Okay, so they've made a complaint, and the thread has been locked. What does this mean? Speedy can no longer post the ads from Circuit City?

Speedy is not doing anything, but, giving these places more publicity. I don't see anything wrong with it. If Circuit City wants to be so stupid, then, I say don't post their stupid ads. I simply don't shop there, anyway. Even more reason for me not to shop there, ever.

I just feel that we shouldn't have to bow down to these lawyers, when nothing illegal is being done. We get the prices a little earlier. So freaking what?!

This really makes me very angry, and I hope that this comes back to bite Circuit City, and their lawyers, in the rear!

Who cares what Circuit City thinks?
They can't even make a damn ad without screwing it up..

Amazing that they have enough money to hire lawyers to look around for stuff like this that does nothing but promote their store, but they can't hire a guy to man the checkout stand so I can checkout like a normal person and not have to go to the freaking customer service desk to buy something.

I wonder if this is fallout from speedy's posts a few weeks back breaking the PS3 pricedrop news... I remember a lot of publicity from that.

Most likely

I have no interest in CC's prices anyway. As long as we get Target's and BB's ad. I don't see where Speedy ever scans the ad anyway. I'm not sure I'm clear how one copyright's the price of something in a sales ad.

If this is true, I would never shop at CC again. I can't imagine that it is truly copyrighted material.

BTW I'm certainly not trying to attack Geoff here, he needs to run the site the way he sees fit. I don't think CC have a leg to stand on here though.

The funnies thing is I think its clear most of us would never set foot in a CC if it were not for Speedy's ads. And given the way CC have handled their 'sales' lately, it may not even be worth it.

I feel as though they are just throwing lawyers at the issue to intimidate the owners/mods into locking threads.

Also, only 1 CCity ad was locked. Why?

Yeah the only thing that could be considered copyrighted would be the ad scans, which Speedy never posted.

It's not like I needed another reason not to shop at Circuit City. But there it is! You can say all sorts of nasty things about Best Buy but at least they put product out on release day, have more of a clue about whats actually on their shelves (its all relative), and utilize a checkout system that makes sense. Oh, and they don't threaten legal action against Speedy!

...yet... though I hope you're right.

Don't they already do the same with Black Friday ads, which aren't allowed to be posted here?

In the past Best Buy would get all my business..100% of my $ went into BB bank..
with Speedy's post Circuit City started getting about 25% of my hard earned cash..

IF Speedy can not post CC's info, I'm going back to BB.. Cause if I don't know what specials CC has I'm not wasting my time going out of my way to their store!!

this is not a rant.. its the truth... His posts were helping their sales...

Let me state up front that I'm NOT defending CC but stating what I've observerd in the past concerning "sale ads".

Quite frequently the information in a "sale ad" is considered a "trade secret" due to not wanting the competition knowing the sale prices and thus undercut them to take/steal business. Nothing gets the ire of a vendor up more than the early publication of sale prices. Just look at the furor the "black friday" ads get.

In the case of CC and their current price guarantee I can see this being even MORE sensitive for the simple fact that knowing the sale price of a product a week or two in advance I can purchase it at regular price and then when the ad comes out get a refund for the difference PLUS 10%. While it's not really worth messing with something like a $10 DVD it CAN be worth it with higher priced merchandise, such as a PS3 or Wii that gets a significant price drop or a TV that goes on sale for 30% off, etc. Taking these issues into account I can see CC getting upset.

I hardly ever shop at CC because their employees are nothing but arrogant SOBs in mine, but the few times I would've gone there, I'll now go to BB and pricematch.

I could understand CC being mad if they had a store exclusive price drop..
the PS3 $$ drop was USA wide..

as far as having a competitor knowing the sale ads a week early.. each store chain has set their price in stone well before 1 week left.. the ads have to be designed & then printed & mailed to the stores before the due Sunday..

I stopped shopping at CC a while back because they never had anyone at the checkout counter. I always had to look for someone to take my money or go to the customer service desk. I'd rather pay a dollar more at BB for the convenience of no waiting.

I guarantee I'll never buy another product from CC. Their pisspoor employees and completely outdated way of doing business have pissed me off for long enough. Those early ads were the only reason they ever got any business from me.

CC can f--- off as far as I'm concerned.

Also, f--- CNET and Gamespot for most likely being the catalyst in this debacle for their story on the PS3 price drop.

It seems like many of the people who saw Speedy's post about the PS3 price drop at Circuit City predicted that Circuit City would react this way and that Geoff would respond as he did.

I blame neither.

It's best when posting anything that could be considered a trade secret to keep a low profile. Speedy has not. He knew the risk. I'm glad he'd done so for so many weeks and I'm sorry he got stopped. Do I wish that he had left out the PS3 info from that one posting, especially when warned by other people? Yes.

Disgusting news.
I'm curious to hear how speedy plans to handle this?

FWIW, my company (not CC) considers things like upcoming pricing or products as proprietary, private information, and one can be fired for releasing it if you're not allowed to or if it's at the wrong time. Pricing information, especially timelimited and competitive sales, such as in these ads, could be considered the same.
I like seeing the ads/prices, and I'm not a fan of ambulance chasing lawyers, but i think they are well within their rights to ask this.

That is just retarded.

So, could someone, just post hypothetical ads for some store called "Cardboard Castle"? who just happens to have the same stuff on sale, for, say, ohh, 1 cent more?

Good job CC, you've lost more business. You can keep your dump bins and garage sale store layouts.

Yea, I'll never shop at Circuit City again. I won't be missing anything. It's not like they ever have any product in!

The 'trade secret' reason makes a lot more sense than the 'copyrighted materials' one, at least.

In theory, I don't see how that could be a problem. Being that it is hypothetical and all. With some satirical sprinkles on top for good measure.

Or speedy could guess what their prices might be. Speedy owns the copyright to his own mind, doesn't he?