CompUSA Closing Half its Stores
Thursday, March 15th, 2007 |
Well, I have to say, this announcement didn’t surprise me too much. With the influx of inexpensive online computer hardware stores, they just can’t charge their exhorbitent prices anymore and stay in business.
Case in point: When I was a sophomore in college, I needed to purchase a cable for my printer to hook up to my Vaio notebook. I went to CompUSA and told them what I needed. The sales guy told me I had to purchase a 24 karat gold plated Monster cable, because it was the only kind that would work with my laptop and printer. Price tag: $65. I had no idea that he was full of crap, so I went for it, and bought the cable. I wondered why it had to be 24 karat gold, and the salesman said it would transfer the information much faster, and other cables might mess up my computer, and would slow everything down.
Later on, I told my boyfriend at the time, Preston that I had purchased the cable, and he couldn’t believe how much they charged me. He told me I’d been duped, and that I should return it and buy another one. I did so, and asked to talk to the store manager. He implied that I was retarded for purchasing the cable, and didn’t care that his sales dude had lied to me. I asked to speak to the district manager, and spoke on the phone with him while I was still in the store. He implied the same thing - that I’m retarded. Ok, so maybe I’m a little bit slow when it comes to computer hardware, but I knew there should have been some consequences for that dishonest salesman. I probably should have pushed it further, but just figured I was happy with my refund, and I went and purchased another printer cable for $3.99 at the nearby LS Micro.
Needless to say, it seems like CompUSA didn’t do anything to fix their customer service situation (obviously it came from the top), and this is the result. This is the beauty of capitalism - when a store is overpriced with no customer service, people take their business elsewhere and the store either has to fix the problem, or lose money and go out of business.
5 Comments to CompUSA Closing Half its Stores
Just to be fair to CompUSA, they only screwed you on certain items (like cables, definitely). However, I buy a lot of stuff there for equal to (sometimes less) than what it would cost online + shipping. It’s just a matter of doing your research.
120 stores closed? Half of their stores? It sounds like they should do their research. Plus, it wasn’t just the price of the cable - it was their customer service policy.
zack hasn’t heard of sewell direct apparently. . . I kid I kid.
ZachMarch 16, 2007
Jen - I was only meaning to speak to their “exhorbitent prices”, not whatever customer service problems they might have. Sorry I didn’t clarify that. Personally I’d be sad if our CompUSA were closing. It has saved me several times when I just couldn’t wait 3 days to get something. (Plus, until our Apple store opened, they were the only place to buy Apple stuff).
And I have heard of sewell - aren’t they the ones with the goofy hold muzak???
Actually, the hold music is what sewell specializes in - they only do computer hardware on the side. 
I agree with you about waiting to receive stuff in the mail - it is more convenient to run to the store and pick it up. Hopefully your local store will stay around, and the ones w/ poor customer service will be the ones getting the boot.
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March 15, 2007