Circuit City Bel Air, Maryland Complaint - Rip Off! - Video Games

Posted by PassingBy on 2009-02-23:

I feel sorry for his experience. Obviously the box was not sealed or shrink wrapped. My question is why didn't your son open the box before purchase? The CC in Gaithersburg had many unsealed boxes on the shelves and all were empty. One had to ask for the disk. You could go back to ask for a contact name/phone number for the liquidator. They might provide a disk. It's worth a try.

Posted by Principissa on 2009-02-23:

You can also try the manufacturer of the game. If you explain what happened and show them the receipt they might give you a disk.

Posted by sophie12 on 2009-02-23:

This happens often - sealed games from the manufacturer come in empty. Contact Circuit City corporate offices. This should have been replaced at the store level.

Posted by yoke on 2009-02-23:

You really can't blame CC at this point. They have no control of what is happening in the stores once the liquidators took over. I would contact the manufacturer and tell them what happend and go from there. Just remember it was not CC that ripped you off, but the liquidators that ripped you off.

Posted by PassingBy on 2009-02-23:

The manager was right when he said they should have opened the box before leaving.

These are the liquidators handling CC:
Great American Group
Hudson City Partners
SB Capital Group LLC
Tiger Capital Group LLC

The OP will need to find out who is operating the Bel Air store.

Posted by Slimjim on 2009-02-23:

I have to agree with the poster. If this was sealed, who opens the thing before they leave under the assumption it may not be inside. That was a flippant response and considering it was a family, being a profile of very unlikely candidates to be trying to pull something, he should have exchanged it on the spot. He's only exchanging it for what it was originally anyway. What did he think they were trying to get away with?

Posted by justbcuz on 2009-02-23:

This was either a sealed box with no game in it or it was the CC employee's responsibility to retrieve the game and put it in the box for the child, either way how is this the customer's responsibility to check?

It's become too easy on m3c to fire off a response to check every item before leaving a store. Well think about that for a minute...if I'm the customer standing at the checkout opening every single item I've bought to ensure the contents are indeed inside and in new condition, are you going to stand there and wait patiently for me to finish or will you be writing a review on m3c about the crazy lady at CC who insisted on opening every item and thoroughly inspecting it before leaving?

Posted by PassingBy on 2009-02-23:

I have no problem with opening any box before purchase unless the box is obviously factory sealed. If there is a line I always ask an employee where I can open a box to check the contents. If I am refused the opportunity to open a box I walk out. My money - my choice.

Posted by justbcuz on 2009-02-23:

PB, I understand where you're coming from, but there was a review here not too long ago where a customer got a used game system - can't remember from which store - that appeared to be factory sealed and the response here was that they should have opened it and checked the contents before leaving. My point is that it is the store's responsibility to ensure the contents are in the box and new (unless otherwise marked). If every customer has to start checking every purchase made before leaving a store, then soon there will be long lines everywhere.

Posted by DigitalCommando on 2009-02-23:

There is always the "you should have done this" crowd that are incapabable of any personal errors. I am 100% positive that they have every meal analyzed for botulism before eating it too. And maybe they do a "wipe test" in the store before purchasing toilet paper to ensure it's 2 ply integrity.

Posted by PassingBy on 2009-02-23:

I just found this online: In Minnesota a family paid $1,500 for a TV at the Circuit City liquidation sale — and claim that they were prevented from opening the box to make sure the TV wasn't damaged. The TV was, of course, totally shattered. When a local TV station attempted to investigate, they were thrown out of the store.

Look at this:
http://www.thebostonchannel.com/asseenon5/18773855/detail.html

Posted by dan gordon on 2009-02-23:

could be to avoid shoplifting there is no video in the case but your supposed to get someone from the store to give it to you after you pay for it? Seems logical

Posted by superbowl on 2009-02-23:

From PB's link:

In a regular retail transaction, the state law would require a refund, repair or replacement, but in a liquidation, federal bankruptcy court overrides state law, meaning there is no recourse and there is no disclosure.

Posted by jktshff1 on 2009-02-23:

I'm sorry, but what part of Circuit City is no more and are not involved it this, can't people understand? This is a LIQUIDATION SALE, (read out of business, carport sale, junkyard sale, no returns, no service, we are gonna get as much out of this stuff as we can, never look back and who cares about the customer).
You might as well go to a rummage or yard sale, it's the same thing.

Posted by MRM on 2009-02-23:

I just read that report investigation and that is ashame that they just wasted $1,000 on a broken tv and theres no one to help them.

Posted by BokiBean on 2009-02-23:

That's a hellofathing to have to teach your kids....don't trust the store, the game might not be in the box. Ugh.

Posted by Face to Face on 2009-02-23:

Im sorry,but when buying a game one shouldn't have to ask for the disk...The store,manager,employee needs to make sure the cd is with the case at time of purchase....

Posted by Soaring Consumer on 2009-02-23:

At least the TV people were able to file a charge-back.

OP, did you pay cash or with a card?

Posted by Lorilb on 2009-03-02:

I am still miffed about the whole matter, but pretty much know there is nothing we can do about it at this point. Thank you for all the replies. My son learned a lesson that day, and, believe me, by the time we left the store, everyone in line was opening boxes. Hard lesson to learn. We will be staying away from liquidation sales. I ended up paying for half (he put in the other half) of a new game for him at Walmart (I am a softie), and it was the same price as the sale price at Circuit City's liquidation sale. The whole matter just makes me mad, especially the way we were treated that day.

Posted by JOE1 on 2009-03-05:

SB CAPITAL LIQUIDATORS ARE THE WORST RUDE DISCRIMINATING PEOPLE...AND THIEVES! LOOK FOR THE FIXTURE FOR SALE STICKERS THAT WILL GIVE YOU THE NAME OF LIQUIDATOR AND PHONE. THEY JACK UP THE PRICES NOT C/C AND THEN SAVE THE REST FOR THEIR OWN...SO THAT NO ONE BUYS.