A word of advice. If you’re ever going to get something installed in your car, like a stereo system or an alarm, don’t go to Circuit City. I had to learn this the hard way.
Most recently I had a car alarm installed. After two additional trips back to the place, someone who actually knew what they were doing fixed the damn thing. This wasn’t the first time I’ve had problems with them either. This goes back a few years.
Three cars; cd player, speakers, component system, subwoofers, alarm system, nothing was done right the first time. (This was back when I was into the whole car audio thing. Don’t really care about big loud subs anymore, which is why I sold them.) I guess I’m an idiot for going back each time. Nonetheless, I won’t be going there anymore. The people that work there are not all that professional either. When I walked in there last night, there were three guys just standing around, and they just kinda looked at me when I approached them. No “how can I help you” or anything.
The other day when I was waiting around for them to fix the alarm, I asked one of the guys if they didn’t carry Alpine products anymore, which are supposed to be top of the line.
His response was simply ”no”. I asked if there was any particular reason.
“We just don’t.”
Alright then, ass. This is the kinda crap that pisses me off. Employees that don’t even pretend to give a shit and are so unprofessional. I wasn’t even offered any kind of compensation or discount for all the hassle. I didn’t ask for any because I don’t like to be a dick like that, but they barely even apologized for the fact that I had to come back 3 times for something they screwed up in the first place.
Well I’ve finally learned my lesson. If I have anything further done to my car, I’ll be sure to do it at Best Buy. They know what they’re doing.
August 1st, 2006 at 3:44 pm
I’m sure the $7 an hour guys at Best Buy are going to care a whole lot more than the $7 an hour guys at Circuit City.
I would look into a place that specializes in car audio to begin with. Those guys will be a lot more into their jobs and care more about you as a customer.
August 1st, 2006 at 3:55 pm
Not necessarily. I’ve been to some specialty shops and it hasn’t been much better. Those are usually the ones that will try to rip you off or sell you some less than quality equipment. I had an install done at Best Buy once and everything was fine. Good service is really hard to find anywhere these days.
August 1st, 2006 at 4:15 pm
You know the old saying “Shame on you if you fool me once. Shame on me if you fool me twice”. Well…shame on you Ken.
August 1st, 2006 at 4:29 pm
Blah blah blah.
August 1st, 2006 at 4:30 pm
Y were going to circuit city in the first place, they never have any idea what they’re talking about. I went in last month shopping for the best deal on a flat screen tv, and the dude had no idea what CRT was, or the difference in pixelation ratio vs. picture clarity. i guess he thought sonce i was a girl i wouldn’t know he was completely wrong and clueless. Boy was he surprised when i corrected him and said i have a bachelors in Comp Eng. He then had the nerev to ask for my number! Qhat an A**HOLE!
I ended up going to best buy
August 1st, 2006 at 4:45 pm
(As nemesis seems to be taking the day off, the part of Village Idiot will be played by zDom today)
hahahahahha Ken - u suck.
yuo dont get any respeck from them bvecause you sell retail just like them.
bottom feeder!
Alpine sux - thats why you want it.
if you were cool like me and my mom you would have got cool components and respect.
oh yea: and you suck.
August 1st, 2006 at 4:55 pm
zDom, I just laughed my ass off. Bravo!
August 2nd, 2006 at 6:59 am
I’ve never had an issue with them. You obviously must look like a troublmaker so they avoid you.
August 2nd, 2006 at 8:04 am
zDom thats hilarious(spelling check)!
August 2nd, 2006 at 12:25 pm
In order for me to try and understand what your handicap is nemesis, are you A) underage B) mentally retarded or C) Canadian?
August 2nd, 2006 at 1:05 pm
D) all the above
August 2nd, 2006 at 1:37 pm
Ken here is the scoop on retail shops. Their employees are either high schoolers or people who graduated with a high school degree and that is about it. Generally these are people who don’t care about this job. It is rare to find someone in these stores that actually cares, because the people that do care have already moved up.
The specialty shops you all were speaking about are mostly the same people that work at the Circut Cities of the world that have a little more drive so they open their own shop that would close within 2 years.
When buying car electronics, go to the dealearship. Yes you are going to pay more, but at least things are going to get done correctly. Any other electronics, you are going to have to do you own research and figure these things out for yourself, because at the rate technology evolves no one can keep up with it… at least not the high schooler working there.
August 2nd, 2006 at 2:18 pm
Very true. I have seen two privately owned placed close within recently. They just opened a new performance place by the mall. The type of people that work there will determine if it is successful or not. If I walk in there one day and see some ghetto ass teen hanging out at the counter, I’ll be turning right around.
August 2nd, 2006 at 3:46 pm
racist
August 2nd, 2006 at 4:03 pm
Because it is increasingly clear that you don’t know what the actual definition of what a racist is, here you go:
1) The belief that race accounts for differences in human character or ability and that a particular race is superior to others.
2) Discrimination or prejudice based on race.
“ghetto ass teen” does not refer to any RACE. While Ken’s comments may pass for being discriminatory, it is not racist.
