Circuit City permanently lost my business over DIVX. Their creation of that no-widescreen, no-extras, pay-to-play system led me to never set foot in their stores since.

Well said:

A) Bill really did rally a LOT of folks, and did so with facts, rather than FUD.

B) On the mark with the loyalty to BB and avoidance of Circuit City.

Since 1998 I've made one purchase at Circuit City, a set of Infinity speakers that were marked down to about 20% of the original price.

Everything else, and there's been thousands of dollars, have been Crutchfield, Best Buy and a few other smaller local retailers.

From the time that circuit city opened in my area (around 90 or 91 if I recall) to the time of the divix fiasco, easily 95% of my AV purchase were at circuit city.

At the time of the Paramount HD-DVD payoff last year (wow, it seems a lot longer) I decided the same thing, never to purchase or recommend another toshiba product for myself or for a friend or client. I guess we'll check back in 10 years and see how they're doing. :-)

Thanks for the trip down memory lane!

The start of the CC downfall began over 10 years ago while i was living in South Florida.

Divx was one of the worst ideas any consumer retailer and hardware co. ever came up with. And where did CC come off partnering up with a entertainment law firm to make divx??
As far as S. Fl., CC decided to completly remodel, from top to bottom, every single store in the S. Fl market. And they decided to do this at the end of August, right before the most important selling quarter of the year. The stores were a total mess, not ready for business at all.
Who planned that in CC?
No the end of CC has been a long time coming.

Count me as another who never stepped foot in the door again after DIVX.

I do like circuit city to a certain point though. It's nice and quiet and everyone just leaves you alone.......that was a joke. You go to BB and it FEELS like an electronic store should feel like, loud and bright. CC on the other hand, no one really asks you for any help and they leave you alone. Alone as in when I cross the street to shop at the other "loud electronic store." I tell you one thing, this greed with corporations letting experienced people go, well, Wallyworld is doing the same thing........

I got my first HDTV in a Denver Circuit City about 5 years ago. Since then, I moved to Phoenix and have watched the one near me go into a slow decline; yes, Divx was a horrible idea and I remember the fight well, but it also has to do with plain customer service. Best Buy greets you at the door, and each department usually has someone readily available to help you. I had trouble with my Samsung Blu-ray player several times and they were very helpful in getting it traded out, twice. Their stock is easy to browse through and departments are clearly delineated.

On the other hand, I can't tell you how many times I've walked into a CC, and searched from top to bottom for someone to help me. I've actually, more than once, had employees RUN AWAY when they see me coming. Come on, kids, I'm not that scary! I don't mind younger employees as long as they're well-trained but the CC guys, contrasted with the BB folks, seem usually clueless. I did have one very friendly guy appear out of nowhere to help me last time I was in CC, but he was the exception rather than the rule. All I could think was, no wonder these guys are going out of business. I'm sure we all have horror stories for both BB and CC, and a lot has to do with management. But, Best Buy seems to be more consistent with its service and stores, and they will continue to receive my patronage. Bye, CC, you blew it.

As a former CC employee of about 2 1/2 years (2001-2003), I can't say I'm surprised by this. I saw it coming since, if memory serves me correctly, February 5, 2003. On that particular day Circuit City ended commission pay for its sales associates. But what they also did was simply release people who were making more per hour in commission than they were willing to pay an hourly wage. So instead of even giving those associates the choice of taking an offer they were sure to decline, they just gave them 2 weeks' severance pay plus 1 additional week for each year of service at the company. I had about 10-15 people I worked with get hammered out by this. I was one of the lucky ones that survived. The company was then just totally mismanaged from there. When I started, they were supposedly just emerging from the Divx fiasco. When I left they were bringing in Best Buy execs to steer the company right, and that didn't work either. So when they fired those longer-tenured associates last year, again many people I still worked with, I knew it was just a matter of time. I still went to CC over Best Buy because at the Best Buy closest to where I live, you can never find someone to help you. Luckily, I never need help, but still. I think in the end Wal-Mart's emergence into electronics hurt CC as much as BB did. Just my take. Luckily, the friends I have that still work at CC are safe, because their stores aren't closing...for now.

Good riddance. Every point made by the folks who have written replies is absolutely right on. Divx was one the most mind-blowingly stupid ideas I've ever heard of. Their customer service ALWAYS sucked, not just recently, ALWAYS. Their product line, pricing, delivery, store maintenance, ambient lighting, parking lots, restrooms, carpets, everything was/is horrible. And what is with those random cash registers just arbitrarily placed throughout the store? Checkout lines too much for you, CC? And do they still give you two miles of receipt tape with every purchase nowadays? That was annoying as hell.

While DIVX was horrible and I vowed never to shop at CC since, that wasn't what brought them down. There stores just plain stink now compared to BB. Their selection is paltry, you can't just grab a TV/DVD whatever and just go to the line. It just feels like you are walking into a masoleum, where BB (though far from perfect) is a far far more fun shopping experience. I really am amazed how a store could just get it so 'wrong'. The only problem with CC gone if it gives BB less incentive to have sales etc...

I was vehemently against DIVX so much that I got myself into arguements with a few sales drones who were drinking the Kool Aid.

Since DIVX, I only purchased two items at CC because they carried better audio products than Best Buy.

I find myself in Best Buy many times, but rarely at CC. In the last year CC opened a new store that was very close to a successful BB/Magnolia in my area. I am surprised they are not closing that one either. The BB is always busy where the CC rarely has more than a couple of customers at a time.