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Is Circuit City Eliminating The "Unbeatable Price Guarantee?"

consumerist.com — "A Circuit City manager told reader Ryan that the "unbeatable price guarantee" will soon be eliminated. Ryan was asking the Circuit City in Hicksville, NY to match Best Buy's price for an Arrested Development DVD; though the cashier refused to honor the policy."

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  • HA5TY, on 10/10/2007, -37/+2Another reason to use Limewire and The Pirate Bay
    • MasterThief117, on 10/10/2007, -1/+20Until you can download hardware and other consumer electronics, your idea is flawed.
    • nectom, on 10/10/2007, -6/+3are you retarded or something? Maybe live under power lines as a child?
      • mrsark, on 10/10/2007, -2/+2are you? power lines have no effect on anything..
    • DollaDollaBill, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2Arrested Development should always be paid for. That show was amazing.
  • DamageInc, on 10/10/2007, -2/+36More like another reason to use Amazon, Newegg, and other online retailers with good prices. Good luck downloading that new LCD Monitor or Digital Camera you want on LimeWire or TPB.
  • Homoomo, on 10/10/2007, -1/+7Ive had nothing but bad experiences with Circuit City so this is not surprising at all to me
    • atavist, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3I don't know. They seem like the lesser of two evils when compared to bestbuy. Fry's is by far better but I have to travel 90mi to go to one... sigh.
  • DCB360, on 04/11/2008, -1/+17"I am the wolrd's first professional analrapist" Good choice of a DVD.

    I'm not a big fan of that store. I prefer Best Buy.
    • jmpeagle, on 10/10/2007, -1/+9Tobias: "I am afraid I just blue myself"
      Michael: "There has got to be a better way to say that."
    • datastorageguy, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2Ug I hate Best Buy. The only store I could go to and have some confidence they would have what I was looking for was Comp Usa....they are down to only one store in Massachusetts now and it is too far away.
  • HA5TY, on 10/10/2007, -6/+3I meant for DVDs and Cds....He did say he was buying a movie
  • zeabrid, on 10/10/2007, -1/+13I work for the company, and I can say that this is completely false.

    There has been a small problem around the country with store managers telling their associates not to match certain things (CD's, etc) to make budgets - the policy is true and is not coming down.
    • raybury, on 10/10/2007, -1/+1Have you heard the "as long as the signs are up" language before? I suspect it is just some idiot manager repeating a phrase he's heard, and was meant by the original speaker to mean into the indefinite future, i.e. there is no plan to change.
    • altcountryman, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Alienating a customer to make an additional $3 on a CD might help their stores make this quarter's budget, but it's gonna kill them in the longer term. That same customer is going to buy his big new flat screen at Best Buy next month.

      Given recent results, it's clear that CC need to compete better, not nickel and dime its way to success.

      FWIW, I'm not trying to be anti-Circuit City, I'd be saying this to any company doing the same thing.

  • JackPallance, on 10/10/2007, -0/+22Price Matching is rigged anyway. For electronics (like the Polaroid 32" TV at Walmart for 668.00) the retailers go to the manufacturers to get shipments with an extra letter at the end so that they all have "different" lineups on the shelf. Circuit City won't price match a Polaroid 32" LCD TV you see advertised at Walmart for $60.00 less because the competitor's model (which is *exactly* the same as Best Buy's or Circuit Citys, except for the last character of the model number) is different.
    • Jofaba, on 10/10/2007, -0/+6That actually makes a lot of sense. I never thought of that before. I knew that Radio Shack got "company specific" models made but I never thought of them ordering products with special model numbering sequences in order to avoid Price Matching. Genius. +1 for the revelation!

