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expired Posted by lighterwallet • Feb 24, 2021
expired Posted by lighterwallet • Feb 24, 2021

Frys SUDDENLY out of business. Sad day! Appears they did not adapt to the online model like Best Buy

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Quote from their website as of today - Feb 24, 2021:

After nearly 36 years in business as the one-stop-shop and online resource for high-tech professionals across nine states and 31 stores, Fry's Electronics, Inc. ("Fry's" or "Company"), has made the difficult decision to shut down its operations and close its business permanently as a result of changes in the retail industry and the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. The Company will implement the shut down through an orderly wind down process that it believes will be in the best interests of the Company, its creditors, and other stakeholders.


The Company ceased regular operations and began the wind-down process on February 24, 2021. It is hoped that undertaking the wind-down through this orderly process will reduce costs, avoid additional liabilities, minimize the impact on our customers, vendors, landlords and associates, and maximize the value of the Company's assets for its creditors and other stakeholders.


The Company is in the process of reaching out to its customers with repairs and consignment vendors to help them understand what this will mean for them and the proposed next steps.


If you have questions, please contact us using the following email addresses:


For customers who have equipment currently being repaired, please email [email protected], to arrange for return of your equipment.

For customers with items needing repair under a Performance Service Contract, please call (800) 811-1745.

For consignment vendors needing to pick up their consignment inventory at Fry's locations, please email [email protected].


Please understand if we are a bit slow to respond given the large volume of questions. The Company appreciates your patience and support through this process.


Sincerely,


Fry's Electronics


Story links:
https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/24/bu...index.html

https://arstechnica.com/informati...oon-close/

https://www.theverge.com/circuitb...f-business

https://www.pcmag.com/news/frys-e...f-business
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Quote from their website as of today - Feb 24, 2021:

After nearly 36 years in business as the one-stop-shop and online resource for high-tech professionals across nine states and 31 stores, Fry's Electronics, Inc. ("Fry's" or "Company"), has made the difficult decision to shut down its operations and close its business permanently as a result of changes in the retail industry and the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. The Company will implement the shut down through an orderly wind down process that it believes will be in the best interests of the Company, its creditors, and other stakeholders.


The Company ceased regular operations and began the wind-down process on February 24, 2021. It is hoped that undertaking the wind-down through this orderly process will reduce costs, avoid additional liabilities, minimize the impact on our customers, vendors, landlords and associates, and maximize the value of the Company's assets for its creditors and other stakeholders.


The Company is in the process of reaching out to its customers with repairs and consignment vendors to help them understand what this will mean for them and the proposed next steps.


If you have questions, please contact us using the following email addresses:


For customers who have equipment currently being repaired, please email [email protected], to arrange for return of your equipment.

For customers with items needing repair under a Performance Service Contract, please call (800) 811-1745.

For consignment vendors needing to pick up their consignment inventory at Fry's locations, please email [email protected].


Please understand if we are a bit slow to respond given the large volume of questions. The Company appreciates your patience and support through this process.


Sincerely,


Fry's Electronics


Story links:
https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/24/bu...index.html

https://arstechnica.com/informati...oon-close/

https://www.theverge.com/circuitb...f-business

https://www.pcmag.com/news/frys-e...f-business

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42 Comments

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Feb 24, 2021
3,172 Posts
Joined Oct 2016
Feb 24, 2021
FrozenBeer
Feb 24, 2021
3,172 Posts
hardly surprising..... they were going downhill even before the pandemic started in mid-December 2019.

while Best Buy claims to be making money as of the most recent quarter, they are also quite risky.
Feb 24, 2021
2,163 Posts
Joined Jun 2007
Feb 24, 2021
rangerlg
Feb 24, 2021
2,163 Posts
Sadly I saw this coming. Last time I was in there half the store was closed off and shelves were empty. Used to love going to Frys on the weekends.
Feb 24, 2021
1,421 Posts
Joined Nov 2005
Feb 24, 2021
namx
Feb 24, 2021
1,421 Posts
Yep. Suddenly is not the right word. Everyone saw this coming.
Feb 24, 2021
33 Posts
Joined Dec 2007
Feb 24, 2021
wilson1914
Feb 24, 2021
33 Posts
Quote from rangerlg :
Sadly I saw this coming. Last time I was in there half the store was closed off and shelves were empty. Used to love going to Frys on the weekends.
I agree; I will miss Fry's. What's going to happen to all of the people who only came out of their parents' basement to go to Fry's? What will they do? And the employees who owned only one tie to work there so they could pay for their online gaming equipment? I guess they'll have to head back to DeVry and finish their education. (I can say that as a fellow DeVry alum and recognizing them.) They won't be needed to man the three open registers amongst the 64 closed ones anymore!

