Circuit City: STAFFED BY IDIOTS?!

variablesunknown

variablesunknown

CAGiversary!

I reserved Gears at Circuit City about a month ago. I had a 15% off coupon and a $10 gift card, along with the $10 I put down to reserve the game.

Not only did they not call me to let me know the game was in, but when I showed up today they had only one LE left, on the floor, no game set aside. Then it took literally ONE HOUR to check out because 6 different employees, including two mangers could not figure out how to give me credit for my $10 reserve cash plus the coupon and gift card. It might have gone smoother or faster if the supervisor wasnt bumming smokes from subbordinates and answering phone calls from her friends while my wife and I were waiting :bomb:

To add insult to injury when I got home I opened my limited editon to find the tin completely dinged up and warped, it looked like someone went to work on it with a hammer. On the plus side I did get the limited edition for under $50.

I fired off a really pissed email to Circuit City and am waiting to see what happens.

Has anyone else had such horrible experiences buying games at Circuit City?
 
Sounds like a bad store. Have you been to that store for other purchases and had similar problems? I rarely have problems at CC, and have way more problems at Best Buy (and at multiple Best Buy locations)
 
That sucks , I pre-ordered my CE from CC also with coupon/faceplate incentive .

I was wondering why they didn't pull the pre-ordered copies aside .
My CE was OK , they had to get it out of the locked case .
I was nervous about the condition .

Now I know how they handle their pre-orders , I'll think twice before I pre-order from them again .
 
My biggest complaint with CC is that there are 100 employees wandering the floors trying to find something to do, while ONE person mans the register. That one person almost always has to go to the back for something, so the line backs up while CC employees circle the store doing nothing and we all stand in line wondering why there is only one cash register being run.
 
Richlough,
They got my CE out of the locked case too, but it was the last one, which might explain why it was all messed up, which you couldnt tell without opening the plastic.

What really bothers me is that if I hadnt gone down there right away they might have sold my pre-ordered (last) copy to someone else!

What really sucks is I went to EB later in the afternoon (trying to hunt down pinata for the wife!) and they had about 50 collector's editions, all pristine sitting there. I am glad I saved the cash but I feel like I payed with my time and frustration!
 
[quote name='chosen1s']My biggest complaint with CC is that there are 100 employees wandering the floors trying to find something to do, while ONE person mans the register. That one person almost always has to go to the back for something, so the line backs up while CC employees circle the store doing nothing and we all stand in line wondering why there is only one cash register being run.[/QUOTE]

You know, I've always wondered that too. Why do they even build the extra cash registers?? My CC has like 4 or 5 register lanes but they ALWAYS use one register no matter how busy the store gets or how long the line is.
 
That's better than most CC's I go to. The ones I go to all have you check out at the customer service desk, since there are usually so few customers that the regular checkout lines are not needed.
 
Yeah my local CC also has you pay at the service desk instead of at, you know, the other 4 registers that are there. There's even a register in the back by their PC accessories and stuff and that one too is worthless as they'll just tell you to go pay up front even though there's always one guy at that register and about 3 wandering the PC section doing who knows what. I never did get why they hire so many people yet so few of them actually do work.
 
[quote name='variablesunknown']
I reserved Gears at Circuit City about a month ago. I had a 15% off coupon and a $10 gift card, along with the $10 I put down to reserve the game.

(snip)

Has anyone else had such horrible experiences buying games at Circuit City?[/QUOTE]

Did they give you a free faceplate, too?
 
I went there with my 15% off coupon, hoping to snag the game and free faceplate, but they were out of faceplates "Except for people that preordered the game" I have NEVER known Circuit City to take preorders on ANYTHING
 
[quote name='bluekeith75']cc employee's are on commision. So it does not cost them much to have them wondering the floor.[/QUOTE]

I thought they were no longer on commission?
 
[quote name='Oberman']I thought they were no longer on commission?[/QUOTE]

You're right, they aren't, they stopped that awhile ago.

