CompUSA To Shut Down

[DMann]

Comp USA

That being said, I wonder where I will be able to get that one computer component I need the next time someone's pc crashes and they have to get it working omg THAT DAY, considering CC and BB don't sell parts.

Great point. Perhaps this will be a good opportunity to start-up a new brand of hardware store - CompParts USA.

 

[corywoolf]

"Mark my words: Apple is done with CompUSA and will soon pull out entirely. Best Buy is the new home of the Apple Shop." (08-07-2007)

After working at their flagship store on Fifth Ave in NYC, I knew this was where things were heading. I am glad that Steve Louro (General Manager of Fifth Ave store) is out of a job. A lot of sleezy low llife salespeople I worked with, all the good people I worked with left shortly after me. I hope the Apple Rep. gets a good Best Buy store. Interesting, because Apple knew this was going to happen since about over a year ago. I remember one of the Apple reps from my store not being able to tell my why he was leaving. Then he told me the next week that Apple was doing a trial of having mini Apple shops in a couple Best Buys. Sucks for the few good folks still working at CompUSA, but I am just glad that the sleeze-balls are out of work.

 

[KiraDouji]

Sucks for the few good folks still working at CompUSA, but I am just glad that the sleeze-balls are out of work.

Sleeze-balls never die, they just sell different stuff.

- Kira

 

[chr1s60]

I knew this would happen when they completely pulled out of Atlanta a while back.

How people can patron BB over them sometimes is beyond me however, with Fry's, Microcenter, BB, and not to mention even office supply stores selling the same things, someone has to end up on the loosing end.

It's unfortunate as I haven't had any issues shopping at CompUsa since they were (at the time) the only place I can get certain PC mod items.

Not to mention it was always nice going in there playing with the Macs. They always had a big selection at the Northpoint store in Alpharetta. BB hasn't got SQUAT for Macs and I do NOT trust anyone that looks like they belong in the "Revenge of the Nerds" movie to work on any piece of electronics I own.

Oh well, wish all the employee's best of luck and my prayers with them.

I had a very different experience with Comp USA in my area. Their selection of video games and dvds was not even comparable to BB. The sales Comp USA had were also crappy compared to BB and BB always had more in stock. For me it just came down to BB having a better selection and better prices. If I wanted something Apple, it seemed more worth my time to drive the 30 minutes to the Apple store closest.

 

[Darkroom]

there was a compusa in brighton, ma, i hated the service, there would be four to five compusa emps sitting around chatting doing nothing while i wanted to buy a macbook pro, i just glared at them for about five minutes and finally decided that it was time to scream at them, one of them reluctantly came over to me while rolling his eyes and said, "what do you need?" so i told him that i want a macbook pro, but that i would be going to bestbuy to get it. owned bitches.

that sounds exactly like Futureshop here in Canada (which is now owned by Best Buy).... i hope Futureshop closes down, or decides to start hiring people other than high school kids who hang out in the car stereo sections talk like pimps to dumb girlfriends...

 

[iToaster]

I can't believe this. I honestly can't believe that CompUSA would just die like that. I need them! They are the only good Apple retailer within 80 miles of my house. I go in there every so often and just chat with the Apple guy... but now... they're going away! ... this is a sad bit of information. But that silver lining: dirt cheap things I want!

 

[deathshrub]

IMO this is kinda sad. I mean it shows the company was loyal to apple by being one of their biggest retailers. Just a couple years ago apple struggled to get stores to sell Macs. (one of the main reasons apple fell so behind in market shares)

Now, apple is finally getting other stores to support them, and as a result this store is struggling and does apple care? Obviously not.

Im sure im looking at this in the wrong angle but IMO this story is sorta sad.

I can see where you're coming from, but apparently the guy who started CompUSA said that it was the biggest mistake of his life because it was costing him so much money. I do agree though it is a bit surreal.

 

[corywoolf]

Sleeze-balls never die, they just sell different stuff.

- Kira

I know, but for just a little while I can get a little satisfaction knowing some are out of work. If only you saw all the bullying they do to the honest salesmen, my supervisor literally told me to lie to the customer as long as I can make the sale. I once told a guy that the $350 AppleCare he was buying would work in Morocco (where he was from). I have mixed feelings though. I was planning on stopping in when I go back out east to visit my dad. I was going to say hi to the couple decent guys still working there, but now it would be just strange...