Once China closed down due to COVID, Fry's was stuck without suppliers. I'm sure they were a HUGE importer. I guess the "in-store cafe", the endless supply of every candy known to man and 30 different gumball-type machines just didn't cut it. But whenever I smell cheap, burnt bread while purchasing low-cost electronics, I'll think of you, Fry's!

I guess this means my Fry's in-store credit is worthless. Where am I going to buy my 24 packs of Pepsi and my mace spray now???
Last edited by wilson1914 February 24, 2021 at 09:02 AM.
1
Feb 24, 2021
35 Posts
Joined Oct 2017
Feb 24, 2021
its_451
Feb 24, 2021
35 Posts
I hope Micro Center will buy out the old buildings - we could use one in Oregon.
Feb 24, 2021
3,366 Posts
Joined Jan 2010
Feb 24, 2021
Indio22
Feb 24, 2021
3,366 Posts
I bought a TV, projector, receiver among other items over the years from Fry's. Some very nice deals. I was picking up a car amp fuse kit a couple weeks ago after a long absence, and was shocked and saddened by all the empty shelves. I asked the cashier if they were closing. He said no - but was probably giving the company line. I mean they had no TV section left. Dang, now it's only Microcenter in my area. Frown
Feb 24, 2021
221 Posts
Joined Jul 2006
Feb 24, 2021
bjim
Feb 24, 2021
221 Posts
This is what happens when you go to the Brick & Mortar store to see the product and then go home and buy it online. If you want to have a place to see the item in person then SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL BRICK AND MORTAR STORES!!! And for all the haters out there I've been guilty of the above before.
Last edited by bjim February 24, 2021 at 10:01 PM.
3

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Feb 24, 2021
178 Posts
Joined Sep 2012
Feb 24, 2021
Bobblank77
Feb 24, 2021
178 Posts
Man Fry's was not a good experience. I felt like it was going downhill years ago. Back in 2015 I bought parts for a new computer and the sales rep kept pushing their 3 year extended warranty and i kept saying no but she kept insisting. Eventually she said she could add it on for free and i was like "Fine. Lets do it so i can get out of here". Turns out the way it was "free" was by swapping my RAM for open box RAM and not telling me. I only noticed after I got home. The computer turned out fine but that's some sketchy sales tactics.

Fry's was fine when you needed a really specific part and didn't want to wait for shipping but I wouldn't want to spend money there
Feb 24, 2021
2,475 Posts
Joined Dec 2007
Feb 24, 2021
luv2chill
Feb 24, 2021
2,475 Posts
Fry's was mismanaged and never adapted to the times. In retail you have to adapt or die.

For one, the idea of a Costco-sized electronics store has been obsolete for 20 years. But rather than downsize their stores to a more compact, cohesive layout, they just downsized their inventory, resulting in tons of empty shelves (never a good look).

For two, Fry's never had good customer service to begin with, and their sales people worked on commission. So you'd often get "the hard sell" while browsing around and then god forbid you wanted to return something later.

Like pretty much everyone else, what I miss is the era when Fry's was a big deal, just for nostalgia's sake. I won't really miss the store itself because there are much better shops to buy most of the stuff they sold (Best Buy for mainstream consumer electronics, Micro Center for parts/more obscure stuff, Amazon for everything else).
Feb 24, 2021
14,671 Posts
Joined Aug 2010
Feb 24, 2021
turnne
Feb 24, 2021
14,671 Posts
Quote from FrozenBeer :
hardly surprising..... they were going downhill even before the pandemic started in mid-December 2019.

