Circuit City vs. Best Buy

There's not much of a comparison - Circuit City is the one that fired its higher-paid workers and is struggling to survive; Best Buy is sticking to its solid sales and earnings goals for the year despite a tumultuous market (earnings in the most recent quarter fell 18 percent). Anyway, Brian White at Blogging Stocks spent the weekend comparing and contrasting the two largest consumer electronics chains in the U.S. and discovered a few differences. First stop: a Circuit City store, where the first thing he noticed was that there wasn't any air conditioning.

I made my way back to the computer area to look for one of the newer, pocketable hard drives. One of the drives was labeled as "clearance" for $87 and change, so I took it to the checkout line. Well, the clerk (who seemed annoyed at something) told me this product was scanning at a higher price -- $150. I left the checkout and retrieved the shelf tag to back myself up, and apparently the tag had a misprint (I think). Instead of $87, the drive was ringing up as $150 -- but the dates, bar codes and exact description on the product box and shelf tag were identical. Something was amiss. I made my way back to the checkout area. While I was in line waiting for a chance to make my point, another customer was already arguing with a manager about another product's price. When I returned to the checkout line, it had closed.

Then it was onto Best Buy.

The air conditioning did work there (thankfully) and I was greeted by the loss prevention employee after entering the store. I went directly to the computer department and while looking at external hard drives, I was asked no less than three times if I needed help with anything (not too pushy, but pleasantly). I chose a Seagate 160GB unit on sale at 30% off normal price and proceeded to the checkout area -- and there were three clerks on duty efficiently checking out customers. I bought the unit and proceeded out the door and the loss prevention employee thanked me for 'shopping at Best Buy today.' I was acknowledged five times and my shopping experience lasted an entire five minutes. Incredible, if you think about it. Now, guess which shopping trip I liked better, and which chain will receive my future, non internet-based shopping business?