How can this be bad news for Mac buyers? In every CompUSA by me the Apple "store within a store" was in shambles, and the sales people actively steered people away from Macs and towards PCs. I see nothing but positives in losing the CompUSA retail locations.

... in some parts of the country, it's hard to find a decent Mac place. There's only 2 places to get Mac stuff that I know of in Anchorage, for instance, one of them being CompUSA. The other store is in a highly inconvenient location for me personally, and really doesn't offer much - if anything - that CompUSA doesn't.

The two CompUSA stores nearest me were a source for
some software, but I never found anyone who was Mac
savvy. The in-store "Mac store" was a place where you
could see some hardware and pick up a brochure.
I'm on my second Mac--each purchased from an
authorized reseller in another nearby town.

I think that's why Apple opened a store in a major
mall nearby. That certainly didn't help CompUSA.
However, I got better advice and service from the
independent resellers.

In Ann Arbor Michigan, the CompUSA store is a decent place to buy a Mac. There is a dedicated Mac guy working there. Software selection at the store, however, stinks.

Even though I liked the CompUSA's store within a store concept, as it was certainly better then the previous efforts at Best Buy, Sears, and Circuit City, I just do not think CompUSA offers a really compelling reason to go to most of their stores. For instance, right next door to the CompUSA in Ann Arbor, is a BestBuy. BestBuy has better deals on most PCs (which I do not use), and generally a better selection as well. Moreover, the sales people do not work on commission, and on top of that you can check out TVs and other electronic products.

If I was running CompUSA I would have tried to stock the store with more high end unique computer related items that cannot be found elseplace.

I also think the store within a store concept really saved Apple's bacon because it happened at a time when Apple didn't have its own retail presence, and all its other retailers stank. With Apple's own stores, CompUSA's stores really are only needed in areas where there are no Apple stores.

I like the Clearwater, FL CompUSA. I bought my Mac there. I went to one of Tampa's two CompUSA's expecting something better (bigger city) and was disappointed since it was worse than Clearwater's. Not to take anything away from the one in Clearwater, it is pretty good.

Our CompUSA was good until the Apple store opened, suddenly they couldnit get Apple products, thy were always on back order. Our Apple guy was constantly trying to get stock, and more than one at a time. This was a concious decision by Apple to limit the competition.

Buying things on rebate is something I avoid and yet walking into a CompUSA seems to require a rebate deal.

Rebates are the main reason that I have stopped shopping at CompUSA. I hate the whole rebate system and it seems like you can't buy anything at CompUSA that is just "on sale". It is "on sale" in about 8-12 weeks when (if) your rebate comes back.

No, The salespeople who work there are not on any type of commision, only half the business people dressed in ties, business uniform.

Actually this is probably good news, people will find it harder to buy PCs too. MS buddies will probably suffer much more than Apple.

I use to work for this piece of $#!% company. This is great news. They use to restrucure ther're employees positions every few months so they wouldn't have to give raises!

The CompUSA here in New Orleans is like a Mini-Genius Bar. The Apple rep, Sean has taken it upon himself to rid the CompUSA store of in-ept-red-shirts and get them trained using Apples training material and certifing them as Apple Sales Reps. He has most of the store converted.

At one time this store was actually hostile toward Macs and Mac users. The sales geeks would outright lie about capabilites and facts about Apple itself (such as the company was filing for bankruptcy).

But now it is really the best place to get a Mac in the New Orleans area. There is an authorized retailer/dealer in the area. But they usually have no inventory. The a lot software on the shelves is out of date. It is a shame becasue the guys there are genuinely love Macs and are very knowledgeable. but I prefer to go to Comp because of the hands on experience.

I hope that they do not shut down this store.

All the comments here about raises, low quality of sales people, rebates i whole heartedly agree with.

In Sacramento, we have an Apple Store, but the CompUSA outlet is an excellent venue for Mac-related stuff. Their head Apple guy comes to our user group meetings to give presentations on new products; he offers training classes on Mac-related software; and constantly is putting up discounts (not rebates) on things like .Mac accounts, etc. To me, the good experiences I've had at CompUSA are due to good people there, and it's probably certain that the bad experiences others have had at their outlets are because the Apple reps there don't know their jobs. (No pun intended.) For us, if they shut this particular store, it will be much harder to get the Apple store folks to provide good service.