 

[rkusa]

Years ago, not long after Steve Jobs had come back to Apple, and they had started the store-within-a-store program with CompUSA, I had a need to go to one of the stores for an emergency scanner purchase. The first CompUSA I went into here in Phoenix had a shabby Apple section, and the store employees were surly and ignorant about Macs. More than half the Macs weren't operable and had missing parts. Some were stuck in a crashed state. I just left in disgust.

I went to another one in Scottsdale, where the Apple section was clean and in great shape, and the employees there were enthusiastic and knowledgeable about Macs--and all the Macs worked. I bought the scanner there.

I wrote a letter to Mitch Mandich, who was head of Apple retail at the time (or some such position) describing my experience. A week or two later, I got a phone call from Mitch Mandich, and we had a good conversation about the state of the Mac in retail, and we talked about the horrible presentation of their products in the CompUSA. He swore to me that Apple would be making big strides in that department and they'd reverse the trend of being ghetto-ized (my description, not his). True to his words, they did. I have to think they already had the Apple Store plans on the drawing boards. My experience was not uncommon according to him.

I was so impressed that they cared enough that an executive called to apologize for the experience and to assure me things would change. It's been a steady climb back to respectability since.

 

[faroukabad]

The Comp USA near me was horrible, after a couple of trips there, I vowed to stay away. I can't say I'm surprised that they're going down. Seems like there were a few good stores, though, but none that I ever went into.

 

[blipper]

I saw my first PowerMac in a CompUSA store when I was first getting interested in Macs. Eight months later I had one of the first MacPros. Overall, I think I first went to one in 1994, eons ago in computer time, back when I was using OS/2 on a Gateway.

Otherwise the CUSA store near me was just good as a place to stroll around and figure out what was available; as of now, neither the Apple store or the Best Buy near me have near the same level of merchandise.

Let's hope the clearance sale is a good one!

 

[JesterJJZ]

Yeah. You can sleep quietly tonight.

Let the workers who will lose their jobs worry. I guess these holidays will not be happy for many people across the U.S.

------

Another store will take its place and they can find other jobs, possibly better ones. Carlos Slim should just give them all good severance pay.

 

[zama36]

Be aware of pricing/Be sure of what you are buying..

When CompUSA went belly up in the Seattle area, I watched the prices on Apple Displays in three different stores during their fire sales. CompUSA set the discounts in January four months prior to Apple's latest round of price cuts. When speaking to the managers regarding the prices, they wouldn't budge. CompUSA, even in flames, failed to meet market prices.

 

[Brandonnn]

Yeah, wondering what kinds of discounts we'll be seeing here...

It seems theyre going to keep open till holidays and they state:

" Computer and electronics retailer CompUSA announced on Friday that it would start winding down its retail operations after being acquired by an investment firm, which is looking to sell the company's business and assets.

The retail stores that don't sell will be shut down, CompUSA said in a statement. The 103 stores will remain open during the holiday shopping season and provide heavy discounts on products. "

here's the link http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/140419/compusa_closing_up_shop.html

*Looks like a good time to buy there..might get great prices.

 

[sinisterdesign]

The Apple Store at Northpoint has a pretty decent selection of macs. Maybe you should try playing with Macs there.

The CompUSA in Gwinnett was horrible, dirty, misinformed and outdated. The would sell older mac models refurbished for like $100 less than a brand new NOT refurbished model.
...
But since we have at least 4 Apple stores in Atl, what's the point?

i would go miles out of the way not to go to the Cumberland CompUSA. i always called them "inCompitentUSA". any time i was forced into going there for something simple like a cable, it would inevitably take 30 min to get out of there b/c either the sales staff didn't know where something was, what it cost, how to ring it up, etc, etc.

can't say i'm going to shed a tear for CompUSA...

 

[SkyBell]

We have one or two near me, and they have decent service, could be better, could be worse.

They didn't have anything special to offer, but it's always sad to see someone go out of business.

 

[praetorian909]

'Tis a shame it's closing, I'm a bit of a computer junky so any less stores is kinda sad. Just like when CompUSA bought the local Computer City (operated by Tandy, remember them?)

