mifuneral

As someone else pointed out, I doubt many people ONLY get those items when they got to Circuit City. Perhaps that is their only *reason* for going in, but once they are in the store they may buy other things. If they don't, then Circuit City does not have an effective store layout or customer service. The sale item is just to get people in the door- everything after that is out of the control of the sales ad and rests completely on the abilities of the store itself. If the store sucks, it has no one else to blame for fewer sales than itself.

Moreover, I find your continued use of the term "loss-leaders" to be amusing. I do not believe that Circuit City takes a loss on ANY of its items, whether they are on sale or not.

Banky

Why hasn't Speedy responded to any of this?

Trevor

I thought it was well established that any new release priced under $15 was probably selling at below what the store pays.

mifuneral

1. Well established where?

2. New releases are rarely below 15 anyway. They tend to be 16.99 or higher.

speedy1961

Simply because when the lockdown first hit, I was somewhat stunned. After all, I've been doing this more or less successfully for two years now. I played by the rules and thought I was doing three important things:

1. Giving a folks a real chance to save some hard earned cash by using my intel to provide which of three major retailers had the best price or incentives on new commodities that we here at DVDTalk (as well as other places) love to aquire / play / enjoy in our free time.


2. Answering questions about said items on sale in a manner that not only reassured the questioner (especially if they had a bad experience with a retailer before) about what was pictured, the terms of deals, any quantity limits, etc. I honestly feel that I succeeded in the question answering portion well above my wildest dreams and that it in turn brought about salient point #3.


3. I established a symbiotic relationship between those sites that publish my intel and also with those retailers that I was examining each and every week. I rarely, if ever, denigrated any of these the companies and I honestly believe that I helped to (A) drive business to said retailers and (B) increase membership here at DVDTalk and other areas on the internet.


I certainly did NOT choose to become an Internet celebrity which was the end result my stating in my weekly post that the PS3 $100 price cut was indeed listed in the Circuit City ad and also later in the Target ad and finally in Best Buy's ad.

That singular event may have intensified the spotlight to a point where I no longer keep my "deep throat" or invisible status. For those that followed that story, the first indication of the price drop was from an anonymous Circuit City manager who went on the record for an Internet game site. Next appeared an actual ad scan watermarked with the letters NSX or NFX (I forget which). After that, I published my weekly thread and the rest you know. Most Game sites were quite complimentary on my accuracy during the past two years and I think that my reliability record, finally convinced the gaming world that the price cut would indeed become fact.

Those here at DVDTalk as well other areas out in the internet ether already knew how reliable my weekly threads were, which of course helps to prove point #3 above. Folks were joining to read my weekly scribblings and then go to the three retailers I cover and spend money and hoping leave said retailer knowing they got the best possible deal available at the time based on cost and ALSO based on what that particular consumer valued most (whether it be a lenticular cover, a specialized figure ala Hellboy, or a gaming guide, etc.).


I thought long and hard upon what what I just stated above and finally chose to write if for you all to read. It is in no way intended to be an example of me "tooting my own horn" but rather the way I've come up with to keep all the events that have transpired in perspective.


Now to answer Banky's question:

I believe that at the present time that Geoff's advice for everyone to be patient is the best advice I could follow at this time. I do not want to further antagonize the grumpy "lion" as it were.

I'm looking into a few avenues for legal precedent into this unique area and have reached out to a few contacts in my real life circle.

I want you ALL to know that while I'm silent for the moment that I'm still here with you all. I too, am appalled at this course of actions and hope that it can be overturned and be revealed as a cowardly action that I believe it to be.

Plus there is the First Ammendment issue at stake here. I particularly like littlemiss' open letter to Circuit City. Perhaps if they (CC) knew how you guys feel about their operations, they might re-think their position.



Anyway, many gracious thanks to those that have written / e-mailed me. Your kind words have been most comforting during this strenous time. Again, I'm still with you ALL. Let's see how this plays out.

Speedy1961~~~~

Pizza

Many thanks to you Speedy for all your hard work.

speedy1961

Sorry....

My apologies littlemiss but thanks.

Groucho

Long thread, I haven't read every post, but I'd like to play devil's advocate since nobody is taking CC's side. The reason they want to block this is because it's not just the consumers that can see the info -- it's their competitors as well.

darkside

From what I have heard they know about their competitors ads well in advance so they have ways of getting that information outside the internet. I honestly think this really started with the PS3 price drop and then again with the Xbox one. CC probably had to take some heat for the leak and that is why they are taking action.

