Chaos as Circuit City calls it quits (thanks, Divx)

You know, don’t let the door kick you in the ass. With what Circuit City did with Divx (the original evil Divx, not the codec) — and the spending — while they cut sales commissions — this company was headed for a major FAIL. I’m not surprised the number 2 electronic store is closing its doors, all 567 of them.

They had great sales people, but Circuit City treated them terribly. First, they fired their core staff members that received higher pay — and replaced them with $9.95 an hour Best Buy rejects. Then, they cut all sales comissions. And THEN, the frickin’ internet and Amazon, with the lowest goddam prices and no store fronts (meaning, no $$$) — came along and corn holed em. So, this is really serious – Circuit City isn’t going internet only — because, ta-da, THEY JUST SHUT DOWN THEIR WEBSITE!!! To quote:

Circuit City would like to thank all of the customers who have shopped with us over the past 60 years. Unfortunately, we announced on January 16, 2009, that we are going out of business. Please check back later for updates about the status of our website. In the meantime, we hope the information below will help answer most of your questions.

So I stopped down to Circuit City today and the place was worse than a clusterfuck in a hen house, to quote Dan Rather. No one cared, place a mess, crap everywhere, no one was in charge. Here’s the buzz:

One-time Apple partner and the United States’ second largest electronics retailer Circuit City will shutter all of its remaining stores following a difficult holiday shopping season and failed efforts to negotiate a sale that would have saved the company. Just last week Circuit City said it was in “significant discussions, meetings, and negotiations” with “two highly motivated and interested parties”. The Best Buy rival, which was negotiating under immense pressure because its cash reserve was running dangerously short, said Friday it was unable to reach an agreement with those parties. Although Blockbuster made an unsolicited $1 billion bid back in April 2008, Circuit City declined. – from Apple Insider

Bankrupt Circuit City Stores Inc. said Friday it was closing its 567 U.S. electronics stores and leaving its 34,000 employees jobless as the nation’s employment picture grew bleaker. It was the worst day this year for news of layoffs, bank losses and store closings, and employers signaled more bad news ahead. – from LAtimes

On Friday, Circuit City said it was liquidating all of its stores. Then, on Saturday there was a big liquidation sale at my local Circuit City–up to 30 percent off. The checkout line was almost as long as the lines you encounter on a typical Saturday at Fry’s–the mostly California- and Texas-based sprawling electronics warehouse. (The line actually snaked to the back of the store.) – from CNET

“The store that I visited on Saturday had been taken over lock, stock, and barrel by the liquidator.” The store manager said she answered to the liquidation company now, not anyone from Circuit City. Consumers swarming everywhere: every one of them with at least a few breathless questions and scant employees to provide answers.” – from Kotaku