Circuit City
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hhgregg extends Circuit City gift card deal through Super Bowl weekend
Apparently buoyed by the initial response to its Circuit City gift card offer and now happily sitting on top of a pile of the red and yellow plastic cash substitute, retailer hhgregg is extending the program through the Super Bowl weekend. It's all about lemons and lemonade, we suppose, but the conditions of the deal haven't changed -- your Circuit City card is good for up to 20-percent off your hhgregg (brick and mortar only) purchase, and the card gets handed over to hhgregg when used. Still, if Black Friday ended with you holding a Circuit City card and no toys, you could do worse than to pass the buck on to hhgregg.
Sunday Deals: Retailers go discount crazy [update]
Update: Doh! We forgot to mention that Toys R Us has an amazing (in store) Rock Band 2 bundle deal, selling the complete set for only $109 PLUS they're throwing in a free $25 gift card. They are also dishing out free $15 gift cards with purchase of two games $29+ and $30 gift cards with purchase of three games $39+. Nice!Let's just do it (deep breath). Best Buy has Mercenaries 2 for $40, Halo 3, Mirror's Edge, Dead Space, MK vs DC, Tomb Raider, Left 4 Dead or Fallout 3 for $50, the World Tour Guitar Kit for $80, and the Halo 3 Interactive Strategy board game for $35. They're also selling Silent Hill Homecoming for $40, Frontlines for $10 and the Xbox 360 Wireless Controller PC pack for $40. Circuit City has Prince of Persia, Mercenaries 2, World at War or Tomb Raider for $50, Midnight Club or World Tour (game) for $45, World Tour Guitar Kit for $80, Ninja Gaiden II or Bad Company for $30, Lego Batman for $40, and BioShock for $20.Target has Need for Speed, NCAA '09, NBA Live '09, Tiger '09 or FIFA '09 for $47, Midnight Club for $44, GHIII for $30, and World Tour (game), Smackdown vs. Raw or Saints Row 2 for $50. They're also giving out $30 gift cards with Xbox 360 Pro purchases and $40 gift cards with Xbox 360 Elites. But there are more deals to be found online and all around, so get your search on and get shopping. The holidays are quickly approaching.
Another Circuit City rumor: Fire Emblem dated
We've no idea why Circuit City has suddenly started posting up previously secret release dates en masse, but hey, here's another Circuit City-related rumor to brighten up your Tuesday: the stricken store says that Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon will launch in North America on February 23. Previously, Nintendo has suggested a wishy-washy "first half of 2009" for the SRPG, so that makes sense (though 180-odd other dates would be just as believable). If you flatly refuse to wait another two months, you can always import from Europe; it came out here last week. %Gallery-8394% [Via Siliconera]
Rumor: March 22 release for Pokemon Platinum [update]
Our Pokédexes have sat idle too long for our liking, but now new light may have been shed on the North American release of Pokémon Platinum. While the game has yet to emerge in its non-Japanese form on Amazon or GameStop's site, Circuit City just listed the title, and apparently caught a release date in the process: March 22.Naturally, this shouldn't be considered official yet, but a six-month gap between the Japanese and North American versions of a Pokémon title is pretty much the norm by now.Update: Looks like Circuit City pulled the listing, but it was definitely there, we SWEAR. You believe us, right? *puppy dog eyes*%Gallery-25539%[Via Bulbapedia; thanks, hvnlysoldr!]
