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aww, they have good deals on stuff, big selection...i don't get it

Dec 08, 07 - 12:34 am Comment from: Ferf Muckmeyer

Not a surprise considering they deteriorated into a craphole. Still I have fond memories of them in their heyday, even as far back as when they were called Soft Warehouse. I spent a lot of dollars there over the years, so a part of me will miss them.

C'est la vie.

fm

I'm glad I bailed when I did...

Lets not forget the partnership between Apple and Comp USA in 98/99 when they had all those Apple Store within a Stores.

I assume Apple learned a lot form that experiment.

I saw it as a win win partnership. I wouldn't mind hearing other folks opinions on it -was it good or bad for Apple (or C-USA)?

Dec 08, 07 - 12:54 am Comment from: Jimbo von Winskinheimer

Steev, my opinion was that it was not good for Apple. The stores that I walked into had the Apple section towards the back. It was stocked OK, but I don't believe that there was buy-in from the CompUSA employees that Apple had good products. Thus, you'd walk in and ask about Apple stuff and they'd be glad to show you a Mac, but if you walked in and asked to see a good computer, they would not take you to the Mac stuff.

Dec 08, 07 - 12:57 am Comment from: TowerTone

Well, there goes the only thing close to an Apple Store between Memphis, Tulsa and Dallas.

Dec 08, 07 - 01:08 am Comment from: TowerTone

I guess you could say they are NOT Slim's picking anymore....

Is there a list somewhere who owns what major companies? What their policies are?

I like to know so I know who I am supporting with my purchases.

For instance Citco is supposely owned/controlled by the wacko communist Hugo Chavez.

Bank of America supposely allows illegal aliens to open bank accounts and takes their sub-prime mortages with only a flimsy Mexican id card.

CitiBank is owned/controlled by some UAE billionare.

the list is long obviously, but it gives a valuable insight if a company will be successful based upon their mindset, upbringing, etc.

Dec 08, 07 - 02:01 am Comment from: Mr. Reeee

Yeah, Pete to put things in perspective, the White House is occupied by a lunatic with messianic delusions, who in turn is controlled by a maniac.

;^)

The Apple Departments in the CompUSA stores in Manhattan were okay. The one on 39th and Fifth Avenue was actually pretty well run. At least in NYC, it'll help all 3 Apple Stores.

I can't wait to check out the new one on 14th Street and Ninth Avenue.

Yo Pete,
It's called the free market economy. You should enter the real world and experience it sometime.

Dec 08, 07 - 02:43 am Comment from: MacTech84

Aweeee this does suck...
I used to work there several year back.... The nightmare finally ends and I want to be there when my old Hag of a manager closes up for the last night. Partying in the parking lot with a fellow ex-coworker and drinking Champagne..... While we laugh at her as she walks to her car.... HA!!! Karma's a bitch ain't it?

Dec 08, 07 - 02:54 am Comment from: MacTech84

Oh and Pete....

The thing with B of A opening accounts for Illegals was someone in the media jumping the gun on BS... Read the retraction stories R-Tard.... And if this was actually happening then there would be no B of A, CAUSE ITS A FEDERAL CRIME Dumba$$!!!!

But the thing with Citi is 100% spot on UAE has owned so much of that company they should be flying their flag... but this has been known for some time too....

Yes TowerTone, Little Rock's CompUSA was a beacon of hope for my eyes. Now there won't be anything at all and Little Rock is such a developing city. sad sad sad

Dec 08, 07 - 03:18 am Comment from: Dialtone

Gee, thanks Pete for that recap of the Rush Limbaugh show. How 'bout those illegal immigrants from Ireland, eh?

I recall back when our local CompUSA actually had a full-time staffer who was on loan from Apple -- he really knew his stuff.

"HA!!! Karma's a bitch ain't it?"

Yes, in return for your obvious joy at the misfortune of others, it's given you a pathetic life where the most exciting thing you have to look forward to is drinking champagne in a parking lot of a closing down electronics store with a bunch of other losers.

Hey, I worked there over the summer as their apple repair tech (first tech job ever!), and they had a full time apple guy pitching his wares (was the only Apple presence in my town).

Their corporate systems were a nightmare to use, but it was a good summer job, and it looks like I'll be looking for alternative employment this summer.

CompUSA, you will be *slightly* missed.

Welcome to the globalised world, Pete. That's the way things work nowadays - companies can be owned by anybody, anywhere.

