacks???

Either way it won't affect me if they go out of business. Should they do so soon, I'm definitely looking to pickup a small HDTV on clearance for my parents this Christmas.

Well, at least when they have their going-out-of-business sale, they will actually have an excuse for not putting their merchandise in any order a sentient human being can fathom...

@Davan: I can walk into a store and buy some random gadget and when I get home if it's DOA or craps out a few days later, I can drive back to the store and usually can exchange it right then and there.

If I bought the thing on the Internet, I'd have to pay to have it shipped, hope that the delivery driver will leave the thing at my apartment's office if I'm not home when they try to deliver otherwise I'm heading to the depot after work.

Then if it's DOA, I have to call some 800 number, sit on hold for several minutes to get a return authorization, possibly have to pay to ship the item back, and then wait for them to receive it before they ship me another.

That kind of hassle is just not worth it to me.

So long CC! I never really 'shopped' at CC as opposed to purchase things. What I mean by that is, I did all the product research online. If I needed something right away (or just impatient) and the price was reasonable - I could put in an online order and by the time I got there, it was ready for pickup. Usually, I came out better at CC than BB in terms of price. I absolutely hate BB and avoid it at all costs.

My 2c...

Oh, and did I mention high prices, crappy selection, lazy staff who never man the registers, and unorganized stores?

So long, Circuit City. I hardly shopped at thee.

@dweebster:

3400 is under 10% of the total number of people employed at or by CC right now.

A good portion of their current employees are basically 'scabs.'

That said - odds of CC being a going concern by 2009 = <10%

definitely agree, though i think best buy wrote these guys off months ago.

best buy is more concerned about walmart and online and how to differentiate from those companies than CC.

@Darkkeyboard:

That's the spirit.

@hillsrovey:

While I'm no fan of Circuit City in particular, I'm afraid of what the loss of competition would do to Best Buy. Maybe the yellow and blue would swirl together into green, and they would bust out of their collective khakis and wreak havoc on the collective electronics consumer.

Sat what you want about Circuit City...they never called me a devil [online.wsj.com]

Only true if you didn't by an Xbox 360 between 2005 and 2007.

I feel sorry for anyone who bought one back then that didn't get a store warranty extension. I went through three in a year!

All I used it for was playing games and watching movies.

As for Circuit City I say let them go if need be. We got too many of these stores as it is, not counting their cheaper and better online clones.

/weird sound effect

No competition for BB means higher prices, poorer service etc at BB.

Without a strong BB, what do you think will happen to NewEgg and the other dedicated online vendors?

This is one big circle jerk.

Not saying we all need to go panic buy sheeitt off the CC shelves.... but if we don't start buying something from them we could up just paying more for everything we do buy in the future.

People still buy technology in B&M retailers? Thats a new one to me...

(Under the presumption that CC is about to go out of business.)

@Raiders757: Jerkit City doesn't sound as bad as our area Circuit Shitty.

It doesn't take an expert in math and business to figure out that they don't have any money to buy inventory from manufacturers for Christmas. But, you say, they could get a loan. From who? Who is lending right now?

If you work there, I recommend not spending another minute working, as you might get paid this week, but not next week. I do feel for you. Start looking for something else, like now.

For consumers, don't bother buying anything there, as you may not have a store to return things to for an exchange or a refund (that's really funny).

As far as training, BBY's ain't that great...but CC's is non-existent. Four years ago the eLearnings were worthless, and the best knowledge came from the managers and experienced salesmen. The latter were all fired and there are far less of the former.

@DePaulBlueDemon:

I think that's the one thing that saddens me/disturbs me the most about those that want Circuit City to "burn in hell" and such.

Yes the stereotype is that the vast majority of employees are high schoolers/college kids who don't care. However, there are plenty of adults in the business that work there because they love their job, and give 100% every day they are there. There are thousands of associates like that accross the country, and it's sad how many people are thrilled with the idea of them losing their job.

Or if I really need to, Radio Shack. **shudders**

I would not care if they went under, but I am concerned about all the employees who may lose their jobs. :(

@tande04: Yeah, maybe they'll have a 50% off sale and bring the prices down to buy.com level.

I heard on the radio today they are opening a new circuit in Richmond. Probably a bad idea. They have some washed up NFL players at the grand opening this weekend.

Just told my Manager that I Quit since they look like they might not be able to pay employees at this rate.

@vastrightwing:

They can't sell you the warranty if you refuse to pay for it.

If it didn't happen 13 years ago, making it irrelevant now, I could tell a great story about CC and how their corporate HQ lied and sent my future/current wife on a run-a-round of highly unprofessional proportions. All because she had proof my CC credit card had a zero balance due.

BB always has lower prices than CC in my area, and will price match as well. I don't want to see either store go, as direct competition is a great thing for the consumer.

@hillsrovey:

That's funny. In my area, Jerkit City has a terrible selection, and very bad service. The Best Buy across the street has great service, and a lot more to choose from. The store is even kept up better as well.

To be exact, I have never had the problems with BB that I read about here and elsewhere. I must live in the twilight zone.

Given their lackluster position in real estate and diminished brand another company would be insane to purchase them in this economy. Someone'll probably bite, though.

Not likely.

Any buyer with a lick of sense knows that they can get the same name or any other piece of the carcass for a lot less after a chapter 11 (or 7). Buying stock now is like buying a (cheap) ticket ona ship sure to sink.

If there is a buyout, it will likely occur after they file for bankruptcy so that they can cherry-pick what they want while leaving the rest for the attorneys.

If they file for bankruptcy, your $0.43 stock is worthless..

@hillsrovey: +1 on that. I'd much rather go there than BB. And as much as some of us hate certain companies, it's never good when they go under. That's lot of jobs lost and tax revenue local cities would otherwise be getting.

But, there is still that little bit of satisfaction you get when horrible companies go down in flames. :)

time to buy stock. Someone will buy them up atleast for their name and the price will go up on the stock.

Here's hoping.

The only thing that stores got going for it is that BO smell when you wall though the doors.

Perhaps there's some hope the government has a provision in the bailout bill for Circuit City somewhere.

Hope they have some decent going out of business sales.
There was an iPod dock I was eyeing their just the other day...

Franklin Comes Alive!
11:05 AM on Tue Jan 8 2008

CC is the next CompUSA, no doubt. They'll be in bankruptcy by the end of 2008.