Fry's Electronics shutting their doors?

[manly]

The last time I was at a Fry's was on New Year's Day to pick up a voltage detector. It was a literal ghost town in the store.

Speaking of ghost towns, I'm surprised we haven't heard of a final Sears liquidation yet. Wow, it looks like they went from 223 stores POST-bankruptcy re-org to 29 today. So they've been liquidating in waves instead of all at once.

Circuit City name was sold and relived by someone, same company that bought CompUSA.

That company (Systemax) was bought by another (PCM) in 2015, which was then acquired by Insight Enterprises in 2019.
According to Wikipedia, the Circuit City brand was acquired from Systemax so it is not affiliated with these companies.

 

[UsandThem]

The last time I was at a Fry's was on New Year's Day to pick up a voltage detector. It was a literal ghost town in the store.

Speaking of ghost towns, I'm surprised we haven't heard of a final Sears liquidation yet. Wow, it looks like they went from 223 stores POST-bankruptcy re-org to 29 today. So they've been liquidating in waves instead of all at once.

Eddie Lambert and his investment group needed to take their time to squeeze every extra dime out of anything Sears, so Sears and it's shareholders would be left with nothing but debt, while enriching his investment group with anything of value.

 

[Stiff Clamp]

You'd think COVID would have boosted the PC peripheral category. Guess if they can' t flourish in this environment, it's hopeless.

 

[manly]

Eddie Lambert and his investment group needed to take their time to squeeze every extra dime out of anything Sears, so Sears and it's shareholders would be left with nothing but debt, while enriching his investment group with anything of value.

This is a common narrative, and if you dig into it, you'll find that Lampert's net worth has tanked along with his Sears-related assets. Now you may well be right that his group stripped valuable real estate from the festering carcass of Sears Holdings, but I guess if his master plan was to gradually lose a TON of money by acquiring Sears and running it into the ground, then you're correct?

Those real estate holdings (Seritage Growth Properties) aren't doing much better than the carcass of Sears retail stores. Lampert is great at running things into the ground, and I'm glad he's had a master plan this whole time.

 

[andy2000]

You'd think COVID would have boosted the PC peripheral category. Guess if they can' t flourish in this environment, it's hopeless.

The last time I was in Fry's (just before Covid), they had no PC parts or peripherals to sell. The shelves that used to display motherboards, hard drives, printers, laptops, and monitors were totally empty. Even the TV section was empty. I went in for a bulk pack of 9v batteries for the smoke detectors, and they didn't even have that. I can't imagine things improved during Covid...

It's not lack of demand. I was in a Microcenter around the same time, and they were packed.

 

[PlanetJosh]

I'll miss it even though I haven't been there in about 5 years here in San Diego, California. They had a restaurant with tables inside the store back in the day with some good meals. Fresh salads too. Heck I still miss CompUSA. But only for the few minutes I'm reading the thread.

 

[Captante]

It's not lack of demand. I was in a Microcenter around the same time, and they were packed

No doubt about it ... as I mentioned previously take a peek at Best Buy's annual growth in sales per store for 2020. Crazy.

Fry's is gone mainly due to short-sighted and incompetent management.

 

[Stiff Clamp]

The last time I was in Fry's (just before Covid), they had no PC parts or peripherals to sell. The shelves that used to display motherboards, hard drives, printers, laptops, and monitors were totally empty. Even the TV section was empty. I went in for a bulk pack of 9v batteries for the smoke detectors, and they didn't even have that. I can't imagine things improved during Covid...

It's not lack of demand. I was in a Microcenter around the same time, and they were packed.

Wow. Yeah, the closest one to me is 125 miles away ... so ... I can't really monitor their supply situation. Customers will stop showing up if they're greeted with empty shelves. Granted, the store is cavernous and must be hard to fill.
I didn't know they operated so few stores in the US.
Have to say, sure would be nice to have a PC peripheral showroom nearby to try out monitors, mice, keyboards, speakers, webcams, printers, etc before buying. Maybe an Amazon-sourced showroom. Try locally, buy online.

 

[Fritzo]

Just read this. My jaw dropped. I think the lack of online sales killed them. Thinking MicroCenter might be next.

 

[Fritzo]

In other news, Circuit City is back?

https://www.circuitcity.com/

So is Montgomery Ward

https://www.wards.com/

 

[manly]

No doubt about it ... as I mentioned previously take a peek at Best Buy's annual growth in sales per store for 2020. Crazy.

Fry's is gone mainly due to short-sighted and incompetent management.

It wasn't that long ago (6-7 years?) that it was trendy to call them Worst Buy. Kudos for the turnaround over the past several years, and hope they can continue to compete successfully as commerce continues to shift online.