I understand the CC desire to protect their ads, but they can not do it by stomping on the first amendment.

These leaks probably are happening because the ads have to be printed and submitted early to the newspapers for publication. Another example of old media being unable to deal with the 21st century.

Trevor

Yep, we've covered that aspect Groucho, and a few other reasons why CC has the right to do this.

The more I think about it, there is NO reason why any company would want their ad prices released early. Sure they should not mind them being posted on the net on Sat/Sun, the more discussion the merrier. But early? It hurts them in multiple areas.
The big one besides the competition one you mentioned, is the price matching aspect. A lot of people were buying things early and then going back and pricematching, getting an extra 10% savings.

So I hate to say it, but if CC doesn't want their prices posted early, then that is their right, and we shouldn't complain.

:ducks:

WallyOPD

There's a lot of things Circuit City might not want to have happen, the question is whether they have the legal right to prevent them from happening.

MadonnasManOne

This is where anyone defending Circuit City, or any other retailer for that matter, is wrong. If the store offers a Price Match guarantee, then it is the consumers right to take advantage of it. This is their way to try to keep people from going to their competitor. If the consumer is going to use this to their advantage, it doesn't matter if they find out what the store prices are weeks in advance, or the day of the sale. The consumer is not going to stop using the Price Match guarantee. If you are a consumer, like myself, who shops for the best prices, then it doesn't matter when they see the ad. So, arguing that people are buying the product early, then going back to Price Match, and get the 10% discount, is void. The store offers this guarantee, no matter if the consumer buys the product early (usually within 30 days), or after the sale ad comes out. It's written in their Price Match guarantee, and is not affected by when the consumer found out about the price.

If Circuit City is worried about the effect of their Price Match guarantee on their sales, then, they need to stop offering it. They are not going to do that, because they want your business. Stop defending Circuit City. They are not losing sales because the ads are posted a few days early. If anything, they are gaining more customers. If a consumer isn't going to shop at Circuit City, it's not because we are, or are not, seeing the ad prices early. It's because of one of the MANY reasons people have already stated for not shopping at Circuit City.

My main reason is, as most others, that you can't find a sales associate. I would have better luck finding someone to help me off the street, than I would at Circuit City.

thursdaynighter

We're in your corner, Speedy! CC has lost my future business.

littlemiss

I don't wish to put any one in a position of speaking when they should not (i.e. Speedy and Geoff), but does any one think it's a good idea to focus our efforts on a letter writing campaign to CC?

If anyone couldn't guess from my open letter, I quite fed up with CC and their poor service. Perhaps if they become aware that Speedy was doing them a favor by driving customers to their stores, it might make a difference.

I suggest if others would like to do this, we write letters via snail mail. Yes, snail mail. Email complaints do not work. And a large volume of snail mail will make an impact. Beside what's 41 cents? Especially after all of the cash Speedy has saved us!

I suggest we write letters to:

Philip J. Schoonover, CEO
-or-
George Danny Clark, Executive Vice President & President of Circuit City-Retail Stores
c/o Circuit City Corporate Office
9950 Mayland Drive
Richmond, VA 23233

If you decide to write, please be respectful in your letter. State the main reasons why you are dissatisfied with Circuit City's customer service and tehir legal action against DVDtalk.com. Be clear and reasonable. Do not call names.

Geoff, if you think this is out of line or will cause more trouble--please feel free to delete my post!

Thank you!


------------------------------

In my letter I will include something like this:

For many years I have been dissatisfied with Circuit City. When I visit the store on a Tuesday (around noon) to purchase a new release, I am often unable to locate it because the employees have not unpacked the boxes. If I cannot find the DVD I am looking for, I search for an employee who often avoids helping me or finally pulls out the DVD from a box behind the counter.

To checkout, I must visit customer service, even though there is a cash register in the DVD section. I know that the clerks used to ring up my purchase there, but they no long seem to be allowed to do this. At customer service, the checkout process is excruciatingly slow--especially for someone who is only purchasing one DVD. I could understand a slow checkout for a big ticket item, but it should not take more than ten to fifteen minutes to ring up my DVD for $29.99. I know from experience that checkout at Target and Best Buy that their checkout process is quite efficient. As I am being checked out, I ask the clerk about my free gift with purchase (for example, a free mass market paperback with my Alias DVD or an iTunes gift card with Arrested Development). Your employees attempt to argue with me that I am wrong. At this point, I must produce your ad to show them that I am correct.