Though customer service at my local CompUSA was never good. I remember once looking for a m-audio external sound card, but couldn't find it in the store. I asked and the guy looked it up on the computer, said they have it in stock according to the inventory. He said "so it must be somewhere in here." Then after a long pause, I came to the realization that it was all he was going to do for me. Might as well been a "self-serve" store...

I've also found employees at other stores--Best Buy, Circuit City--not helpful either, with a CC employee even giving me bad info (for installing a car stereo, told me I had to put the stereo in the trunk which would add an extra $75). Well I knew that was wrong and I ended up doing it myself without having to install to the trunk.

So I don't think CompUSA's employees are any worse than these other stores (Apple Retail store not included of course )

 

[minik]

The local CompUSA store folded months ago. I'm glad! It's getting worse and worse.

 

[BackInTheSaddle]

Years ago (say the early 90s) CompUSA was the place to go to find whatever you needed. Things began declining at my local store though and the Mac section was never well tended, and they started hiring some really discourteous and uninformed losers for their floor staff in general. I haven't shopped there in a good eight or nine years.

I've been pretty happy with Micro Center though... dedicated section with a decent selection of Mac hardware, third-party products. Staff is hit-or-miss but it's nice to be able to walk in most of the time and find what you need without a big hassle.

 

[Stridder44]

there was a compusa in brighton, ma, i hated the service, there would be four to five compusa emps sitting around chatting doing nothing while i wanted to buy a macbook pro, i just glared at them for about five minutes and finally decided that it was time to scream at them, one of them reluctantly came over to me while rolling his eyes and said, "what do you need?" so i told him that i want a macbook pro, but that i would be going to bestbuy to get it. owned bitches.

I'm pretty sure he just went back to his buddies and they all laughed about what you said. Store associates could give a rip less, they don't see a penny of that sale (or get paid enough to care).

As for CompUSA, I think I bough my first burnable CD from them once a looong time ago. Come to think of it I think that's the last time I ever saw a CompUSA.

 

[flir67]

I'm sure he'll be happy to read this. ^_^ As far as I know, though, if there's any way to stay, he will be. Greensboro's been good to him and he likes the area. Given his track record with Apple, they might be more enticed to keep him around.

I certainly hope so at least, because it looks like Apple's my best bet for a new job

- Kira

hay if anyone wanted to do a good deed and try to save the guys job. on craigslist for greensboro,nc is where apple is marketing for the positions.

happen to stumble across yesterday.


good luck

 

[z-man]

I will miss them

I was never super impressed with their Mac dept, but at least they had one when nobody else did. It was the only place to see Macs where I lived at the time.

I remember going to see the very first iPod model at a CompUSA.

 

[wongulous]

When companies go out of business, especially those with this level of debt, "liquidations" aren't just about clearing out the stores so they can get re-leased. It's about maximizing profit on items that just weren't moving. Expect weeks of 10-20%, and most things will get grabbed up that are large-ticket, then inching up to 25%, 30, then clearing out things more by the time it gets to 40, and by the time it gets to 50, most anything you want will be gone. It'll be odds-n-ends with no organization after 50, and there won't be much past 80% but weird stuff like old tiny HDs, crappy webcams, games nobody wants, empty jewelcases, surge protectors, and floppy drives. Trust me, they're managed by external companies that know exactly how to eke every penny out of a consumer possible to fill the coffers for that Chapter 11 or dissolution of a corporation... few deals will be had, because some consumers are so dumb that they get paranoid and marketed and can't wait a few weeks to save that $80 off of a laptop.

 

[NiteWaves77]

Good Riddance!

Good riddance to a god-awful retail outlet. I can't wait to rape them out of some goods, cheap, as I did when the CompUSA across the street from our Apple store closed their doors.

Take all those salesdweebs, that wouldn't know a Centronics parallel port from a glory hole, and put them to work picking lettuce. Solves the illegal immigrant issue. Speaking of which, I love how the parent company's in Mexico, quoting their losses in pesos.

 

[p0intblank]

Good. I never really liked CompUSA much... especially ever since they screwed me over with the crap RAM they installed in my PowerBook for me. Although I did get my first Mac from there, it's kind of sad to see them go. But in the end, who really cares?