Black Friday 2008 roundup: HD deals
Let's face it -- it's easy to get overwhelmed when it comes to Black Friday. For starters, it's the day after Thanksgiving, a day in which you're likely already stressed out about what to cook, where to clean, who to invite and how to get off work early. The last thing you need is more stress when thinking about what HD gear you'll be adding to your collection a few days from now. Thus, we've scoured the intarwebz and scrubbed the deal sheets in order to present a slimmed down, easy-to-digest guide of where the best buys on high-def-related kit will be on November 28th. Hop on past the break to start making your list.[Image courtesy of SmackShopping]
hhgregg accepting Circuit City gift cards, some strings attached
In case you can't make it to the bargain hunting unfolding at Circuit City stores, or just don't want to face the frenzied atmosphere tinged with gloom, retailer hhgregg will gladly take any Circuit City gift cards you have lying around off your hands. So if your local Circuit City just got closed, or if it just doesn't have that model you're craving, you can cash in your gift cards at hhgregg, to the tune of (up to) 20-percent of your register total. The offer does not extend to online purchases, and you better make sure you use up the entire card value, too, because you'll have to surrender the card to hhgregg before they hand you the goods. Use it or lose it, friends![Via TV Lamps N Bulbs]
Circuit City's Black Friday deals leak, no word on if it'll be open to sell things
Okay, so maybe Circuit City only formally closed 155 of its retail locations, but let's put it this way -- if we're up at 3:00AM and looking at which store to camp in front of, we're picking the one that, um, isn't bankrupt. All that aside, five pages of mildly delectable Black Friday deals have leaked for the company, giving you a full fortnight to think things over and handpick the bargains that you'll be hunting for. Of course, savvy online shoppers like yourself aren't apt to find anything here too fantastic, but we'd wager that even a $7.99 laptop sleeve is a far better value than a $12 Guns N' Roses CD.
Circuit City shorts out, files for bankruptcy protection
Circuit City, the second largest electronics retailer in the US, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The company will close 155 stores and lay off 17% of its work force, which amounts to roughly 7300 jobs. GamePolitics notes that CC holds between 5-10% of the US video game market.How CC's hard times will affect consumers still isn't very clear. It's probably worth keeping an eye on flyers for deals going into the holiday season or checking to see if a local store is shutting down. Although, the company might just shift inventory to locations staying open.
Circuit City files for bankruptcy
Even after shutting down 155 retail stores and announcing plans to cut around 17% of its 43,000 employees, Circuit City couldn't avoid the dreaded bankruptcy court. Today, the Virginia-based company (along with 17 affiliates) petitioned for Chapter 11 protection in Richmond as it attempts to survive under the crushing pressure from Best Buy / Walmart. Beyond that, details about the outfit's future are unclear, though Best Buy has reportedly stated that it "might take over stores that distressed rivals close." Please, no.[Via Bloomberg, image courtesy of AFSmith; thanks Daniel]
Weekly Deals: World at War and $10 gift cards
It's that time once again, time for a Sunday weekly deals roundup where we painstakingly search the internets for retailers' best Xbox 360 deals. So, why wait, let's get to the deal round-upping.Circuit City is doing its gift card promotion again, offering $10 gift cards with purchase of either World at War, Smackdown vs. Raw 2009, LEGO Batman or PURE. They're also bundling a free artbook with Mirror's Edge. Best Buy has Hell's Highway for $30, is offering a free Enemy at the Gates DVD with World at War and a free $30 gift card with purchase of any Xbox 360 console, Gears of War 2 and a 3 month Xbox Live subscription. Finally, Toys R Us is giving out $15 gift cards with purchase of World at War (in store only.) Happy spending.
