Fry's Electronics shutting their doors?

[spacejamz]

Sucks if this is true.

They were never the same after the motherboard/cpu combo rebate scandal awhile back

Fry's Electronics rumored to permanently close nationwide tonight

The American software and consumer electronics store is closing its doors for good.

www.shacknews.com

 

[UsandThem]

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.

 

[BoomerD]

I guess it always sucks when any retailer folds...but I won't miss Fry's. They've been one of the worst places to shop for a couple of decades. I got stung by one of their motherboard/cpu combos in the 90's...and saw a shit-ton of merchandise on the shelves that had been returned for one reason or another...usually defective or fucked up by the previous purchaser.

 

[Sonikku]

They've had basically no stock for a couple years. The writing was on the wall when they had to change to a consignment system in which a vendor wouldn't make money until they shipped it to them and it sold, pointing to a cash crunch. Judging by the negligible uptick in stock since, few vendors jumped at the chance. In short, Newegg and Amazon eat their lunch. And once the parking lots went empty, they should have called it quits right then and there. Because once consumers move on, they tend not to ever come back.

 

[shortylickens]

As much as I hear about them every day, I have never once set foot in any of their stores. I dont even know where to find their stores.

 

[Meghan54]

I guess it always sucks when any retailer folds...but I won't miss Fry's. They've been one of the worst places to shop for a couple of decades. I got stung by one of their motherboard/cpu combos in the 90's...and saw a shit-ton of merchandise on the shelves that had been returned for one reason or another...usually defective or fucked up by the previous purchaser.

I learned to check any pc part before I left the parking lot for being used. Most of the time it was the cpu that was used and being sold as new. You could catch a trace of thermal paste if you looked closely...they never cleaned them very well.

But I built dozens upon dozens of computers when Fry's was doing those ECS mb/cpu combos. And as cheap as those mb's were, I had only one failure...at least up till 2012. After that, unknown.

And thank goodness also had/have access to Microcenter.

 

[Exterous]

They had some great deals over the years (and sadly many which were in store only) but they haven't been the same for the last several years. Hopefully Microcenter stays around

 

[Amol S.]

They got their shelf's fried

 

[snoopy7548]

In other news, Circuit City is back?

https://www.circuitcity.com/

 

[microAmp]

Surprised but not surprised. There were a couple of times I went there in the Houston area a couple years ago they didn't have the product in stock. Makes it a less incentive to drive there only to walk away empty.

 

[Meghan54]

They got their shelf's fried

From what I remember, and I'm not researching it again at this date, the company that owns Tiger Direct bought the Circuit City name in bankruptcy proceedings. They also bought the CompUSA name. I've been to two Circuit City B&M stores and one CUSA. Nowhere near as nice as Fry's was...and I wouldn't consider Fry's a "nice" store...at least the ones in GA. Waaay below Microcenter as far as staff, selection, stock, variety, etc., etc.

 

[SKORPI0]

I haven't been in Fry's (Concord, CA) like 5 years. Can't recall the last time I visited the Downers Grove, IL 25 miles NW to me.

Fry’s Electronics permanently closes all stores nationwide

It is unclear at this time why the company is closing.

www.kron4.com

 

[microAmp]

In other news, Circuit City is back?

https://www.circuitcity.com/

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

 

[Jimzz]

Yep its on CNN now...

New York (CNN Business)Fry's Electronics suddenly closed all of its stores overnight, ending a nearly four-decade run in business.
The company, which had 31 stores across nine US states, said in a statement on its website that it "made the difficult decision to shut down its operations and close its business permanently" because of changing consumer shopping habits and the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Fry's Electronics suddenly went out of business

Fry's Electronics suddenly closed all of its stores overnight, ending a nearly four-decade run in business.

www.cnn.com

God help us if Microcenter closes next. I have one near me and buy my CPUs/Boards from them.

 

[spacejamz]

Looks like the article was correct...Here is the Frys web site now:

 

[IronWing]

I've only been in a Frys Electronics once and didn't buy anything. I was staying in Phoenix and needed to buy orange juice.

 

[ultimatebob]

From what I heard, their shelves have been empty for months. I'm amazed that it took this long.

 

[spacejamz]

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

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

 

[nisryus]

I will miss it. It was part of my teenage years when me and my friends would go there once a week.

RIP Frys.

 

[BarkingGhostar]

The one in my county closed 3-4 years ago and the building they were in is now a car dealership. Personally while I liked Frys in the beginning, that all changed the first and only time I tried to get them to price match a local retailer, which was also a national chain store. They gave me the stink eye like I had no right to ask for a price match and wouldn't get it unless they could verify 'by phone' which ultimately was a failure. Now compare this to Micro Center where I can get them to price match Amazon and NewEgg as they'll just pull up those websites, find the deal I am asking them to match and its a done deal.

Customer Service is everything and Frys never learned that lesson.

 

[Svnla]

I went to the one in Dallas (highway 12) and it was huge. That place was "Incredible Universe" before Fry's took over. Less and less of B+M stores and more and more online.

 

[AdamK47]

The Micro Center near me in Cincinnati seems to be doing well. At least from what I see when I go there. Many people shopping there. More so in the past year.

 

[thestrangebrew1]

I haven't been in Fry's (Concord, CA) like 5 years.

This was the only one I had ever been to. Used to go there frequently while I was going to school and living in the area early 2000s. I haven't been in it since around 2005.

 

[Captante]

They've had basically no stock for a couple years. The writing was on the wall when they had to change to a consignment system in which a vendor wouldn't make money until they shipped it to them and it sold, pointing to a cash crunch. Judging by the negligible uptick in stock since, few vendors jumped at the chance. In short, Newegg and Amazon eat their lunch. And once the parking lots went empty, they should have called it quits right then and there. Because once consumers move on, they tend not to ever come back.

I have no comment regarding Fry's B&M stores specifically since there's never been one near me here in Connecticut ... made a couple online purchases from them I believe but that's about it.

However Best Buy is a shining example of (somewhat shockingly) how to get it right. For awhile it really looked like BB was going the way of Circuit City and Comp-USA with customers clearly having moved on, but apparently they had an amazing 2020.

Obviously some of the BB comeback was fueled by the pandemic but that's not the only reason they are thriving. IMO it's the very effective job they have done integrating the website with the stores. BB is now my FIRST stop for most electronics/computer stuff since nothing beats the instant-gratification of getting my toys an hour after ordering them! (PLUS usually at a fair price with local returns if there's an issue)

Stores like Fry's, Sears, JC Penny etc that are stuck in a 1990's/early 2k's retail mentality deserve to go out of business. BB is one of a TINY minority of retailers that actually seems to "get it".

And thank goodness also had/have access to Microcenter

Closest MC's to me are in Yonkers NY and Cambridge Ma.

Since Comp-USA went away BB is all we have in CT for "Big-Box" computer stores and while BB HAS improved to a borderline-miraculous extent, they're still no Micro-Center when it comes to stocking PC stuff.

 

[quikah]

Haven't been to one in ~10yrs. They used to be awesome places though. Loved the themes they had for a lot of the stores (some were pretty weak though). Best one for me was in Burbank, CA. Sci-fi/alien invasion. Close second was the one in San Jose themed as a mayan temple.