The highlights of any given visit to Circuit City include not being able to locate my DVD, poor customer service, and a painfully slow checkout. After this same scenario happened on multiple occasions, I made the choice to stop shopping at Circuit City because I was left feeling like your company was trying to discourage my business. So if Circuit City offered a lower price in their ad on any given week, I took my ad to Best Buy, Walmart, or Shopko because any one of these stores would match the price, offer better customer service, and a faster checkout.

Within the last few months, I've followed the forums on DVDtalk.com. I appreciated the posts that listed the comparison prices of different retailers. Because of these posts, I decided to return to Circuit City. While none of my previous problems with Circuit City had been resolved, I continued to tough it out and keep shopping there. Within the last few months, I have purchased seven seasons of Seinfeld on sale, three seasons of Arrested Development for gifts, and several seasons of Futurama among other DVDs from Circuit City.

On Tuesday, I will be purchasing Rome season 2 and Muppet Show season 2 for about $85.58. I've seen the prices in the ads in my Sunday paper, and I had previous knowledge of them courtesy of a poster at DVDtalk.com.

As a consumer I have a choice to make, I could spend the exact same amount of money on these DVDs at Best Buy, Target, or Circuit City because no one company offers a lower price than the others. Thanks to Circuit City's decision to instigate a legal matter against DVDtalk.com about posting the ads ahead of time, I will not buy my DVDs from Circuit City this week. Nor will I purchase my copy of Heroes, Prison Break season 2, Ugly Betty, or season three of The Office when they come out within the next few weeks.

Chances are when I go to Best Buy this Tuesday; I will pick up the Walt Disney Treasures box set of Goofy short cartoons for $29.99. I may consider buying Darkwing Duck on DVD as well. I apologize Circuit City, if you had these title in stock I would have bought it from you along with my other DVDs.

Due to the fact that Circuit City has shut down people who shared the ad ahead of time and all of the other factors listed, I feel like I can no longer give you my business. The poster in question did you a favor by driving business to your store. Having knowledge of your prices ahead of time helped me make an informed decision about how to budget my entertainment purchases. I'll still have that knowledge from the Sunday ads, but Circuit City has left lingering bad feeling because of their attack on DVDtalk.com. If the ads will no longer be allowed to be posted ahead of time at DVDtalk.com, I will not continue to shop at your store.

dpz301

Boooooooooooo to CC!!!!!!!!

(under why they did it though)

VinceGlortho

I can add this about all the places too, they never have every new release in. This includes the older films many don't hear about. some do have an interest but they purposely understock and in their system have a cheaper price and make others who don't have online purchasing suffer for not having it the prime week so one missed deal is more in the pocket for them.

stingermck

They should be more concerned how their ads do not reflect current stock. Hardboiled/Stranglehold deal comes to mind. Oh well, another useless store

Puzznic

Exactly. You can be at the store the first minute they open on Sunday and have about a 25% chance of getting something that just went on sale. It's pretty much textbook bait and switch, and Circuit City is the only store where I have this problem.

cerial442

I thought my Circuit City was the only one where you have to go to the customer service desk to check out. The Hard Boiled situation was the last straw for me. I don't really see a big reason to go there anymore. I mean looking at the list of $3.99 DVDs, Target and Best Buy have most of the same ones on sale.

Groucho

Let's not get overdramatic here. There are certain things the first amendment doesn't cover...copyright violations are one of them.

I'm a big fan of speedy and the ads (helped me get a Wii), but I knew it was only a matter of time before somebody cracked down. The PS3 scoop was the straw that broke the camel's back.

nlyonssmith

You do/did both of these for me. Thank you.

matome

Pretty crappy on CC's part. Anyway kudos to Speedy for saving me lots of $, no matter what happens.

hwanch

I don't understand what CC expects to get out of this.

There are quite a few instances where I can get something for cheaper online rather then going through BB, Target, or CC, but I choose to get items at the retailers because the prices are similar enough, and I don't mind paying a few extra bucks to pick it up right there instead of waiting for the mail. For me, I don't have time to go to all the retailers to see what they have on sale so if I don't know the prices before hand, I just buy it online. If it wasn't for speedy, my money would have gone to Amazon or other online competitors.

Whatever happens, thanks speedy for all your work. I hope you and DVDTalk get through this ok.

CaptStormy

Amazing letter Littlemiss. And I too have little reason to frequent Circuit City in the future since I base my buying decisions ahead of time thanks to Speedy's posts.

Jeremy517

Circuit City isn't owned by the government. This has nothing to do with the First Amendment. Is it stupid? Yes. Is it a first amendment issue? No.