Good Guys is Closing

[Seeker47]

Saw the announcement on their site [ http://goodguys.com/ ] a couple days ago, but indications of this were already in the wind. The early word was that a greatly scaled down GG would be present in some of their "Megastores," but conversations with some apparently better informed employees has contradicted this: if true, there will be no more GG to speak of, just a smattering of a few of the products they used to carry, incorporated into the CompUSA mix.

Why does this matter ? Opinions will surely differ, but I can't regard this as any sort of a good sign re the health of (brick & mortar store) retailing for audio / video - related electronics, particularly at and just past the threshold of higher end gear. This is stuff you probably would like to be able to check out in person, given the cost etc., and you aren't going to see it at Sears or Walmart.

In a recent thread, one of our forum luminaries had some disparaging comments about buying at CompUSA. Well, there are bad things one could say about Best Buy, and don't get me started on Fry's ! I try to avoid Circuit City anyway, but I've gotten some direct reports I believe about them dodging their responsibilities on the extended warranties that they go out of their way to sell you. So, what does that leave ? I'd say it leaves a big hole in the market now.

I'm wondering what happened exactly -- we may have to read the business press to find out. They just started opening their Megastores a few months back, with considerable fanfare. At one of these openings, they had the Pioneer 520 going out the door for $279. But it was for one day only, just at certain locations, and I found out about this a couple days too late. They seemed to be overly fond of these "Kamikaze" sales that just came out of nowhere and quickly disappeared.

I've bought a lot of stuff from Good Guys over the years. Not the best prices you could find, but decent prices and occasionally some pretty good deals. The one distinguishing factor in my mind -- and maybe this was just random luck of the draw -- was that I found a much greater chance of encountering sales staff that had some reasonable grasp of the relative merits (including tech merits) of what they were selling, than at any of the other chains. It was possible to get informed and intelligent answers to your questions. I have a pretty good ability to research things, but I can nearly always tell within a minute or two whether a salesperson has some good idea what he's talking about, really doesn't, or is just tapdancing and improvising in hopes of making a sale. Compare that to all the times when you clearly know far more than the salespeople you're talking to, or where you can't get any assistance at all.

I'm sorry to see them go.

[CBC]

GG did offer a nice "niche" between sell-it-all Best Guy & CircumspectCity, and real High-Fi (as in $$$)shops as far as a step up in offered audio brands. Their sales staff seemed to have some training & product knowledge, although my personal results w/ them were a mixed bag. I thought that when they announced the merge w/ Tower Records to become SuperStore, the writing was on the wall.
Some of the BestBuys have added a high end hifi botique backend called Magnolia HiFi, which is full of interesting expensive gear, but empty of paying customers, at least in my local store. I think more & more audio retail is going on over the 'net , especially in loudspeakers (Aperion,AV123,ACI, etc)
where generous "try it & see" and satisfaction guarantees are offered to minimize the risk if you don't like a product. B&Ms are finding it harder to compete. Such is the way of the world...

[gshelley61]

I haven't bought a significant audio/video product from a retail store in years. Almost everything I purchase is online now, whether new from good online retailer... or used stuff through eBay. The B&M stores simply don't have the broad selection or product knowledge, and they can't beat online pricing, either. So, since I have to do all my product research myself online anyway (since the local store salespeople don't know anything), why should I reward them with my business? A few more clicks and I can find what I want for a good price, and I don't even have to drive anywhere to do it. If I am not satisfied with a new product online purchase, sending the unit back for a refund is no big deal.

[edDV]

I saw a Mini Good Guys store in the back of a CompUSA in Roseville, CA. Mostly they were selling medium-high level plasma displays and surround sound systems while CompUSA was displaying the low end CRT and LED displays in their section of the store.

[lumis]

I try to avoid Circuit City anyway, but I've gotten some direct reports I believe about them dodging their responsibilities on the extended warranties that they go out of their way to sell you.

they've been doing that for years.. i remember back in 93 i purchased a computer from circuit city & purchased the extended warranty for it. the monitor went out, so i dropped it off at circuit city.. a week passed by, no word, i called them, they said to call back in a week.. i called back in a week, they said that "corrosion" is not covered by the warranty.. they were trying to say that water got in the monitor and caused it to go out.. i knew that was bullshit, but they wouldnt budge an inch.. so i started speaking to managers, no luck there.. i finally called a district manager and he said to head in to the store and pick up a new monitor.. they tried shafting me with a 14 inch hp monitor, as opposed to the 15 ibm monitor i took in for service.. eventually, after creating a scene, i left with a 17 inch hp monitor.. which was quite the prize back then..

extended warranties purchased through the reseller are scams.. if you're going to purchase an extended warranty, purchase it from the manufacturer.. they're usually cheaper and provide better coverage.

i dont purchase stuff from BB or CC anymore, and i'm wary about fry's.. the only place i halfway trust is newegg.

[troyvcd1]

Good guys sucked. No knowledgeable sales people like magnolia hi-fi and you could not just go in there and look around like best buy. Plus the good guys here charged you $5 just to park in their lot. They would refund this if you bought something but if you didnt then you were out $5. Glad to see them go.

[davideck]

I'm sorry to see them go.

I remember The Good Guys from way back; long before Best Buy and CC.
Back then, a good VCR cost a thousand bucks easy!
The Good Guys was the BIG store with the great selection, and I used to go there a lot!
That's how I'll remember them.

Then computers happened, and maybe they just kinda missed it...

[lordsmurf]

Never had a Good Guys in my state. Never been to one.

[Supreme2k]

I could have sworn Good Guys was gone for a good 8-10 years already.

[slacker]

I interviewed for a CTO position there several years ago when they were headquartered in South San Francisco, CA. At that time, it was obvious they weren't competing effectively, i.e. their buyers were always buying the wrong products, styles, colors, etc. They never EVER seemed to have what I wanted. It was as if they didn't give a crap! Their internal IT infrastructure was just all "ill-fitting". Said no thanks to that future!

CompUSA purchased Good Guys quite awhile ago, so this "shuffle" comes as no surprise. Soon you may find the CompUSA name changing to reflect its broader line of electronics products! The Mexican Mafia has great plans for CompUSA! Time will tell...

[mikesbytes]

Looks like they are still good in Oz.

http://www.goodguys.com.au/v3/index.cfm

[MOVIEGEEK]

They closed the GG store by me last year.I bought a tv from GG 3 years ago because they had the best price.I didn't know CompUSA bought them out,I have noticed CompUSA's ads show A/V equipment now.
GG heydey was 15 years ago when they had all the high end electronics,knowledgable staff and little competition.Nowadays the market(b&m,online) is too competitive and the profit margin is thin.

BTW..I also didn't know that the Mexican Mafia bought CompUSA...I guess they have to invest their money into something.

[FulciLives]

I have never been to a GOOD GUYS because the only time I think I ever saw one of these stores was when I was in Los Angeles, CA for a year. No GOOD GUYS in the Pittsburgh, PA area so apparently they were not as "big" as BEST BUY or CIRCUIT CITY or CompUSA all of which are in my neck of the woods.

So I could care less about GOOD GUYS.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[Redd]

Good Guys, who are anything but Good Guys. I'm glad they're gone, but there's someone always to take their place. Just another retail rip off brick and motar shop.

Good bye Good Guys and screw ya. Glad you're gone.

[ebenton]

I haven't lived in California for over 12 years. That was the last time I visited or even saw a Good Guys store. This is a non-event for most of the rest of the country.