Frys going out of Business

Former CompUSA employee here. Very true but the death in 2008 was a trigger pulled by Carlos Slim because it was steadily declining over the years, commission based sales reps got the rug pulled from them and flew out the door. Piss poor management. I mean the managers used to strongarm the shit out of customers and yell to get out of the store if they complained too much. I couldn't tell you if you sold a laptop without TAP how bad you would get grilled by management. I still got grilled when I sold bronze plans. Who the heck wanted a $500 warranty on a $900 laptop.

Too many bad memories O_O Lol. Firing the long term staff lost them a lot of customer's those employees had built up and garnered with relationships. Then the wasted money on internal re-branding "Fire Dog" and the new clothing line. Good use of money for those conventions lol. I was based in Customer Service / the Warehouse but would bounce to whatever they needed help in. Easy not to sell TAP when your not tracked or are the one doing the tracking hah. Not so fun to help customers have to deal with it...

I remember when Fry's here in DFW bought the Incredible Universe building and made a ranch theme. Neat store but too big and too many shady employees. I've bought a number of things there but they either didnt have the models I wanted or the support was too poor to support.
 
I remember buying some computer speakers (2.1) from the Fry's in Irving. Got the box home and it wreaked of marijuana smell. Guess things get sort of boring in the backroom. Was an education lesson for my daughter. "This is what 'pot' smells like."
 
Hopefully Microcenter can stay afloat. In Denver that's basically THE option and our store is always packed.

Same here. Though its a drive of about 40 minutes to my local Microcenter its still worth it, especially when I wanted to exchange a ACER Predaor monitor with dead pixels two years ago. Replacing that same monitor would have been a PITA if it was ordered online and had to be shipped back for replacement. Otherwise my PC tech store choices would be Best Buy or Best Buy :(
 
Hopefully Microcenter can stay afloat. In Denver that's basically THE option and our store is always packed.

I was in Europe recently and was a little surprised at the number of BYO tech shops I saw.
I do too. The one in MD is pretty active every time I go. Just I don't know if their model is sustainable in the long run. Amazon is really taking over the country and could push them out like they been doing to smaller business.
 
I just went to the City of Industry location and wow... just close the doors people. Its sad.
 
It's hard for brick and mortar stores to compete as it is. Fry's makes it much harder on themselves than they need to. It's pretty obvious that the company isn't long for this world.
 
my frys in Houston Texas sales dude told me they are going out of Business FYI shutting stores and warehouses down etc...

Which one? Or both of them? I rarely go to frys now unless I need something super specific immediately.
 
Its a very weird scenario, Forbes said they were worth 2.4 Billion just a couple years ago, that number shocked me. I even heard they sold out to a Chinese firm. PC gaming and electronics have grown over the last 5 years not shrunk, they should be in a better position so something is very unusual. I can't help but wonder if whoever owns them isn't planning to do something else with the space. After all if it's so bad why not sell it to someone else? Why just let it waste away and let the shelves empty out? The closest thing I can think of was when outback bought chi chis, just to take over locations and turn them into more outbacks and eventually close any ones they didn't like.
 
Personally I like going to MicroCenter just based on Warranty... (Love just walking the isles also thou)
Returning anything "online" usually requires I ship things at my own costs (even When I JUST got it and it's Broke) :(
 
Former CompUSA employee here. Very true but the death in 2008 was a trigger pulled by Carlos Slim because it was steadily declining over the years, commission based sales reps got the rug pulled from them and flew out the door. Piss poor management. I mean the managers used to strongarm the shit out of customers and yell to get out of the store if they complained too much. I couldn't tell you if you sold a laptop without TAP how bad you would get grilled by management. I still got grilled when I sold bronze plans. Who the heck wanted a $500 warranty on a $900 laptop.

Management is often the problem; they are under pressure to produce the most profit possible, which then leads to dumb decisions that make no financial or long-term sense to try and maximize profits in the short term.
 
I'm lucky enough to live in the Chicago suburbs, so I have a choice between Frys and Microcenter (used to have TigerDirect too, RIP). I choose Microcenter everytime. The Frys by me is littered with various garbage, and their stock is limited. Feels like a 4 mile walk for anything.

Microcenter; I'm in and out in 10 minutes.
 
We have to Fry's locations in the San Diego area, one in the city and one in north county and both of them are pretty much ghost towns these days. It's too bad, I've spend many hours and dollars in the San Diego location and was even employ'd there back in my very early 20s. I could go there just to kill time though I almost always walked out with something. Home Depot is the only other store I could just go in, look at product and be entertained. Not including gentlemens clubs anyway. Thankfully, I don't see a way for Amazon to compete with those.
 
Was just in there a couple of days ago for a 25' Cat 6 cable. So. Many. Bare shelves.
Employees said that they will restock for the holidays-I wonder if they really believe that?
 
Same here. Though its a drive of about 40 minutes to my local Microcenter its still worth it, especially when I wanted to exchange a ACER Predaor monitor with dead pixels two years ago. Replacing that same monitor would have been a PITA if it was ordered online and had to be shipped back for replacement. Otherwise my PC tech store choices would be Best Buy or Best Buy :(

I never been to a Microcenter but been to a Frys. Frys was ok but prefer to have tried a Microcenter. Seems better.
 
Have any of you ever walked into a Fry's keyboard/mice section and not walked out with nightmares?
 
Anyone been to Fry's in Downer's Grove, IL? I should head back there this wkend...

Yes, lots things at 20% off... shelves not stocked with the more current stuff (haven't been for last couple of months now). At least we have Microcenter in that area (yet)...
 