while Best Buy claims to be making money as of the most recent quarter, they are also quite risky.
Best Buy has turned in some solid financials recently...and same store sales are really up, probably due to people getting stimulus money in their hands
What would you say they are risky?
Quote from namx :
Yep. Suddenly is not the right word. Everyone saw this coming.
True...they havent had real inventory in more than a year
Quote from SiennaCheetah6636 :
I saw it 10 years ago
Empty stores
Most stores got no stock for 5 years
I dont know what you are talking about
Looks at the thread here on slick deals 2 years ago
denon receivers..Pioneer receivers ..LG OLED's
frys had incredible deals
According to AVS forum they had to be losing money on every one of those transactions
I dont know...but I certainly took advantage of about all of them
Quote from wilson1914 :
I agree; I will miss Fry's. What's going to happen to all of the people who only came out of their parents' basement to go to Fry's? What will they do? And the employees who owned only one tie to work there so they could pay for their online gaming equipment? I guess they'll have to head back to DeVry and finish their education. (I can say that as a fellow DeVry alum and recognizing them.) They won't be needed to man the three open registers amongst the 64 closed ones anymore!

Once China closed down due to COVID, Fry's was stuck without suppliers. I'm sure they were a HUGE importer. I guess the "in-store cafe", the endless supply of every candy known to man and 30 different gumball-type machines just didn't cut it. But whenever I smell cheap, burnt bread while purchasing low-cost electronics, I'll think of you, Fry's!

I guess this means my Fry's in-store credit is worthless. Where am I going to buy my 24 packs of Pepsi and my mace spray now???
"Once China closed down"..LOL
Walmart was still open and I am betting their Chinese goods mix was at least as high as fry's
Feb 24, 2021
14,671 Posts
Joined Aug 2010
Feb 24, 2021
turnne
Feb 24, 2021
14,671 Posts
Quote from bjim :
This is what happens when you go the the Brick & Mortar store to see the product and then go home and buy it online. If you want to have a place to see the item in person then SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL BRICK AND MORTAR STORES!!! And for all the haters out there I've been guilty of the above before.
I am betting Best Buy...the nations largest electronics retailer....sells more out of their physical stores than their website
Quote from luv2chill :
Fry's was mismanaged and never adapted to the times. In retail you have to adapt or die.

For one, the idea of a Costco-sized electronics store has been obsolete for 20 years. But rather than downsize their stores to a more compact, cohesive layout, they just downsized their inventory, resulting in tons of empty shelves (never a good look).

For two, Fry's never had good customer service to begin with, and their sales people worked on commission. So you'd often get "the hard sell" while browsing around and then god forbid you wanted to return something later.

Like pretty much everyone else, what I miss is the era when Fry's was a big deal, just for nostalgia's sake. I won't really miss the store itself because there are much better shops to buy most of the stuff they sold (Best Buy for mainstream consumer electronics, Micro Center for parts/more obscure stuff, Amazon for everything else).
I am going to have to disagree with you
I am betting the computer and parts section was a lot more of their business than electronics was
As far as size...there are some pretty big Microcenters
Microcenter has never really had an A/V presence that was much
I dont see anything negative about going into a store that was Best Buy/Microcenter hybrid

I am going to miss those " steals" they had on Denon and Pioneer receivers as well as LG OLED's
Before the manufacturers got so stuffy about "minimum advertised price" rules Fry's was killing it with the Sony and Samsung TV deals
Feb 24, 2021
1,967 Posts
Joined Oct 2004
Feb 24, 2021
jmman
Feb 24, 2021
1,967 Posts
I used to love Fry's. Bought tons of stuff there, and got some great deals. I guess they went the way of Circuit City and CompUSA. I used to like them as well. Mad
Feb 24, 2021
330 Posts
Joined Jan 2013
Feb 24, 2021
MJSid
Feb 24, 2021
330 Posts
Poor customer service was my number #1 issue with Fry's. They held just a little more integrity than the notorious NY/NJ Grey market stores.
Feb 24, 2021
3,365 Posts
Joined Jun 2007
Feb 24, 2021
wellington
Feb 24, 2021
3,365 Posts
Used to love Frys and they've been dying for years. Surprisingly, Microcenter has been growing in the same timeframe. Poor leadership should have adjusted.

MICROCENTER, PLEASE BUY SOME OF THE FRY STORES.

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Feb 24, 2021
2,399 Posts
Joined Mar 2004
Feb 24, 2021
Deals_junky
Feb 24, 2021
2,399 Posts
Cannot believe Fry's died permanently before Sears.

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