August 2nd, 2006 at 4:05 pm
I guess technically Nemesis would be the prejudiced one since he naturally assumed that a ghetto person would not be white.
August 3rd, 2006 at 10:07 am
you’re a bigot for automatically assuming I would think that, but hey, you sell retail.
August 3rd, 2006 at 1:40 pm
What you just said doesn’t even begin to make sense.
August 4th, 2006 at 9:29 pm
Hey Ken, cut the CC guys some slack. Realize it’s a corporate world out there and the $7 a hour guys really don’t know why CC doesn’t carry Alpine anymore. And why the hell would you want Alpine anyway? Why don’t YOU do the research before going into one of these places so you know what you want beforehand and then go to one of the higher end dealers for an install?
Hey beantown, my husband is a store manager for CC and would be more than happy to sit and talk shop with you all day about televisions. There’s nothing you could ask him about a television (flat screen, plasma or otherwise) that he doesn’t know the answer to. I guess what I’m saying is don’t let a few bad apples spoil the bunch. Just as you guys have to deal with these problems from inexperienced associates, so does the management. Blame it on CC’s stock holders who decided to do away with their commissioned sales people a few years ago. That’s where you lost your guys that knew what the hell they were talking about and were more than willing to go out of their way to help you. It’s all about the Benjamins.
August 4th, 2006 at 10:02 pm
I was merely asking about Alpine because I had purchased a deck a few years there back when it was supposedly one of the best brands out there. I mainly asked because I was bored and was just curious as to why it was not carried anymore.
And nemesis probably thinks you’re poor because your husband “sells retail.”
August 5th, 2006 at 6:13 pm
I work at a circuit city and can tell you that our guys at least know what they’re doing. I’ve had them install a lot of stuff and it works perfectly, no problems. There are usually one or two people in the store that don’t really know the specifics, but as far as the main sellers in the department they really know their stuff.
August 6th, 2006 at 11:06 am
Ken, don’t take it the wrong way. I was merely asking a question and providing a possible solution to a future problem. Thanks for the support Ellie.
Apparently Nemesis doesn’t realize there’s money to be made in retail or that just because somebody works in retail means he has to be a lazy, illiterate, unintelligent salesman. My college educated husband earns six figures as a store manager for CC and apparently we’re “poor”.
August 19th, 2006 at 11:49 pm
KEN I FELL YOUR PAIN WITH THE HIGH GAS PRICES. bUT THE TIME IS NOW AND I’M SETTING UP FOR Jan 1, 07 for a day not to buy gas. We want to send a message to the oil companies and the united states government that enough is enough. please get gas on dec 31 06. We are going to be doing this every 3 months sending a message that enough is enough. if you need more info about this movement you can email me. there will be a blog posted soon with more info. Trust me a change is in the making but we must all come together and do this.
August 26th, 2006 at 10:48 am
anyone that complains about service is wasting their breath. you think it’s any different from Circuit City to Best Buy. NO. Would you expect better service from Shell as opposed to Mobile? Duh. How bout we all try this. Grow up and quit your childish whinning. If you don’t like the service try, I don’t know. How about doing your own research. But that would probably be too difficult as well, I’m sure the internet’s service is just as awful. How bout we all grow up and try not sweating the small stuff.
October 12th, 2006 at 4:42 pm
I am a current employee of Best Buy. I do not think that Circuit City or Best Buy is going to be any better in any respect other than prices. I used to be in sales. When I would talk to customers I would always try to be respectful and to look out for what they want most. One thing I do not think most people realize is that it is very easy to critize the employee but I have had my share of unpleasent people on the other end. I just believe that all in all it comes down the the individual that you are talking to, not the company.
August 21st, 2008 at 1:17 pm
im a current CC employee and have been for 2yrs…and whoever said their husband makes 6 figures as a store director is the biggest liar on here PERIOD…back to the installing…we install items on ferraris, lamborghinis, and vipers, so our installers must know something because a person with a messed up ferrari is not going to recommend us…
August 24th, 2008 at 12:11 am
I used to be a manager at a circuit city. i will tell you this, their leadership sucks, which in turn kills their great associates. btw installers at circuit city in this area make about 1/2 as much as installers at best buy, so im pretty sure those installers care more. also the best buy employees on average make $3-4/hr more then circuit city employees, and their managers make an average $20k more/year. maybe thats why cc is going under…
oh and sorry for the old add
November 17th, 2008 at 4:55 pm
FYI: Don’t get anything installed in your car at Circuit City. A couple reasons:
1.They don’t gaurantee their work (last time I saw at least). Meaning, if it breaks the day after it’s installed, they don’t techincally have to fix it.
2.But the biggest reason…
Anyone know how if you get a third party product hardwired to the car, it voids your warranty(Auto Starters, alarms, etc..)? Well this is half true. If it’s installed by a licensed technician, like at best buy or a place that specialized in that stuff, it will not void the warranty. Unfortunately, the techs at Circuit are not licensed by car manufacturers. Figures:)
November 17th, 2008 at 4:57 pm
***I just checked. I apologize- they now do guarantee their work. They didn’t used to.
But the part about the non-licenced techs still seems to be true