      That may sound sarcastic but it isn't. Sorry if it's misunderstood.
    • onlyclave, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2That is exactly true. Pioneer makes a plasma TV with model PDP4280HD which is sold at one store and PDP4281HD which is sold at another store at a different price. These 2 TVs are EXACTLY the same, the model number just indicates what retailer buys them and gives price protection to both sellers.
    • raybury, on 10/10/2007, -3/+0I've been out of electronics retail for a healthy number of years, but there were certainly instances where the $60 Brandosonic 82518 boom box at K-Mart looked a lot like the $70 Brandosonic 82528 boom box at my department store, but mine had better tweeters that were maybe worth an extra $10 to the class of people who shopped my store versus K-Mart anyway.
    • DeFex, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1It is true. there is a monitor called "LG L245W" which is sold in best buy and future shop as "LG L246W" it is exactly the same thing.
  • LonesomeFighter, on 10/10/2007, -4/+6i don't know if you guys have compared Best Buy prices with Circuit City prices recently, but I tend to find Circuit City to always be cheaper, even if only by a $1.
    • drmangrum, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3I've been looking at one of the Sharp Aquos sets, BB is $100 cheaper.
    • LaughingDjinn, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1First off I worked at a Ciruity CIty for 3 years. They are almost always better on DVD deals espically if you buy the first week the movie is out, generally 13.9., Tv's and big ticket items are always a toss up with big box stores, depends on what your looking it. It won't be consistent with one being cheaper it will be who is running the best sale currently on the item you happen to be looking at. Circuit may have a great Deal on a few DLP's while BB may have the best deals on LCD's that week.
  • IceJelly, on 10/10/2007, -1/+5Although Circuit City is cheaper their customer service is horrible, and it usually takes five minutes to find the guy with the damn key to open the case with the good 360 games in it.
    And yes the guy did not honor the "unbeatable price" thing when I was buying Forza Motorsport 2.
    • Biggbrother2, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Which is dumb because Best Buy has their games on regular racks, even new releases. Come to think of it, most mall apparel stores, for example, have merchandise worth hundreds of dollars each, right near the store entrance, and the registers are way at the back of the store. So this is just a dumb policy by CC.
      • plizard, on 10/10/2007, -0/+0yeah but best buy's selection is crap the majority of the time and they hardly ever have reserves of games and stock up on the crap games no one wants.
      • SkippyDoorknob, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Some Best Buys do have the new games locked up in cabinets.
      • s1mph0ny, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Mall apparel stores run on 500% profit margins. Their hundred dollar merchandise won't cost them near that if it gets stolen.
    • szembek, on 10/10/2007, -1/+1He saw weakness in you so he did not honor the policy. If there is a giant sign saying they'll price match and you don't hold them to it, then you are a moron.
      • Techmoments, on 10/10/2007, -0/+0I didn't see the sign the FIRST time I went in, which is why i didn't question it.
  • whatthefu, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4That picture really sets the mood..
    • astrotrain, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1"A shadow shall fall over the universe, and evil will grow in its path, and death will come from the skies."
      -Narrator (Heavy Metal)
  • landohlakes, on 10/10/2007, -1/+5And Circuit City wonders why no one shops there anymore.
  • Error601, on 10/10/2007, -3/+4Yea, because some shift manager at some stores sets corporate policy. The consumerist is such a pile of *****.
  • OJdidntdoIT, on 10/10/2007, -3/+3Fry's!
  • john2kx, on 10/10/2007, -0/+6dugg because there's an actual town named Hicksville.
    • XHashmeerX, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1It's funny, because I've lived on Long Island, where Hicksville is located, all my life and never thought twice about it for a LONGGG time. It's far from being a hick town though!
  • withoutashovel, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1unless it's a new hdtv or something, costco works for me. they even got hd-dvds and blu-ray players now so you know they're not that far behind other stores. too bad they dont have that unlimited return policy anymore.
  • postal21, on 10/10/2007, -0/+10I work at circuit city and I match prices everyday... you get 10% more of the difference in price if you ask, otherwise we just price match.

    Its not a big deal to price match, just the competitor cannot be web-based, a club store (like sams), and the store has to be in the area. Also the item must be in stock so we have to call them, or check their stock somehow.

    I try to go to the extra mile at my store to help the customers, but electronics retail is more competitive then ever. The internet pricing is destroying the retailers and there is no margins to be made on any items. Circuit City has been bleeding badly because of it and has been revamping the way they do things heavily. They/we strive to provide good customer service, but corporate doesnt always allow us enough staff to man the floors to effectively help customers and then when things are going smoothly we still do Mail-in-Rebates.. also everything on our own website is cheaper so we have to mess with that constantly, somethings are "web only specials" which we cant match price (dumbest thing ever for the consumer).
    • drifter, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2Also hire better workers. I was at a Circuit City 2 days ago. I saw my friend who I haven't seen in a great deal. I chat with him not even 10 minutes. while next to a rack of items I was going to look at and atleast purchase something.

      An employee came over and said exactly "Are you guys going to buy something or just chit chat all day" I couldnt believe how rude he said it and the fact that he did considering we werent in the way of anyone. Also the fact that I see moms everyday in that store talking it up and they get told nothing.

      I called him a prick and went to Best Buy not to far away.
  • mt2k3, on 10/10/2007, -2/+6I stopped shopping at CC when they wouldn't honor THEIR OWN prices...

    A BT dongle was on their website for 19.99...in the store it was 29.99, I asked politely if they could honor the web price, to which I was told "NO"...