Wow. Yeah, the closest one to me is 125 miles away ... so ... I can't really monitor their supply situation. Customers will stop showing up if they're greeted with empty shelves. Granted, the store is cavernous and must be hard to fill.
Have to say, sure would be nice to have a PC peripheral showroom nearby to try out monitors, mice, keyboards, speakers, webcams, printers, etc before buying. Maybe an Amazon-sourced showroom. Try locally, buy online.

Best Buy has been Amazon's showroom for a while.

 

[Captante]

Best Buy has been Amazon's showroom for a while.

Best Buy will now price-match Amazon and many other online merchants (sadly not Newegg) so if they stock what I want I usually just buy it there now too.

This opposed to back in the "Worst-Buy" days where they would often refuse to price-match THEIR OWN WEBSITE! (yes really)

Also while inside the stores if you made the mistake of using wifi not cellular data to price-shop in the store, it redirected you into a "special" BB site with doctored high prices to match what they had on the shelves! (again, yes really)

 

[LikeLinus]

Fry's closes. Circuit City Is back. Game Stop is having some resurgence.

WTF IS GOING ON WITH THE WORLD STILL?!?!?!?

 

[LikeLinus]

Best Buy will now price-match Amazon and many other online merchants (sadly not Newegg) so if they stock what I want I usually just buy it there now too.

This opposed to back in the "Worst-Buy" days where they would often refuse to price-match THEIR OWN WEBSITE! (yes really)

Also while inside the stores if you made the mistake of using wifi not cellular data to price-shop in the store, it redirected you into a "special" BB site with doctored high prices to match what they had on the shelves! (again, yes really)

Truth, Best Buy has been getting a bad rap the past few years. They've been matching Amazon for quite a few years and it's been so nice to go grab something I don't have to wait for and have it in an emergency. Plus, they have a return policy where you can return it and immediate get a replacement (not that I've used it).

I realize most people hate BB, but you're not using it the right way! They actually posted their best quarter in quite a few years. Hopefully people are catching on. You REALLY don't want to lose every B&M electronic story.

 

[Stiff Clamp]

It wasn't that long ago (6-7 years?) that it was trendy to call them Worst Buy. Kudos for the turnaround over the past several years, and hope they can continue to compete successfully as commerce continues to shift online.


Best Buy has been Amazon's showroom for a while.

I move BB make it official. Sign a contract with Amazon! Might not work logistically, since BB stores aren't commodious enough for the sheer volume of Amz product.

. . .

Also while inside the stores if you made the mistake of using wifi not cellular data to price-shop in the store, it redirected you into a "special" BB site with doctored high prices to match what they had on the shelves! (again, yes really)

Sad, yet interesting. Wonder how many stores do that these days.
Think I understand the logic. Probably did that because their stores sell a particular item at differing prices depending on the part of the country ... i.e. a price the local market bears. And they wanted all stores to match the website price (or appear to) so they don't compete with themselves. Helps when a BB store employee can assure a customer the shelf price is the same as the website.

 

[PowerEngineer]

I am a bit sad to see Fry's go. Very long ago when I would travel to Santa Clara I always tried to find time to visit their Sunnyvale location. They were pretty much the only place you could get computer parts back then. On one trip I remember being very pleased to purchase a x4 CD player for $300. Yes, that long ago! 😲

 

[Puffnstuff]

Found this pic of my collection of motherboard boxes at one point...those motherboard/CPU combos were the best...View attachment 40217

bonus pic of the manual of the board of my first combo (and everyone's favorite budget board):
View attachment 40218

You took me down memory lane with Abit and DFI, two of my favs from back in the day for running AMD. My first ECS was with the 5x86 chip that won me over from the Pentium.

 

[Fritzo]

It wasn't that long ago (6-7 years?) that it was trendy to call them Worst Buy. Kudos for the turnaround over the past several years, and hope they can continue to compete successfully as commerce continues to shift online.


Best Buy has been Amazon's showroom for a while.

Yeah, Best Buy did a pretty nice change to "Local Amazon" with their online presence. They sell a lot of things now besides electronics. Hell, I bought two bidets from them on Black Friday

 

[LikeLinus]

Yeah, Best Buy did a pretty nice change to "Local Amazon" with their online presence. They sell a lot of things now besides electronics. Hell, I bought two bidets from them on Black Friday

Hating Amazon right now. (thought not for guitars, this is the first one I've ever purchased from them). They get me in to trouble too often. This is for you Fritzo, since I know you play.

NGD (OOPS): Fender Strat American Pro II Dark Night

So back in '91-'92 I was 13 or 14 years old and I talked my parents in to buying me a Fender Strat Plus. Had the lace pick-ups and was a fantastic guitar. It's really only one of two guitars that I ever regret selling. I was young, dumb and sold it a couple of years later. Always regretted it...

www.thegearpage.net

That said, I mentioned earlier that BB is not nearly as bad as people say it is now. As long as you price match, it's pretty awesome!