Dec 08, 07 - 04:38 am Comment from: ChrissyOne

"CitiBank is owned/controlled by some UAE billionare."

I don't know about you, but I only bank at places owned by penniless mendicants from Hoboken.

Dec 08, 07 - 05:42 am Comment from: Ampar

"Slim's picking"
"penniless mendicants from Hoboken"


This place is a comedy writer's dream!

Actually, at least in my experience, the CompUSA in Des Moines was OK. Nice people, helpful, good place for ink jet carts, hard drives, they have a decent if not expansive Apple area, good business representative for my company. Never bought any PeeCees from them so never had to deal with that nightmare - although that would be a nightmare anywhere. It will be a loss for me if they close - get all my non Mac stuff (paper, HDs, toner, inkjet stuff, cables) there. Guess it will be Newegg or someone else if they close.
Too bad.

Dec 08, 07 - 07:45 am Comment from: silverhawk

The Apple guy at the CompUSA near where I live is now the Apple guy at a Best Buy near where live.

Dec 08, 07 - 08:00 am Comment from: bajag2

Ah. Bought my Powerbook G4 400mhz in the Ramsey, NJ store the day it came out. That was my first Apple Laptop.

Dec 08, 07 - 08:15 am Comment from: LorD1776

Tear down all CompUSAs and build Apple stores. End of problem.

...to bad rubbish. They're not known as CrapUSA for nothing. I know there ARE some decent workers but the overwhelming number of apathetic, idiotic, ignorant ones more than undo any good the decent ones did. When the store near me closed earlier this year, I went to take advantage of the 40% off .Mac. The worker who "helped" me was spewing anti-Apple epithets the whole time he was trying to get the glass case opened.

I often wonder about this as a "bad" chain of stores closes down (Caldor's, Bradlees, etc): Where do these bad apples end up? Is this why the quality of Target stores have been in recent decline? I hope Apple Stores don't end up hiring these posers.

I\'m right there with you, Pete. But these days, so many corporations are multinational at some level. And if anybody, it\'s Chavez who\'s the lunatic with messianic delusions. Him and Ahmadinejad -- two wingnuts for the 21st century.

CompUSA used to be worthwhile, but over the last couple of years he stores just seemed to have a hectic and unfocused feel to them. No one who could really give you a straight answer. In other words, the exact opposite of the Apple stores.

Dec 08, 07 - 09:42 am Comment from: January 24, 1984

I still remember hating C(h)ompUSA. I had purchased a Jornada, and loaded that baby for a trip to Tahiti. The thing took a shit the day before I was to leave, and after standing in line forever to get an exchange, I was told, "Sorry. You'll have to send it back to the manufacturer."

It was two weeks old.

Never went back, but I did drive by one (of their stores) a few months back. They were taking the sign down. God, that was a great feeling.

A few weeks ago I took my iPhone to the Apple Store about a poor cell reception, and they swapped it out instantly.

Steve gets it.

Steev,

I think you just need to look at were Apple is today and where they were yesterday to see if it was a good deal for Apple or not. That program was an extremely successful program for both companies and in the end one of the few things that brought any substantial revenue in for CompUSA. Now they are with Best Buy and the program (ASC) has matured into a world wide (other retailers) program! This is were Apple fills in the gaps left by not having a Apple Retail store in every city.

You should know something about what you're taking about before you spout off ignorant opinions.

I bought my first Mac from CompUSA; at the time really the only place in my area to go see one and try it.

It will be 9 years old in a few weeks. I still use it. I am just about to put my copy of Tiger on it.

CompUSA used to be the place to go. Those days have long since passed it by.

What is tragic about chain retail, and I love going to the store to buy, they have nothing that I can't find online and have shipped to me for cheaper.

Frys electronics might be the only exception I can come up with in my area; granted it is a 30+ mile suburban drive.

That last statement was not made to Steev, but to the several others who just ramble something to that effect because of a bad experience. Everyone has a bad experience whether it be at CompUSA or Best Buy or Circuit City. No body's perfect.