    I asked for a manager who also said "NO" and that I could either go home, buy it online, and pick it up in store, or use the public demo pc in the back of the store which "uses SSL and is secure" (YEEEAH OK...)...

    I left, went to Staples, and paid 19.99 for the same dongle...that was the last time I bought anything at CC and will forever remain the LAST time...
    • DvS01, on 10/10/2007, -0/+5"that was the last time I bought anything at CC and will forever remain the LAST time..."

      As it should be. The companies who are the most consumer friendly and offer competitive prices should be the ones that survive and thrive. Customer satisfaction should be at the top of EVERY companies list.

      The last time I was in Circuit City it was a ghost town. There were plenty of employees milling around, but none offered assistance. It was the last time I shopped there.
    • adml_shake, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2You must be new to the world of retail then. Thats a common pracitce that most stores do. Staples is just as guilt as CC or BB. I've tried getting a desk in staples that was 20 bucks cheaper on the website and the store manager wouldn't give it to me.
      • mt2k3, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1At my local Staples, my mother actually went in for a desk that substantially cheaper online than in the store, and they honored the online price no questions asked.

        This is partly why I've moved back to shopping at local specialty stores, because typically, there are only a few locations, (if there is even more than a single location) and the service is typically the same across the board (whether good or bad...I give all stores one chance, and if the service is good I stick with them until it changes)
  • brstilson, on 10/10/2007, -1/+3Price guarantees are such a crock anyway. Manufacturers purposely make products with different model numbers for different stores. For example, a Compaq Desktop at Best Buy might have the model number 9915us, but at Circuit City the same machine will be a 9916us. They could be identical in every way, but the stores won't compete with prices because the model number is different. This is how it's set up with almost everything. The so-called "competition" is rigged from the start.
  • soulpunisher, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1This is weird because I work at Circuit City part time and we still do 110% to beat out other stores. We have been cutting prices like crazy too plus letting people talks us down in prices too just to get product moving out of our store. I can only think that those stores don't have good managers or something because my store still honors that 110% and lets you talk us down in price just to get the sale and to bring Circuit City's rep back up. Sorry to hear that this happen to someone. I hate to see this kind of thing happen no matter which retail store it happens at, you should always take care of the customer just my opinion.
    • s1mph0ny, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1That's because it's still corporate policy to do so. The store manager mentioned in the article is likely about to get fired.
  • figshta, on 10/10/2007, -4/+2I usually like to refer to them as Circum City and Best Bribe! Not only is it fun, it expresses my distaste for these big box stores.
    • crxyem, on 10/10/2007, -0/+0I always refer to Circuit City as Circuit *****
  • DJosephDesign, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1I would get frustrated with Circuit City's policy because their pre-purchase guarantee is only 100%, but their post-purchase guarantee is 110%. Several times, I've bought something to go back five minutes later and request the 110% price match.
  • plizard, on 10/10/2007, -3/+3circuit city is still in business?
    • joshhan, on 10/10/2007, -0/+0yep, CC is still in business. Silo is the one that went out of business.

      banner ads crack me up. BB & CC ads at the top of the digg page. :)
  • mydigga, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2Don't worry about price matching... one day you'll be able to buy everything you need at the local Wal-Mart... communists
    • s1mph0ny, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Yeah, and their first generation radeon cards are only $85! What's that, don't like ati? You can get a Geforce 3 for only $90.
  • psykiv, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Personally, I never really cared much for the 10%. Glad to see they're not stopping the pricematch policy completely. In the once every 6 months or so I buy from CC, I buy online then pricematch in store. So far I've also gotten 3 of those $24 gift cards for not being ready in 24 minutes. The best time to order and go is right before closing. They are pretty much dying to leave and go home, so they shouldn't give you too much of a hard time if you ask them about the $24 giftcard, if they did take more than 24 minutes. If you go in the middle of the day, they are more likely to reject it and tell you it was ready within the 24 minutes (even if it wasn't)
  • mre5765, on 10/10/2007, -1/+1Looks like it is time to short CC stock.
  • jb2point0, on 10/10/2007, -1/+3Hey, if all you douchebags continue to worry about is "Ooo, lowest price," wave goodbye to customer service, because you don't deserve the respect given in customer service. Big box or not, you can't expect a business to bleed for you while they're apologizing for your sandy vaginas. Out here, Circuit City doesn't skimp at all on the price match guarantee. As for the 24 minute policy, there's no way they can fake that, their warehouse has to physically scan the item in when they pull it up, so if you don't believe the item was up in time, ask to see when the item was scanned. The policy also doesn't work out if you come for your item beyond thirty minutes after the purchase. You idiots who are all "Ner, big box bad" with no REAL reason for complaining can go blow yourselves, because aside from specific stores, Circuit City isn't that bad.
  • Treoinmypocket, on 10/10/2007, -1/+1@mre5765