 

[Fritzo]

Hating Amazon right now. (thought not for guitars, this is the first one I've ever purchased from them). They get me in to trouble too often. This is for you Fritzo, since I know you play.

NGD (OOPS): Fender Strat American Pro II Dark Night

So back in '91-'92 I was 13 or 14 years old and I talked my parents in to buying me a Fender Strat Plus. Had the lace pick-ups and was a fantastic guitar. It's really only one of two guitars that I ever regret selling. I was young, dumb and sold it a couple of years later. Always regretted it...

www.thegearpage.net

That said, I mentioned earlier that BB is not nearly as bad as people say it is now. As long as you price match, it's pretty awesome!

Very nice! Love the paint job on that. Fender's lines for the last 2 years have been outstanding (Gibson too actually). Some say we're in a golden age of guitars right now

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

I'm surprised it took this long (if this time the report is accurate).

The various images and reports of their store operations over the years showed them circling the drain for roughly a decade now. However, I loved walking into their stores back in the early 2000s as it was a computer nerd's wet dream.

This. They were long dead a long time ago. They just didn't have marketing worth a shit. Catering to a "geek" crowd with brick and mortar stores also just isn't a great idea.

To be honest, I don't even know how Microcenter still stands.

Of course, Newegg went down the crapper - but Amazon has filled in for some ways.

Ultimately I also just don't give a shit like I used to. I upgrade less often. I don't care to water/phase-change cool my CPU as much. I don't care to wire loom, etc...

 

[LikeLinus]

Very nice! Love the paint job on that. Fender's lines for the last 2 years have been outstanding (Gibson too actually). Some say we're in a golden age of guitars right now

I actually want to pick up a Gibson because they are so easy to find in Nashville and I enjoyed the one I had in the past. I've heard they started plecking their frets and the QA is much better. I know for a few years a lot of people complained. Surprisingly though, the Fender appears to be in tip top shape. The only thing I didn't care much for is the push knob on the bottom tone knob. It's a little "sticky" and seems odd. It doesn't go all the way down, but it works? I dunno, I'm ignoring it for now and leaving it as is, lol.

I've seen several reviews of the AC Pro II and a lot of them say it's close to the Ultra builds and some of the best in the past few years. Unfortunately I don't have an Ultra to compare it to, but the frets are great, it plays well and the finish is beautiful. So I can't complain and I'm not going to send it back.

 

[skyking]

there was a B+M about 25 miles from my house in Renton. I'd go there and build electronics projects off the shelf, they had a ton of stuff on hand. Last time was several years ago.

 

[Fritzo]

I actually want to pick up a Gibson because they are so easy to find in Nashville and I enjoyed the one I had in the past. I've heard they started plecking their frets and the QA is much better. I know for a few years a lot of people complained. Surprisingly though, the Fender appears to be in tip top shape. The only thing I didn't care much for is the push knob on the bottom tone knob. It's a little "sticky" and seems odd. It doesn't go all the way down, but it works? I dunno, I'm ignoring it for now and leaving it as is, lol.

I've seen several reviews of the AC Pro II and a lot of them say it's close to the Ultra builds and some of the best in the past few years. Unfortunately I don't have an Ultra to compare it to, but the frets are great, it plays well and the finish is beautiful. So I can't complain and I'm not going to send it back.

Put some contact cleaner on the knob. There also may be some plastic caught in there from the shrink wrap they sometimes put on the pick guard. I've had that happen.

As for Gibson, get one pre 2006 or post 2018 for the best builds. I lucked out on my Les Paul- I bought it as a "To Me From Me" Father's day present in 2005, and it turned out that was the last year they didn't chamber the bodies, making it pretty desirable. I'd never part with it but it's worth about $1500 more than I paid for it now Those things are like shoes- you have to keep trying them out until you find one that fits. Gibson necks are all over the place as far and thickness and shape. Fender is fairly consistent, so there's not a giant difference between their C and D shaped necks,

 

[LikeLinus]

Put some contact cleaner on the knob. There also may be some plastic caught in there from the shrink wrap they sometimes put on the pick guard. I've had that happen.

As for Gibson, get one pre 2006 or post 2018 for the best builds. I lucked out on my Les Paul- I bought it as a "To Me From Me" Father's day present in 2005, and it turned out that was the last year they didn't chamber the bodies, making it pretty desirable. I'd never part with it but it's worth about $1500 more than I paid for it now Those things are like shoes- you have to keep trying them out until you find one that fits. Gibson necks are all over the place as far and thickness and shape. Fender is fairly consistent, so there's not a giant difference between their C and D shaped necks,

I'l have to check it out. I was too busy with work today to play around with it. I have an ESP Eclipse that has Fluence Modern pickups with the push/pull tone. It's buttery smooth and that's why I was a bit surprised by the fender. knob Thinking about it, you might be right about the plastic because the pick guard had plastic over it. Maybe some was blocking the movement.