Dec 08, 07 - 10:04 am Comment from: DLMeyer

PelosiNoMore, you and Pete need to find your own world to destroy. Chavez is much like our own president in SO many ways ... wants to spread his ideology world-wide, wants to be dictator-for-life, wants to jail anyone he dislikes for any reason at all - or none - and grants his buddies get-out-of-jail-free cards as needed. Totally a nut-job, I agree. But, neither of the two you mention have actively sought war against a country half a world away or has fought a war at all. Sure, Iran sells arms to our enemies ... or maybe gives them away? But so do WE. Have you not heard of the many Millions of dollars of weapons - from personal arms up to vehicles, and including RPGs - that are unaccounted for in Iraq?
I do not wish to enrich either the anti-christian-in-office or his friends for the joy of having my children's friends killed for no good reason. You may think there's a reason we are dying in Iraq, but those were, and are, lies. Not mis-statements, LIES. That is, he knew they were not true as he said them ... over, and over, and over again. Just as he knew Iran was not building nuclear weapons while he claimed they were ... over, and over, and over again - for three months.
On Topic: My experience with CompUSA was ... not entirely positive. Went in there to buy a copy of Blizzard's Diablo II and was told they had no such game for the Mac and I should buy a Real Computer, not a TOY, if I wanted to play Real Games. So I asked him to show me where the PC version was, then asked him to read THIS line ... which elicited a "oh, didn't know that" - but no apology. They had one Mac-head on staff, forty hours a week. Any other time you had to make do with a Windows fanatic. Or whatever. Not entirely positive.
Dave

"PelosiNoMore

I\'m right there with you, Pete. But these days, so many corporations are multinational at some level. And if anybody, it\'s Chavez who\'s the lunatic with messianic delusions. Him and Ahmadinejad -- two wingnuts for the 21st century."

you couldn't be more mistaken.........

allahu akbar "god is greatest"

Compusa was the reason I bought my first Mac in 2001. I saw a Powerbook and immediately fell in love with the Mac.

DLMeyer doesn't get out much everybody, you'll just have to excuse him.

There should be some kind of rule or law, only 10% of your daily conversation should entail a electronic device.

The other required 90% should be a warm and friendly face to face type of conversation where the other person can give you a look like your crazy.

Dec 08, 07 - 10:36 am Comment from: Brandon Petersen

... and only 10% of all electronic communications can be on left-wing conspiracy websites.

Dec 08, 07 - 10:39 am Comment from: BiZarRo BaLlmEr

I guess some people had better experiences than I did. But In my many outings to CrapUSA is was never good.
Certainly NOT great for Apple. I don't know how you can say it was successful when you are unaware and cannot measure how many sales were lost by people walking away without a purchase of an Apple product because:

computers were always frozen or broken (missing keys on ibooks)
no one around to help and if you dared peek around the back to make your presence know they tell you you're not supposed to be back there, sooo they basically use the back to hide from customers. I want to buy something a**hole.
Not a good representation for Apple products in CompUSA stores.
I was worried this would happen again in Bestbuy stores but Bestbuy suck even when your shopping for simple electronic items like MP3 players.

Buyer beware, educate yourself and just know what you want and buy it, because store help doesn't care.

CompUSA had the WORST customer service EVER. They were total a*holes.

I recently bought my first Apple - a MacBook Pro - from the online Apple Store, but the "H" key didn't alweays register. We have no Apple stores in New Orleans, so I brought it to a local CompUSA, an authorized Apple repair facility, on Labor Day. It was overnighted by them to Apple and I had it back from Apple via CompUSA on Thursday.

CompUSA's closing is not a good development as far as I'm concerned.

I wonder what will happen to all those CompUSA extended warranties? They had saved my butt in the past, so sometimes it used to be worth buying one.

Apple did learn a lot. They learned that PC guys don't sell Macs and didn't want to. That's why Steve opened up Apple stores and the rest is history.

I will be joining MacTech84 in his champagne party. We both worked for the same jackazz of a manager. Which is the person who drove me to bankruptcy and the hell of an existence that I live in today.

Good bye, CompuSUCK.

@Karma, since you don't know the person we are talking about, maybe you should look closer at her. You would love to pay back her for the ...stuff... that she has put upon others. Prime example: a fellow co-worker was hit on the head with a 15" CRT, complaining of double vision, and forced her to finish her shift to get sales of TAP. If that doesn't deserve retribution, I don't know what does!

@Leader, while no body's perfect, CompuSUCK was exceptional at forcing crap onto people. And I am not talking about Winblows. All they cared about was selling TAP. It was the reason why I left in the first place. I was told that the only focus for salespeople was to sell systems with TAP. But the final straw was the fact that whenever I sold a system without it, I was pulled into that same General Manager's office and given the same speech about how to sell TAP and was treated like a baby each and every time.