Here's the weirdest thing about CC employees... there are 500 of them wandering around at any given time, but when you actually need help finding something you can't find ANY of them!

It's like they know a customer needs help and they all hide :lol:
 
[quote name='bluekeith75']cc employee's are on commision. So it does not cost them much to have them wondering the floor.[/QUOTE]

So where's my commission check then buster? :rofl:
 
[quote name='Roufuss']It's like they know a customer needs help and they all hide :lol:[/QUOTE]

We're all given "customer help" detectors upon hiring. It tells us the likelyhood of you needing help based off of the body odar coming off of you. ;)

In all seriousness I know the feeling. It seems like I spend at least 25% of my day tracking down people from other departments since customers think that I know everything under the sun.

(Just my observation)
 
You're going to run into horrible costumer service/moronic employees at all retail stores.

Luckily for me though, Circuit City has always been great.
 
[quote name='Roufuss']You're right, they aren't, they stopped that awhile ago.

Here's the weirdest thing about CC employees... there are 500 of them wandering around at any given time, but when you actually need help finding something you can't find ANY of them!

It's like they know a customer needs help and they all hide :lol:[/QUOTE]

Actually the reason that happens is too few employees. I've worked at my fair share of retail places over the course of high school and now college. The CC I work at is by far the most undermanned of any. For comparisons sake I'll explain, when I worked at the best Buy about a 1/2 mile away we at nearly all times had at least 3 people in the media dept, usually 4 and sometimes as many as 6. At CC, we hardly ever have more than 2, someitmes we get down to 1 between music, movies, and games on the weekdays. During holiday season they beef up the manpower, but it goes down again after Dec. And trust me, that's not just the store I'm at. The reason you think you see them wondering around at other times is relative, alot of times I'll have no customers to help for 2 hours then get slammed for the next 45 mins. These things happen, but the experience for everyone would be easier with more manpower. Also add to this that everything from a customer experience story is usally greatly exaggerated in their favor, about 85% actual truth maybe (and it's probably safe to knock off another 5-10% when on the internet)
 
So, after a few weeks of hearing nothing from Circuit City about my absolute crap retail experience I got a snail mail letter today with an apology and a $20 gift card!!

This doesnt really make me want to buy games there regularly, since the employees and the store is still garbage but at least CC corporate does care when customers have horrible experiences. Hopefully the coporate will also come down my local store.

So a happy ending, rare and enjoyable! So us CAG consumers can make a difference!
 
when i went to pick up my gow (reg edition) I called to make certain it was in, drove in.... hubby went to cc to pick it up i went to boston market to pick up dinner..... after waiting at boston market for 30 min w/ our food I figured I had to walk to CC (figure a quarter of a mile.... now i'm not a complete lazy ass but i am pregnant and that was a shit load of food to carry)... any way i get there and they are trying to find Gow they said they just got the "shipment" and it's somewhere in the back... this was 20 min ago... he has been standing there w/ no one to help him sence, then they lose our preorder slip and we don't want to leave w/o that incase they try to screw us again long story short it took an hour to get GOW and i had to walk to CC to figure out what was up w/ hubby.... when i had called before we left to confirm it's avability.
 
My CC sounds a bit better, the people are nice but they are always doing nothing and even though they want to help you they arnt very good at it.
 
I dig Circuit City's customer service, but they never have shit I want when it goes on sale. I'm not sure if this is because of Christmas or what, but I'll go on a Sunday morning like today and find absolutely nothing. It didn't used to be that way with them, they were my favorite store.
 
So, I order 3 360 faceplates online for in-store pick-up. The total comes to over $30. I went through the Xbox Live Diamond site to get my 10%, it doesn't work. I say no biggie, it only would have been $2 cheaper (limit of 2).

I get to CC about an hour later, and there's only 1 faceplate on my receipt, two have been rung up and refunded. They tell me they were out of stock, so they refunded the two. Apparently they had called my house about it, but I had already left.