Microcenter in KC is always busy, Fry's in Plano i go to is always slow. Not to mention, bro tried to tell me spending 200 bucks on faster ram, would improve my cities skylines performance much more than upgrading to a 6 core 2600x... moron
 
Microcenter in KC is always busy, Fry's in Plano i go to is always slow. Not to mention, bro tried to tell me spending 200 bucks on faster ram, would improve my cities skylines performance much more than upgrading to a 6 core 2600x... moron

Well, shoot for the moon right?

Last time I went there they didn't have 32GB SODIMM kits, but i got the same "just get a faster 16GB kit!".

:bored:
 
did you see todays DIY specials?

omg

several of them were button making kits

by far the saddest diy thursday special i have ever seen from them
 
This Houston area Fry's is actually my local Fry's. I've been going there for 14 years. For at least the last 5 to 8 years, this particular store has gone downhill. The place has lots of empty shelves. The speaker showroom has been less than 10% full for at least the last 5 years. That said, every now and then they have great deals and I can do a local pickup. Bought a Denon X4500 there earlier this year. I'd love to see them turn it around, but it is probably too far gone.

The funny thing is that what I will probably miss the most is their triple decker club sandwich at the cafe inside.
 
While none of this surprises me at all (my local one has been slowly declining) it's really the only place I can quickly get to (about 5 minutes from my house) to pick up a roll of stranded wire, or an odd component in a pinch. Normally I order everything from Mouser, Digikey, and others, but every once in a while, I'm just out of some mundane part, and it's nice that they're there. Those sections of the store rarely get restocked anymore though which is kind of sad.

I never liked going there for computer parts, but also would occasionally do that in a pinch.

I think it's just sad to see places like this go out of business in general, but honestly they can't compete with Amazon, Newegg, Mouser, Digikey where I can have my parts and things arrive at my house in bulk for cheap second day for less than local+tax.
 
The funny thing is that what I will probably miss the most is their triple decker club sandwich at the cafe inside.

In 25+ years of shopping at various Silicon Valley Fry's, I don't believe I've ever seen anyone other than employees actually eating at the cafe (assuming it's even open).
 
In 25+ years of shopping at various Silicon Valley Fry's, I don't believe I've ever seen anyone other than employees actually eating at the cafe (assuming it's even open).

I once ate lunch in the Sunnyvale location... I never ate at a Frys cafe again.
 
The Plano location has the cafe thing in it. I've only ever gotten coffee there. It was good, but nothing special. The Fry's in Dallas doesn't have anything like that.
 
Microcenter in KC is always busy, Fry's in Plano i go to is always slow. Not to mention, bro tried to tell me spending 200 bucks on faster ram, would improve my cities skylines performance much more than upgrading to a 6 core 2600x... moron
I miss the Microcenter in Overland Park, worst part of moving out of the area.
 
In 25+ years of shopping at various Silicon Valley Fry's, I don't believe I've ever seen anyone other than employees actually eating at the cafe (assuming it's even open).

I would have never tried it myself, but a coworker dragged me there for lunch one time and it was the best triple decker club (on sourdough) that I've ever had. Ate there with him many times afterwards. Hadn't eaten there in at least a couple years now.
 
Apparently mine went out right after this thread showed up and I didn't even notice. I hadn't needed to stop there in a bit. I just noticed it was more or less gutted though when I drove by the other day.
 
What if Frys isn't going out of business but transitioning to an online store front? I still get lots of email from them daily with deals.
 
What if Frys isn't going out of business but transitioning to an online store front? I still get lots of email from them daily with deals.

Have you seen their website? It's pretty laughable.

So yeah, it wouldn't surprise me if they try to reinvent themselves in such a way. Their strategy for the last decade+ has been to be at least a decade behind everyone else. e.g., the workspaces they put into many stores (at least in the Bay Area) a few years ago for building custom PCs, even though doing has been in rapid decline for years due to the rise of reasonably powerful laptops and smartphones. I've never seen one of those benches used for anything but stacking inventory.
 
Have you seen their website? It's pretty laughable.

So yeah, it wouldn't surprise me if they try to reinvent themselves in such a way. Their strategy for the last decade+ has been to be at least a decade behind everyone else. e.g., the workspaces they put into many stores (at least in the Bay Area) a few years ago for building custom PCs, even though doing has been in rapid decline for years due to the rise of reasonably powerful laptops and smartphones. I've never seen one of those benches used for anything but stacking inventory.

Well if they're smart about it they could use some of their existing stores to serve as warehouses/distribution centers for shipments to customers so all they'd have to do is own/rent the building while serving a much wider range of customers for a given area. Revamping the website isn't hard, they could toss a few million to a competent company to upgrade it for them to be somewhat like NewEgg at least. They'd obviously need to overhaul their logistics but it is doable if they hire an outside company to help them with it. If they could pull this off and be price competitive with NewEgg, I'd gladly pick them over a Chinese owned shit tier company like the Egg.
 
I honestly don't think they could pull it off effectively. It might buy them time, but I personally can't see it.

Mouser and Digikey destroy them for electronic components.

Newegg and Amazon destroy them for computers and electronics.

I really don't see how they could make a dent. The only reason I think anyone used their website in the first place was to check local stock.

The way I viewed them, is that they were great in a pinch, if you needed something right then, locally because maybe you forgot something when you ordered online. It's a bit sad, but that's kind of how things are now. You need some seriously unique features, amazing showrooms, or ridiculous prices to keep a brick store open now. Or just have some die-hard mainstream shoppers that don't know any better keeping you going (like Gamestop for example).
 
I'm not surprised, what with Amazon and Newegg. I legit can't remember when I was last in a Fry's - probably close to a decade.
 
Fry's in Sunnyvale doesn't even have anyone working the cafe, and a lot of the shelves are empty. Not even an LP working the exit.
 
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