This information is from a source of a source, just interested if any hard facts on this closing of stores idea.
Also, to those of you hating Compusa for rebates, could you not understand how to fill out a coupon? I have filled out multiple and maybe i am just a self supporting adult, but i have never had a problem. Does the general publics problem with rebates somehow reflect the drop in our schooling system?

you said "Moreover, the sales people do not work on commission, and on top of that you can check out TVs and other electronic products. "

well, compusa is non commsion, and they sell tv's, and sell "other" electronic devices.

But maybe i guess your right, no toasters.

Quit complaining and shop at bestbuy you fanboy.

CompUsa is Stupid.
They should close all of their stores so people can start to be happy again!!
Also the people in the little training thingy they have in the back smell like ass.

I once got a rebate for paying my electric bill on time. That was pretty cool

In Indianapolis, I like the CompUSA. Indies Apple Store is to inconvenient to get to for me (never even been). I've purchased 4 Mac's from Comp in the past 3 years.

The selection isn't as good as Best Buy on some things but the workers seem more knowledgeable than Best Buy's (not saying much). Best Buy only hires morons as far as I can tell. Comp's people seem to know about Mac's and PC's and don't really steer you one way or the other that I've seen.

Though I have a feeling Indies store is on the chopping block as a Best Buy and Circuit City are within a mile and we just had a Fryes open up a while back which I'm sure affected sales. I for one, really hate to see them go.

There is a genuine Apple Rep in the Tulsa store - paid by Apple - and he knows the products inside and out. I've seen him demo Macs to customers and he is a natural teacher, which I consider to be the most important factor in getting a customer to switch to Apples. We are rumored to have an Apple Store opening some day (probably in the distant future) and I'm hoping this guy moves there when they open.

As for CompUSA in general, I think one major problem is the store layout. The Apple area is hidden in a back corner - well hidden - when it should be clearly visible when the customer walks in the front door. In all fairness, the Sony area is also in the back, but not as well hidden. There store layout is probably as much to blame for their problems as any other factor,

My growing business is a Mac Shop and we spend $120,000 to $180,000 per year in Mac equipment-The Apple rep they finally got was a pathological fabricator, and Mgmt. could not have cared less about the volume of Merchandise leaving their shop. Worse, I always spent 30% of those numbers on "platinum Warranties" and have NEVER had one honored appropriately-it is always a fight. I have had some great Sales Managers through in lots of peripherl goodies and if Apple would get it in thei tight heads about regaining Marketshare they will learn to discount or do SOMETHING for the high volume, recurring customer that Comp USA never got. I hate to see them go because any competition is good for the consumer but they are reaping what they have sown!!!

It is a sad day when hitting the economy is yet another business decision that forces a lot of people out of work. The main Chgo store is in a great location near the magnificient mile ( a favorite place to go) and always has the best staff. That store keeps up with newer looks and is the place to go for what's new. It is convenient for downtown shoppers, businesses and and other employees in the area as well. Since the news is full of inuendos and suppostions as to which and where, perhaps the company should do it in one fell swoop so that the morale in all these stores is not affected more than it already is. When I went shopping into a COMPUSA store recently, I could see it brings questions about closeouts, discounts etc., and it has to be hard on the employees and management in those stores. It's like waiting for the other shoe to drop. No one even knows what stores are closing but the scoop in the news like google news is already telling us what is going to happen.

Quote

Anonymous wrote:
My growing business is a Mac Shop and we spend $120,000 to $180,000 per year in Mac equipment-The Apple rep they finally got was a pathological fabricator, and Mgmt. could not have cared less about the volume of Merchandise leaving their shop. Worse, I always spent 30% of those numbers on "platinum Warranties" and have NEVER had one honored appropriately-it is always a fight. I have had some great Sales Managers through in lots of peripherl goodies and if Apple would get it in thei tight heads about regaining Marketshare they will learn to discount or do SOMETHING for the high volume, recurring customer that Comp USA never got. I hate to see them go because any competition is good for the consumer but they are reaping what they have sown!!!

Well, I'm not sure the store layout is the problem. Close to me we have three stores... each of them has a different layout. And, my favorite by far is the one with the Apple section right in the middle of the store.
I am sure they will not close any of those since the client traffic is very high compared to other CUSA stores in the country. See, we don't have a Best Buy, Circuit City, Good Guys or anything close to it around here. Best Buy is due to open their first store here in the next year and Circuit City soon to follow.
BTW: No we don't have any Apple Stores either... just local resellers.
Shout... from Puerto Rico.

