Retailers, Suppliers Vie For Circuit City Share
Alan Wolf -- TWICE, 1/26/2009
NEW YORK — Retailers and service providers are stepping up efforts to claim their share of Circuit City’s revenue and customer base as the CE specialty chain dissolves.
hhgregg was among the first to make a play for Circuit’s sales by offering to honor its gift cards after the first wave of store closings were announced last fall. The multi-regional CE and appliance chain has now extended the gift card offer a third time to April 1, one day after Circuit City’s final liquidation date.
As before, the gift card value will be honored toward up to 20 percent of the total hhgregg product purchase price, and is not applicable to online purchases.
Also accepting Circuit City gift cards are member dealers of Brand Source, the $11 billion buying group, CEO Bob Lawrence told TWICE.
hhgregg is also hoping to recruit Circuit customers by providing factory-authorized service on manufacturer-warranted products that were originally purchased from Circuit City. Consumers can now bring their defective merchandise — and proof of purchase — directly to an hhgregg store for service, or can arrange an in-home appointment by calling the company’s toll-free customer service center.
“At hhgregg, we want to assist those who may be impacted by other retailers’ store closures, and demonstrate our dedication to superior customer service,” said president/chief operating officer Dennis May. “We believe that customers who have purchased appliances and electronics expect and deserve this level of service, so we are stepping up to assist them.”
Also stepping up is Zip Express Installation, which provides next-day home installation services through a nationwide network of certified technicians. The Minneapolis-based business announced today that it is offering a special 15 percent-off promotion aimed squarely at former customers of Circuit City’s Firedog home services operation. The discount, good toward a variety of Zip services, can be redeemed by using the coupon code FIREDOG at the company’s Web site, www.zipinstallation.com.
“Circuit City’s bankruptcy and subsequent liquidation means that the company’s Firedog service will cease to fulfill existing appointments and thousands of consumers will be searching for solutions only days before the biggest football game and television event of the year,” said Chris Mauzy, Zip Express president/CEO. “Zip is ready to fill this void in the marketplace… [and] customers stranded by Firedog can have all of their consumer electronics installation needs met tomorrow.”
The company offers next-day appointments through a nationwide network of more than 16,000 CE-certified installers, with services starting at $129.95, including a one-year warranty.
Zip Express provides installation services direct to consumers and through several retail partners including Amazon.com, Nebraska Furniture Mart, Office Depot, Target and TigerDirect.com. TV installation packages and services are offered in-store as a SKU, similar to a PIN card, which is scanned at checkout, while online customers can add a service package to their virtual shopping carts and schedule an appointment by phone or online after the purchase.
In addition to its Firedog promotion, Zip is also offering special DTV conversion offers for consumers and has launched a dedicated Web site featuring news and views on the DTV transition at www.staticacrossamerica.com.