Forget Black Friday -- $175 Sony BDP-S300 Blu-ray player here now
Sure, we might see $150 Blu-ray players on Black Friday, but how's about a $175 Sony right now? Okay, so maybe $176.96 isn't quite a buck seventy-five, but with a little digging we're sure you can uncover a coupon. Sony's BDP-S300, which has been free-falling in price over the past few weeks, has hit a new low at Circuit City. You should know, however, that this here player isn't apt to last long, and that "Outlet" tag makes us even more fearful of limited stock. So, the magic question: buy in (at long last), or hold out just a bit longer?[Thanks, Darren F.]%Gallery-36403%
Engadget Podcast 117 - 11.07.2008: Zune giveaway edition
Yes -- it's happening again. Another installment of the beloved Engadget Podcast has made its way to the virtual airwaves of the ever-loving internet, and now you can listen in for personal enjoyment and edification. Today Josh, Paul, and Nilay get to the heart of our recent "preferred OS" poll, Apple's treatment of iPhone developers, Amazon's abandonment of painful packaging, and more. Included in this podcast is a first-ever (for Engadget at least) on-air unboxing. That's right, hear the sounds of a Gears of War 2 Zune getting ripped open. As a treat to our faithful listeners, we'll be giving away that very special edition 120GB Zune! Follow the instructions after the break to learn how to make it yours. Update: We've also included that Best Buy rap discussed in the podcast. Enjoy! Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Paul Miller, and Nilay Patel Producer: Trent Wolbe Music: Smells Like Teen Spirit 01:43 - Poll: Which OS do you prefer? 12:38 - Apple adds OTA podcast downloads to iPhone firmware 2.2, continues to burn developers 27:14 - Amazon takes a stand to eliminate wasteful, hard-to-open gadget packaging 34:30 - Circuit City announces store closure plans, full list of locations revealed 45:51 - Dash cuts 50 employees, drastically changing business model 55:05 - Gears of War 2 canvasses special-edition Zune Subscribe to the podcast [iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (enhanced AAC). [RSS MP3] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in MP3) to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically. [RSS AAC] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in enhanced AAC) to your RSS aggregator. [Zune] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in the Zune Marketplace Download the podcast LISTEN (MP3) LISTEN (AAC) LISTEN (OGG) Contact the podcast 1-888-ENGADGET or podcast (at) engadget (dot) com.
Deals are slim for Wrath of the Lich King at retailers
We've got our first Wrath of the Lich King deal to report, and unfortunately, it's less than impressive. Apparently, if you buy the expansion at Best Buy next week, you'll be able to pick up a strategy guide for the game at 25% off. It's not a great deal, especially since Amazon is offering the guide at 34% off, with or without the game (and since you're a WoW Insider reader, you likely won't need the guide anyway). But it is a deal, and it is for Wrath, so there you go. We'd love to have better deals for you (folks like me who buy Gears of War 2 at Circuit City this week are picking up free gift cards and such), but nothing yet.There is good news, also, for people who are buying the expansion through Amazon -- apparently they're offering release-day delivery in some places, so even if you picked up the game at the online retailer, you could have it at exactly the same time (well, a few hours later, since there are midnight releases going around and shipped games usually don't show up until midmorning at least) as everybody else. That way, you won't miss a minute of the lag and frustration-inducing camping that will surely ensue just after launch.If you hear about a deal or a special sale on Wrath next week, let us know. We've all spent way too much money on this game already -- every cent we can save is worth it.
Ripples from Circuit City and Tweeter to affect upscale dealers?
It's not like folks in the market for custom-install gear go to big box retailers like Circuit City and Tweeter for their "fix," but who can deny the way that those Sunday paper ads get the imagination going about how to improve your digital lifestyle? Prognosticators of all things CE, NPD Group, says that the diminishing fortunes of these big box stores will be felt at specialty dealers, and not necessarily in a good way. Sure, the disappearance of all that advertisement money from the CE pool might hurt awareness; but in the end, we know all those displaced regular customers of Circuit City and/or Tweeter will need to shop somewhere, so it's also an opportunity for smaller shops. Tough times are ahead, but there's also opportunity for retailers who can provide top-notch service.
