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Is Fry’s Electronics in trouble?

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Re: Is Fry’s Electronics in trouble?

#141

Post by duxup »

linguae wrote: post #107

I usually purchase my computer components from Newegg. However, whenever I was impatient or pressed for time, I used to go to Fry’s. I remember one time in 2011 driving from Santa Cruz to Campbell to pick up a hard drive to replace one that suddenly failed; having to wait days for shipping would have been more inconvenient. Fry’s is a great convenience in these cases. It’s unfortunate to see Fry’s in the zombified st…

Reminds me of the late stages of Circuit City where the stores were just there ... but empty shelves, strange patterns in inventory, employees who just have given up on work .. look like they gave up on life.

I was always amazed how long Circuit City stuck around like that.

Re: Is Fry’s Electronics in trouble?

#142

Post by mixmastamyk »

emodendroket wrote: post #131
option wrote: post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Best Buy often has better prices than Amazon. Since last year I find myself always double-checking the price of anything I want outside Amazon and for big items (e.g. TV, tv stand, etc.) Best Buy is a first choice for sure.

Not only that, but have you ever tried shopping for something like a laptop on Amazon? The descriptions are all three lines long and by the time you figure out what the hell you're buying you could just drive to Best Buy and see a display that clearly explains what's on offer.

Dell developer laptops are pretty good, not to mention Apple if you can put up with them.

Re: Is Fry’s Electronics in trouble?

#143

Post by kabdib »

defterGoose wrote: post #108
nullsocket wrote: post #58

Given there shady business practices in the past, it's no surprise the company has been ran into the ground and abandoned. Good riddance.

It's pretty clear that management has gone AWOL, but what did they do in the past?

They were well known to re-shrink-wrap defective, returned products and put them back on the shelves for resale. I'm not sure I've ever followed the logic of this, unless it was to justify the necessity for a large returns department. Long-time customers learned the signs of repackaging (sometimes overt stickers, sometimes more subtle and you had to look for loose plastic wrap or bent cardboard flaps).

I once bought a PC from them that wouldn't boot reliably. In the process of trying to get an OS installed on it, I accidentally wiped the recovery partition on the drive. Eventually I gave up and tried to return the PC.

"Sorry, we can't take this back. We can't restore the OS," said the returns tech.

"It won't even boot. That's why I'm returning it."

"But it means that we can't put it back on the shelf."

I don't remember what I said to get my money back, but I did, and it was the last PC I ever bought there.

I've been going to Fry's since they opened on Lawrence Expressway in the 80s. Fry's was a fun, wacky place to take out-of-town guests to, and they were great for the occasional emergency keyboard or HDD, but you were taking a risk on expensive items. Won't miss them much.

Re: Is Fry’s Electronics in trouble?

#145

Post by rossdavidh »

furgooswft13 wrote: post #57
rossdavidh wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How is the Micro Center in DFW doing? I see other electronics retailers doing ok, so I think Amazon is just the coup de grace.

Not DFW area (KofP), but it does feel a bit more like a warehouse to me rather than the exciting tech candy store I remember as a kid. Even the Apple section is depleted and meh feeling. Last time I went there was nothing particularly awe-inspiring as far as setup computers. Just a bunch of Dell and Lenovo's with normal looking monitors. Would have been nice to see at least one souped-up uber PC with all kinds of obn…

Are we talking about Fry's or Microcenter?

Re: Is Fry’s Electronics in trouble?

#146

Post by CoolGuySteve »

linguae wrote: post #107

I usually purchase my computer components from Newegg. However, whenever I was impatient or pressed for time, I used to go to Fry’s. I remember one time in 2011 driving from Santa Cruz to Campbell to pick up a hard drive to replace one that suddenly failed; having to wait days for shipping would have been more inconvenient. Fry’s is a great convenience in these cases. It’s unfortunate to see Fry’s in the zombified st…

In NYC I've had good luck with Amazon Prime Now for urgent computer parts. I've gotten an SSD, power supply, and CPU fan for various work needs within a couple hours and without having to go on an excursion.

So thank you, Rube Goldberg machine of human misery, for saving my work day on more than one occasion.

Re: Is Fry’s Electronics in trouble?

#147

Post by Majromax »

> Fry’s has adamantly denied the rumors, saying the shelves are empty because it has shifted to a consignment model, meaning that suppliers get paid for goods only after a store has sold them.

... so it's in trouble, because it is no longer considered creditworthy enough to obtain net-day financing terms from its wholesale partners.

Re: Is Fry’s Electronics in trouble?

#148

Post by mod50ack »

CoolGuySteve wrote: post #146
linguae wrote: post #107

I usually purchase my computer components from Newegg. However, whenever I was impatient or pressed for time, I used to go to Fry’s. I remember one time in 2011 driving from Santa Cruz to Campbell to pick up a hard drive to replace one that suddenly failed; having to wait days for shipping would have been more inconvenient. Fry’s is a great convenience in these cases. It’s unfortunate to see Fry’s in the zombified st…

In NYC I've had good luck with Amazon Prime Now for urgent computer parts. I've gotten an SSD, power supply, and CPU fan for various work needs within a couple hours and without having to go on an excursion. So thank you, Rube Goldberg machine of human misery, for saving my work day on more than one occasion.

Microcenter has worked for me in NY. And they match Amazon pricing.

Re: Is Fry’s Electronics in trouble?

#149

Post by greedo »

ping_pong wrote: post #49
greedo wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Microcenter's success would seem to indicate that perhaps Fry's issues aren't macro, but more management?

What exactly are you considering a "success" and which part of the country do you live in? At least in CA, at the turn of the century Fry's was the most reliable vendor for computer equipment. EVERYONE went there. On Black Friday, the lines were crazy. 20 years later, it's a graveyard of old knockoffs.

I used to live in California when Fry's was the popular destination. They started to go downhill around the time I moved to the Midwest (1995). Questionable return policies etc. Microcenter in contrast is still a huge success. Everytime I visit one, I'm amazed at how well stocked they are, and how busy.
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