    That time came already - you must have hit the snooze button...
    • szembek, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1If you feel the need to reply to a comment, use the ***** 'reply' link. You are now out of context and shall be buried.
  • fatlip, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1i used to go to that same store all the time for *****! aside from this whole thing, the customer service there is nothing beyond awful. they're slow, they're rude, and they fight with you over every penny.
  • BIGHED, on 10/10/2007, -0/+0When I worked there, we had a department manager who was so ignorant it was mind blowing. He typed using the "Two Finger" method, would always ignore customers, sit in the back and play Halo 2 for hours, and didn't even know how to fully operate the DPS system-- which is their computer system used for just about everything.
    Needless to say, incredibly uneducated; actually every manager I knew didn't complete one year of college..........anyway. Now he runs the store, and makes about 100k a year with monthly bonuses, mainly off of screwing you (the consumer) over.

    Moral of the story,
    "***** School mommy, I wanna work at Circuit City!"
    • joshhan, on 10/10/2007, -0/+0"More DPS...hit it like you mean it"
  • flair1, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1I went into the CC in Cary, NC last week to buy a GPS. The associate for that department was on the phone. Another associate opened the case and brought the GPS to this guy to ring up. He would not ring it up until he finished his phone call. After about 10 minutes I told him that I was out of time and did not want the GPS any longer. He said "Ok, no problem". And this was with at least 10 other associates looking around doing nothing.

    I don't think I will be returning to CC.
  • GamePunk429, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2As a employee for circuit city for over 2 years now, I cant understand sometimes how these stories come up. I am a In-Store Firedog technician, and I work at the smallest store in our district and the one corporate practically ***** on. But we definitely our known in our area for great customer service, in fact people go out of their way to stop by our store to talk to our veteran sales people before buying a TV at Best Buy (which we don't really care where they buy it from). As for the price match at our store we price match and lower stuff so much its kinda scary. Most managers price adjust without asking any questions. The only time we can't price adjust is when its online, a club store, or the other store has none in stock. But I'm sure there are managers out there like this who don't want to piss off their bosses especially with all the firings that are going around in the company, no job is truly safe anymore.
  • turbovince, on 10/10/2007, -0/+0Worst stores ever.
  • mrmanager07, on 10/10/2007, -0/+0dugg because he was buying arrested development
  • astrotrain, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1www.buy.com

    ...because shopping at Best Buy or Circuit City is like shopping at a store run by Marx Brothers or The Stooges.
  • VeganG, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Even with the policy, trying to price match something at Circuit City is a lesson in futility.
  • Hellmark, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1I know Toys R Us used to have a police like that too, and it was recently axed. Corporate was bitching it was making them lose too much money.
  • jveezy, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1"I'm afraid I prematurely shot my wad on what appeared to be a dry run, if you will so now I'm afraid I have something of a mess on my hands."

    Right. The guy in the $6000 store uniform is going to match the price for a guy who doesn't make that much in a week. COME ON!
  • liuite, on 10/10/2007, -0/+0I went to my local Sears and asked them to pricematch tirerack.com price and they refused...the lame excuse was the web page said "special". now that's lame, if it said "clearence" then it may be acceptable if the PM policy states that they won't pricematch clearence price....special could mean a sale and not a clearence.
  • elementfire, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1I've been price-matching at Circuit City and Best Buy for years now, but they've never offered an extra 10% or whatever. It's just never asked for, and never given.
  • anoriega, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1I work at Circuit City, and

    1) It's not hard to get the price match, just ask and show the ad and we'll check if they have it in stock.
    2) The extra 10% is NOT 10% of the price, it's 10% of the DIFFERENCE - i.e. something price matched $10 down to $8 would get you an extra $0.20 off (10% of the $2 difference).
    3) You only get the extra 10% if you ask for it, just like with the price match; but it's not hard to get, it IS the policy - don't let one CSA at a store in Hicksville influence what you think.
  • Grizwold99, on 10/10/2007, -0/+0I too have not had any luck with the 24 minute rule. even after an hour when they don't have the right items pulled and you point out to them that they should honor the 24 minute guarantee the "customer service manager" who's name was William refused to honor the 24 minute rule. (he said the customer had to be waiting in the store for 24 minutes, and that an hour since the e-mail confirmation was sent was not enough to get the $24 credit)

    Bad exp with Circuit City. It has really gotten worse since their cut backs releasing all the "highest paid" people may have also laid off all of their best people.
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