@OldMacFan, I too am still using the Mac that I purchased there, also the only store in town at the time. I am running Leopard, upgraded to a SATA card for my HDs and am contemplating getting a DL drive. But the scourge of this purchase is that I have a faulty Logic Board, my FW & USB 1.1 connections falter on random occasions, and I cannot afford to replace the board since the warranty expired a while ago. Heck I even got a notice from CompuSUCK about extending the TAP that I had purchased on the tower. Oh, wait, I remember purchasing AppleCare, not TAP; but they think I did. Doesn't matter, they both have expired and I don't care anymore. My tower has faithfully chugged along all this time; I love it.

When I get the $$ to purchase a new Mac, it will most likely be from an Apple Store. Hopefully at the one that I used to work at. Ah the memories.

As others have pointed out, Steve needs to buy the CompUSA locations and open Apple Stores.

Problem solved.

Dec 08, 07 - 01:11 pm Comment from: ChrisW357

@ clunker: good idea! However, aren't those office spaces a bit big for a Apple store?

I'm gonna miss CompUSA. I know some of you may have had bad experiences with them, but I had two stores that I frequented and I found everything I needed there. Of course, I knew the salespeople were idiots when dealing with their Mac selection, so I never bothered to ask them for anything.

DLMeyer barfed: \"...our own president in SO many ways ... wants to spread his ideology world-wide.\"

You are so blind. It is amazing what people cannot see when they choose to look at things with blinders on.

DLMeyer puked: <i>\"You may think there\'s a reason we are dying in Iraq, but those were, and are, lies. Not mis-statements, LIES. That is, he knew they were not true as he said them ... over, and over, and over again. Just as he knew Iran was not building nuclear weapons while he claimed they were ... over, and over, and over again - for three months.\"

Yaaah, riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight. Along with every single Democrat who also signed on to the WMD intelligence. Including Bill Clinton. I mean, really, we should just forget the 18 U.N. resolutions that Hussein gave us the finger on; or the deaths of several hundred thousand Iraqis by his hand; or the constant (read: almost every single day) anti-aircraft fire our planes took while patrolling the No-Fly zones. Riiiiight. Just forget all of that stuff.

And IRAN!?! You have GOT to be kidding me! Right? I mean, the National Intelligence Estimate is suddenly flawless now when it comments on Iran\'s nuclear situation . . . but of course it was just riddled with holes and full of lies when it was reporting on the staus of Iraq, right??!??!??

I love the smell of bringing representative elections and legitimate self-determination to those less fortunate than us. Yes, I truly do. Because THAT\'S what we\'re doing in Iraq, you pathetic cry-baby.

DLMeyer, you are a true hypocrite and a total fool.

I'll miss CompUSA. Heck, I missed them even when they still had stores in Phoenix. CompUSA changed over the years... and not for the better. As their ever declining state and eventual slide into oblivion testifies. They lost their focus.

I remember when the first store opened here... it was a computer geek's paradise. Anything and everything you could think of lined the shelves... even the Mac hardware and software selection were pretty good.

Memories...

Dec 08, 07 - 01:50 pm Comment from: ChrisW357

@ DLMeyer and PelosiNoMore: It's a shame when a tech site has to become a battlezone for political viewpoints. Let's keep the politics out of this, even if someone somehow starts it.

DLMeyer, I know exactly how that felt. I went to Verizon shopping for a new cellphone. I asked the guy there if one of the phones was compatible with Mac systems, and his direct question for that was, "Why would you want it to be mac compatible? Don't tell me you have a Mac at home?!" Then he proceeds to tell me I can watch my sports programs on the phone, without even asking me what I'm into, when my wife is standing there next to me and she's the sports nut in the relationship, not I. I told him after that to fuck off and that I won't do any business with Verizon.

I remember once not long ago, I went to CompUSA to buy a printer. I stood next to the printer for a long time, but no one waited on me. I asked a clerk to wait on me, but he said it wasn't his department. I went over to the cashier and asked him to send someone. He contacted the manager, and the manager sent a clerk--however, in the meantime, another clerk had walked up with a customer and sold the printer right out from under my nose! I went to Office Depot.

A month later, I happened to be talking to the manager. I told him CompUSA was a wonderful store, because I could browse for hours without a clerk interfering. (Which was true.) He was taken aback and asked me why no one ever waited on me. I explained that I had observed that the clerks only approached customers in their own age group, and I'm about the age of their parents. After that, I noticed that I had no trouble getting waited on.