I used to buy through them. Once in a while we purchased over $200k in Macs they would give us the flat panel monitors for free... and a big discount. You just need to call somewhere else... not the local CUSA store.

I used to go to the Augusta, Georgia, CompUSA regularly. They really have an unpleasant attitude, and i don't care to return anytime soon. I wouldn't be crushed if they left; they're the only Mac store in Augusta, but there's always the Apple Store in Atlanta, and online.

The other night I needed a 00 Philips screwdriver to install RAM in my MacBook. I looked all over, and couldn't find it. I asked, and was told they'd only have something like that "in a large tool collection."

I asked the tech center to borrow theirs, and after ignoring me for several minutes, he said I could use it "RIGHT HERE ONLY," as if he thought I'd run off with it. So I just left, to hell with them.

I found a single 00 at Sears, for $2.43.

i have bought 2 of my last 3 macs at comp usa. mind you i needed no real assistance to speak of and nobody there was very helpful, but then again, they arent very helpful at the atlanta, alpharetta and austin apple stores either.

And there's something wrong with that? you're lucky they let you use their personal tools.

Comp USA really is a shabby outfit. Good riddance! If you want Apple hardware-get it online. Earlier posts had it right. Customers were often steered towards PCs in favor of Macs. Software selection was always sub par too. There was no personal investment in these stores simply bottom line tech pushing. The fact that people don't buy there anymore is simply karma.

I do rebates fairly often, but I have zero success in getting CompUSA to pay out on either of the 2 I sent off. The store closest to my house (Mesquite, TX) is one that's closing, and it certainly serves them right. The staff is generally unpleasant (not just the Mac-specific stuff), and the whole store is very shop-worn and cluttered. There is a Fry's a couple exits up the highway and two Apple stores not far beyond that... guess who gets my business!

CompUSA is closing 126 of their 226 stores. They are dividing the company into 4 regions. Each with 25 stores. There will only be 7 stores in california. The closing starts on Wednesday, the 28th. 60-90 days after that, they will be done and gone.

There is a press release on the compusa,com website now regarding this. Also, if you check the store locator and don't see your local location still listed, it's a goner.

Closing locations include ALL the store locations in the Seattle, Phoenix, Philadelphia, St Louis, Chicago, Minneapolis, Atlanta, Detroit, Los Angeles and San Diego metro areas. Also, 7 of the 9 stores in the Dallas/Ft Worth metro area will be closing,

I think this is the beginning of the end for CompUSA myself...

There is a Comp USA store near me in Monrovia, CA. I have only shopped there when there was no other option due to time.
I found the sales staff indifferent, lacking knowelege, and a mix of products that never seemed to include what I was looking for.
Checkout was an endurance test regardless of paying with cash, check or credit card. This is assuming you could find someone to check you out amid the groups of 3 or 4 sales people standing around with apparently nothing to do.
On several occasions when they did have what I was looking for I simply left the product in my place in the checkout line because of the indeterminent delay. I might add I wasn't the only one.
This store deserves to go out of business and the top corporate management that let it become this way should be singled out for repremand for lack of oversight and awful decisions.

Mike Young

I totally agree with this; I might not have been comfortable switching from PC to Mac recently if there weren't cool appple people near by the offer help for the novice.

What I am wondering, if anyone can answer this, IS THERE ANY SUGGESTIONS OF PLACES TO GO FOR APPLECARE????

~MISTY (gentlehunger@hotmail.com)

Quote

yakirz wrote:
I used to go to the Augusta, Georgia, CompUSA regularly. They really have an unpleasant attitude, and i don't care to return anytime soon. I wouldn't be crushed if they left; they're the only Mac store in Augusta, but there's always the Apple Store in Atlanta, and online.

The other night I needed a 00 Philips screwdriver to install RAM in my MacBook. I looked all over, and couldn't find it. I asked, and was told they'd only have something like that "in a large tool collection."

I asked the tech center to borrow theirs, and after ignoring me for several minutes, he said I could use it "RIGHT HERE ONLY," as if he thought I'd run off with it. So I just left, to hell with them.

I found a single 00 at Sears, for $2.43.

Comp USA Stinks - I'm glad they are closing a bunch of stores. I wish they would close ALL of their stores.