- . Digg It
- . Sphere It
- . E-mail This
- . Save to del.icio.us
- . Permanent Link
Adios, CompUSA!
Another big-box retailer bites the dust
Seems odd that there was so little about this in the weekend newspapers, but CompUSA is closing all their remaining stores. Earlier this year, they'd announced that they were shutting down more than half of their locations, but now, it's all over. Guess that no matter how great a holiday shopping season they might've had, it wouldn't be enough.
No word on when the clearance sales starts, but it could be as early as today!
Not everyone is in mourning, incidentally.
Reports cite the success of other retailers, especially Best Buy, as the reason for the chain's demise.
It's too bad, especially for CompUSA employees, but I wouldn't get too comfortable if I worked at Best Buy ... or Staples, Office Depot, OfficeMax, or Circuit City. I think big-box retailers are going to have to adapt or die. Being everything to everyone is a losing strategy. Niche is where it's at.
Also, the Internet has leveled the playing field greatly. CompUSA's in-store pickup program for Internet purchases was clunky, inefficient, and presented no clear advantage to just going in the store to buy or simply ordering whatever you wanted online without in-store pickup. I speak from personal experience on this, by the way, from when I recently bought a laptop stand, which they couldn't find, at first when I went to pick up the damned thing. And I also had to show them a bunch of papers, identification, etc. It was a hassle ... but ordering ahead should have made it easier, not more difficult.
Oh, well. Wonder what they'll do with all those big, empty retail spaces.
Bowling, anyone?
Richard Pachter is the MOLI View's contributing editor for Business.
No word on when the clearance sales starts, but it could be as early as today!
Not everyone is in mourning, incidentally.
Reports cite the success of other retailers, especially Best Buy, as the reason for the chain's demise.
It's too bad, especially for CompUSA employees, but I wouldn't get too comfortable if I worked at Best Buy ... or Staples, Office Depot, OfficeMax, or Circuit City. I think big-box retailers are going to have to adapt or die. Being everything to everyone is a losing strategy. Niche is where it's at.
Also, the Internet has leveled the playing field greatly. CompUSA's in-store pickup program for Internet purchases was clunky, inefficient, and presented no clear advantage to just going in the store to buy or simply ordering whatever you wanted online without in-store pickup. I speak from personal experience on this, by the way, from when I recently bought a laptop stand, which they couldn't find, at first when I went to pick up the damned thing. And I also had to show them a bunch of papers, identification, etc. It was a hassle ... but ordering ahead should have made it easier, not more difficult.
Oh, well. Wonder what they'll do with all those big, empty retail spaces.
Bowling, anyone?
Richard Pachter is the MOLI View's contributing editor for Business.
What People Are Saying…
Leave a Comment
11:51 EST, 11.Dec.07
08:17 EST, 11.Dec.07