Circuit City announces store closure plans, full list of locations revealed
Yesterday news broke that Circuit City would announce the imminent closure of 155 retail locations, and this morning the company confirmed the news. Detailing its next plan of action in a lengthy press release, the electronics-maker blames "waning consumer confidence and a significantly weakened retail environment" (amongst other things) for the closings, and says that it's considering "all available options and alternatives for the business." In the short-term, this means that we'll see store closings in 55 markets from coast to coast, and the retailer will axe 17 percent of its workforce. The company also plans to begin store closing sales this Wednesday, November 5th, so they're clearly not wasting any time with the process. We've got more info in the read links below, as well as a full list of the closing stores -- if you're an employee, we hope your number isn't on there.[Thanks, Milachy]Read - PDF List of store closings Read - Circuit City to Retrench [Warning: requires subscription]Read - Circuit City Stores, Inc. Provides Update on Liquidity and Announces Store Closing Plan
Circuit City to shutter 155 stores, locations to go public tomorrow
According to a slew of tips we've received, Circuit City will be closing down 155 of its retail locations, possibly even before Black Friday. Right now details are sketchy, but it seems that the company's traditional "holiday kickoff" meeting was actually a "holiday layoff" discussion instead. Apparently, a full list of store locations getting the axe will be revealed. In the words of a current employee:"I'm an employee @ Circuit City and today there was a mandatory store meeting for the holiday season and to welcome all the seasonal employees. There was also some tension as rumors were rampant the days before that we were all going to find out we were out of a job today. Luckily, but still somehow unfortunately, I'm still an employee of Circuit City. The same can't be said for the employees of the 155 stores that are closing, possibly even before black Friday. The list of stores that are shutting down will be made public tomorrow. The idea behind closing the stores before Black Friday is to transfer product from the failing stores to the stronger ones to save some money."This makes sense given the rumors we heard in October and the fact that the company's stock has been been essentially put on death watch by the NYSE -- but that surely won't soften the blow to everyone whose job will be affected by this. If you have more detail on the situation, feel free to drop us a line.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
1600 MS points FREE with Gears of War 2 purchase at Circuit City
Thanks to X3F tipster therza2169, we've been graced with next week's Circuit City retail flyer (November 2nd - November 8th) and within' its digital pages is a very special Gears of War 2 offer. Buy Gears 2 and get 1600 Microsoft points FREE! The free 1600 Microsoft deal goes into effect on Gears 2's release (Friday, November 7th) and is available with both regular and limited editions. Interesting too is the fact that you can score a free $10 gift card with a Gears 2 pre-order, so there's a possibility you could pre-order the game at Circuit City now and receive both the gift card and Microsoft points for free. Though, we aren't certain about the logistics of such a method, so we'll say YMMV. Now we must decide, a free Gears 2 Centaur RC tank at Best Buy or free Microsoft points at Circuit City. Decisions, decisions.[Thanks, therza2169]
360 Deals: It's a free $10 gift card bonanza
This week, there is a lot of Xbox 360 new game release deals. So much so, that we'll forgo an overly long intro and just get right to it. So ... Best Buy is giving out a free beanie hat with purchase of Guitar Hero World Tour, selling Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway for $40 and offering Blitz II for $50. Target stores only have one good deal and that's a free $25 gift card with purchase of an Xbox 360 Arcade console. Circuit City is dishing out the gift cards (as has become the norm), giving away a free $10 gift card with purchase of Fable II, Golden Axe, Far Cry 2, Dead Space, Saints Row 2, and Hell's Highway. You can score a free $10 gift card and mini strategy guide with purchase of Fallout 3 (CE), a free $15 iTunes gift card with purchase of Guitar Hero World Tour and a free t-shirt with Legendary. Phew ... happy shopping!
Deals: iTunes music with Fable 2, $45 games and more
It's Sunday and that means we've already sifted through retailers' ads and found the best Xbox 360 gaming deals. Why? Because we want to save you cash and because it counts towards our government mandated community service hours. Let's get to it ... This week, Best Buy is giving away a free drum shade with purchase of Rock Band 2 bundle and Target is selling NBA Live 09 and SoulCalibur IV for $55. Over at Circuit City, they're giving out free $15 iTunes gift cards with purchase of Fable 2 (LE), a free strategy guide with Far Cry 2, a free t-shirt with the Rock Band 2 bundle and a $10 gift card with Midnight Club: LA. Circuit City is also selling GTAIV, Mercenaries 2, The Force Unleashed and Madden 09 for $45. Have fun shopping.
Wii Warm Up: Taking advantage of a sale
Recently, there's been a lot of sales for Wii games and accessories. That's a very good thing, because we love games and new hardware almost as much as we love saving money. What we want to know is have you taken advantage of one of the many sales recently and what have you picked up? Grabbed yourself a new game? Picked up a new peripheral? What was the last thing you picked up for your Wii?