CompUSA never did get it. Their sales staff didn't know how to sell or how to deal with customers.

CompUSA didn't deserve to have customers. Good riddance.

Dec 08, 07 - 02:18 pm Comment from: DLMeyer

Pete and PelosiNoMore, any chance you could package a little On Topic comment with your personal attack? As for my views, three Americans out of four agree with my low opinion of the Liar-in-Chief. That puts you both in the deluded minority. Telling falsehoods, as Bush did in the run-up to the war in Iraq, and is doing in the run-up to the war in Iran, is not a Christian Value. Nor is it a Family Value. And there is ample proof of his intentionally falsifying the facts as he knew them. If you approve of this, you are advocating Lies told to get Americans killed. Think before you blather further.
Those Democrats - not including President Clinton but including his wife Senator Clinton - were lied to by President Bush, presented with falsified information, and asked to support a "minor resolution" carefully crafted to allow Bush to start his war, to get thousands of American boys killed. The fact that they were mislead does not justify further acceptance of proven lies. The 18 UN resolutions Hussein (a rabid criminal almost as bad as our own "leader") all regarded WMDs - something we have yet to find in the country. And he killed fewer of his citizens than have died since we occupied his country. And tortured fewer, as well. Is torture a Christian Value? A Family Value? Yes or no!
The NIE prior to Iraq was re-written by the Administration to show that WMDs were being developed and deployed - despite multiple attempts by the authoring agency to rectify the statement being attributed to them. Why do you think THIS one was released to the public? Bush can no longer make certain claims without being challenged. If he wants to go to war, he needs to find another "reason". Perhaps, oil revenues for his buddies? And more illegal no-bid contracts for friends?
PelosiNoMore, do not attribute to me what I might better attribute to you. A hypocrite is someone who lies, not someone who is mistaken. Your alias shows you to be both a sexist and a rabid Republican and your context is just so much personal attack and slander. And of questionable accuracy. You have nothing to say a civilized person needs to hear, only repetitions of the lies and excuses of a war criminal. Are you a hypocrite? Or a total fool? I suspect the latter more than the former, but I'll leave it up to you.
Brandon Petersen, the majority of the "Nut Sites" out there are run by Radical Right Wing character assassins like O'Reilley and Limbaugh. Only Olbermann, who is only somewhat left of center (though noisily so), can brag of ratings in their league. O'R can be shown to be a liar - denying things he, himself, said on previous shows and thinking no one will remember. Except, of course, it's all on tape. L claims to be a "comedian", like John Stewart, which gives him free rein to make things up.
You, sirs, need to get out more. Get in touch with the 70%+ of Americans bitter about the lies, the deaths, the theft, the corruption.
My apologies to the rest of the MDN folk who got caught up in this exchange.
Dave

Dec 08, 07 - 02:24 pm Comment from: MacTech84

@ Karma.....

Wow, you sure did nail it on the head there..... Considering my pathetic life is oh so bad now since I don't work for a failing company. Oh wait... I got out of there years ago for a better paying job, more enjoyable job, and Yes I would love to be in that parking lot drinking Champagne as they close the store with good friends who all got the shaft at some point from that company. You definitely don't mess with Karma, and by choosing to use that at your name.... Well... What goes around comes around buddy, yours will be in a big way...

However, aren't those office spaces a bit big for a Apple store?

Not sure what you mean here. "Hit" as in "success", or "hit" as in "failure, sales cannibalization, etc."?

Of course Apple shouldn't blindly buy ALL the CompUSA locations, and Steve is a magnitude smarter than that.

My point is this is a RARE chance for Apple to pick up a significant amount of prime retail space, potentially for a great price. If Apple's going to continue growing they're going to need that space; it'd be a true shame to come back in 3-5 years and really wish Apple had those stores...

Dec 08, 07 - 02:55 pm Comment from: Jim - TIV

@Gaufre - "Now there won't be anything at all and Little Rock is such a developing city. sad sad sad"

uh.... I've lived in Little Rock and have family from Clarendon. (think Grapes of Wrath)... Little Rock is one of the armpits of America.

Dec 08, 07 - 03:16 pm Comment from: ChrisW357

@ clunker: I think you read that wrong. I said "bit", not "hit". "Hit" was never in that post.