Now, over my head is a huge sign that says that if my order is not ready for pick-up within 24 minutes of my confirmation email, I get a $24 gift card.

I say, "So do I get a gift card?" The girl behind the counter acts as if I'm trying to cheat her. She says my order doesn't qualify for the guarantee, because it doesn't total over $24. I said, "It did, until you changed my order." She tries to argue that the guarantee only applies if they don't have your order "ready" for pick-up within 24 minutes. I'm like, "I ordered three items over an hour ago. You only have one third of my order 'ready'. What's the difference?"

Manager comes over, gives me the same story, apologizes. Claims that their phone call gets them out of having to pony up for the guarantee. Tries to explain to me about the inventory hassles of the holiday shopping season, how the website isn't accurate, etc. I say that sucks, but it's their error. Don't make guarantees you can't guarantee.

Was I wrong to argue about this? My order wasn't ready, even though the website and confirmation email said they were in stock and ready for pick-up. And I felt like they cancelled part of my order behind my back to loop-hole out of giving up a $24 gift card. I've combed through the details of the guarantee, but there's no mention of out-of-stock items.

Variablesunknown's story has inspired me to send an email. What should I do here, any suggestions? Do I have a leg to stand on, or am I just being a jerk?
 
[quote name='peztrip']So, I order 3 360 faceplates online for in-store pick-up. The total comes to over $30. I went through the Xbox Live Diamond site to get my 10%, it doesn't work. I say no biggie, it only would have been $2 cheaper (limit of 2).

I get to CC about an hour later, and there's only 1 faceplate on my receipt, two have been rung up and refunded. They tell me they were out of stock, so they refunded the two. Apparently they had called my house about it, but I had already left.

Now, over my head is a huge sign that says that if my order is not ready for pick-up within 24 minutes of my confirmation email, I get a $24 gift card.

I say, "So do I get a gift card?" The girl behind the counter acts as if I'm trying to cheat her. She says my order doesn't qualify for the guarantee, because it doesn't total over $24. I said, "It did, until you changed my order." She tries to argue that the guarantee only applies if they don't have your order "ready" for pick-up within 24 minutes. I'm like, "I ordered three items over an hour ago. You only have one third of my order 'ready'. What's the difference?"

Manager comes over, gives me the same story, apologizes. Claims that their phone call gets them out of having to pony up for the guarantee. Tries to explain to me about the inventory hassles of the holiday shopping season, how the website isn't accurate, etc. I say that sucks, but it's their error. Don't make guarantees you can't guarantee.

Was I wrong to argue about this? My order wasn't ready, even though the website and confirmation email said they were in stock and ready for pick-up. And I felt like they cancelled part of my order behind my back to loop-hole out of giving up a $24 gift card. I've combed through the details of the guarantee, but there's no mention of out-of-stock items.

Variablesunknown's story has inspired me to send an email. What should I do here, any suggestions? Do I have a leg to stand on, or am I just being a jerk?[/QUOTE]


send that email. it was the store's mistake, and they should own up to it.
 
[quote name='CocheseUGA']Did anyone else expect the OP to be someone different?[/QUOTE]


Slidecage
 
Call cicrcuit city main cs up. I did that when my local store wouldn't give me brain age and the ds lite kit for free even though it was advertised free with purchase of a DS lite. They sent an apology and a $10 gift card :/ The manager would not allow me to have both despite someone else even calling there and telling them to do it. I won't shop there anymore.
 
I had pretty much the same experience with CCity and pre-ordering AND paying in FULL for GOW. I think CCity is great for non gaming needs. CCity and gaming don't seem to go together. When it comes to games, they don't know their asses from their faces! Not to get into a ton of detail but I ended up getting my money back for GOW pre-order that I paid in full since they had no clue when the game was coming in even though I showed them tha add saying Wendesday 4PM. One guy went as far as telling me that "he thinks" the game was delayed. I told him that it was impossible since other stores like EB, Walmart and Best Buy all have the game in stock. I got my money back and went to Walmart and boght the LE version. I vowed after this never to go to CCity again for anything gaming related! It's not worth the hassle!
 
This isn't a rant about the B&M stores (as the one by me is OK), but about Circuit City.com. Last week on Friday, I ordered Ninja Gaiden Black when the price fell to a reasonable $16.96. I originally was going to order 2 copies, one for a gift and one for me, but ordered one instead. To get the free shipping I added a couple of bullshit PC games at 5 bucks each to give as a gift instead. They sent me my order confirmation e-mail for the order. Next day, the shipping confirmation e-mail came showing that the 2 crap games shipped but not NGB. It said orders with multiple items may ship seperately.....OK.... When I checked my charge account balance it showed the entire cost of the order had been charged....so I didn't worry. Two days later on Sunday, I was snooping around Best Buy and they had 2-3 copies of NGB in their bargin bin for about the same price. I passed on it as I knew I had a copy coming. As of today 12/8 I still haven't received a shipping e-mail from them, so I re-checked my charge acct. and it showed a 18.36 credit......fuck ....They didn't even have the courtesy to send me an e-mail cancellation notice....and to think I had a copy in my hand at BB !!!.... WTF kind of outfit are they?....bastards......they need an enema real bad!...:bomb: :bomb: :twoguns:
 
[quote name='bluekeith75']cc employee's are on commision. So it does not cost them much to have them wondering the floor.[/QUOTE]


Not anymore they don't.

They stop the commission with the employees.

A lot of people from circuit city up at corporate left because of this. The company was talking away their company car, cells, and commissions. Most went to Namco to work.
 
So I went back with my $20 gift card the other day, along with my OXM 10% off coupon to pick up COD3 for like $34, just to stick it to them a little more. It ended up taking like a half an hour just to buy the freaking game, not counting the few minutes spent playing motorstorm at the PS3 kiosk. This time it took 3 employees to ring me up because the first two didnt know how to ring through a coupon. I pointed out the BARCODE to scan on the coupon but apparently that time of mental heavy lifting is way above CC employozombie's level.:drool: I still got the game for $34 but I feel that I payed with the difference with my multiple thoughts of suicide during the purchase. :bomb:
 
Thank god someone made a thread like this. CC has the worst customer service, the worst checkout system in history I could go on and on but I dont feel like getting worked up.
 
Yeah, CC has some pretty stupid folks.

11/9, I call CC and see if they have Gears of War, since I have a 15% coupon from OXM. Turns out they've got it in, but they can't find it.

Okay...

Guy tells me to call back an hour or so before they close (which would be in 1:30). I call back in 30 minutes, and lo and behold, they found it.

I drive down, and pick up the game. 15% discount and a free face plate, score for me.

12/5, I go down to get a new copy of GoW, because I want a new one before the 30 day warranty expires and for the 110% price match. Turns out they won't give it to me, because of something funky with my receipt, BUT...

They decide to refund me $9.99 + tax for the faceplate (which I got free in the first place). So I make off better than I would have anyway.

Success?
 
I had the same problem on Black Friday. CC was the only store I went to that day that didn't have all the registers open. They had 3 of the 6 registers open. It was like they had no idea they would get business on black freakin Friday! What makes it even worse, is the fact that they weren't to busy....the cashiers were just that slow. The one that I had would s-l-o-w-l-y scan an item....look around the room, s-l-o-w-l-y scan another item....look around the room, etc. She obvously was in no hurry to get people through the line. I was the 4th person in line when I walked up and it still took 45 mins to get me through the line. I went to Best Buy next (which was 5X's more busy) got everything I wanted. stood in a line that was also 5X's as long and was out in 15 - 20 mins.
The manager over heard me at Circuit City say to my girlfriend, "If I'm still in this line by 8:30 (which was 15 mins away-after a 30 min wait) I'm going to set all my stuff down and get it price matched at Best Buy". He wanlked up to me and asked if they had a better ad... which I said no, not really...about the same. He walked away and still did not try to find a way to speed up the lines.
 
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