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[Stinkles]

Seriously. This followed a 3+ hour visit to Ikea with the wife. Fuck that town.

That Ikea is a nightmare. It's not actually a real address on at least three GPS devices I own, and the parking situation if you get there any time after opening, is ABSURD. "Hey buddy, go park in a different building not really close to here!"

And it's hard to get to from the 405, yet easy to exit back on to the 405. I think there's magnets under it.

 

[Vyer]

Frys and Best Buy near me in Houston both seem to be doing ok. Frys has some cool stuff sometimes but they always seem to be rather archaic in so many areas. (Website, store layout, ads, etc). I remember years back they were still printing out gift certificates in dot matrix printers when everyone else was doing cards or digital and normal printouts.

Still a godsend for the quick cable or pc part tho.

 

[Eyeron]

That Ikea is a nightmare. It's not actually a real address on at least three GPS devices I own, and the parking situation if you get there any time after opening, is ABSURD. "Hey buddy, go park in a different building not really close to here!"

And it's hard to get to from the 405, yet easy to exit back on to the 405. I think there's magnets under it.

Yeah the parking situation is ridiculous. Lots of walking and grumbling that day.

 

[sir_kevith]

The one in Oregon is just too damn far from Portland. It sucks to have to drive 30 min out of the way of everything else to go there. For computer parts there's more competitive places out in Beaverton now.

Back in the late 80s and early 90s the place was called Incredible Universe. That store was fuckin incredible. It felt like a trade show in the main area and then there were like separate rooms on the perimeter for computers, parts, business software, games, appliances, tvs, etc. I remember seeing crazy virtual reality setups, all the latest consoles, rides, a pizza hut, etc. all in this crazy megastore.

Fry's was pretty boring when it replaced the spectacle of Incredible Universe but at least it was something.

 

[Werd]

I used to go to Fry's or Best Buy at least a couple times a month get a movie, game or tech item but digital distribution and Amazon's same day delivery have mostly eliminated that. Haven't been to one since the holidays. Haven't noticed a huge difference in my local Fry's though when I do go.

 

[PeakPointMatrix]

The Burbank Fry's is like a dumpster fire compared to the Vegas one. Stock is disorganized, missing, damaged or empty. They're missing some obvious things any specialty electronics store should have (you only have one type of power cable? Really?). The floor salesmen don't know shit about squat, to the point that their incompetence has cost them $300 in mis-priced items that I've purchased (I guess that worked in my favor!). I sliced my tow on some jagged shelving that was sticking out once.

And either you DO internet price matching or you DON'T. On every occasion I've tried to buy a $300+ item I'm trying to have price matched with Best Buy or Amazon, they try to sell me on some irrelevant shit alternative instead that won't undercut their profit margin as much from the price matching on more expensive version. I've already researched the hell out of the product I've decided to buy, I'm not going to change my mind and buy some lesser budget brand version just because your pricing is horribly off on certain products. I shouldn't have to threaten to buy nothing and just order from Amazon instead, just so I can get my shit and leave in peace.

The Vegas store is lovely in comparison, but if the other locations are as jank as the Burbank one, I'm not surprised that it's becoming a place that is more hassle than it's worth to shop in.

 

[v1lla21]

I still go to fry's due to how close it is but I couldn't agree more now I just wait for some low prices on amazon and I go price match at Fry's.

 

[mreddie]

The one in Tempe feels weird to be in. I remember the big monitors would showcase fighting games or Guitar Hero and now, feels empty. It also has a snack bar I think rarely anyone goes too.

 

[Gentleman Jack]

They're basically giant Radio Shacks. 50% of their product is for EE gearheads, and the rest of the store is basically Best Buy circa 5 years ago. I think it was only about two or so years ago ago that they stopped bothering with the fully stocked print periodical rack.

 

[TAJ]

The one in Oregon is just too damn far from Portland. It sucks to have to drive 30 min out of the way of everything else to go there. For computer parts there's more competitive places out in Beaverton now.

Back in the late 80s and early 90s the place was called Incredible Universe. That store was fuckin incredible. It felt like a trade show in the main area and then there were like separate rooms on the perimeter for computers, parts, business software, games, appliances, tvs, etc. I remember seeing crazy virtual reality setups, all the latest consoles, rides, a pizza hut, etc. all in this crazy megastore.

The San Diego one by Qualcomm Stadium used to be an Incredible Universe. I shopped there myself but I'd know even if I hadn't because they still have trucks with the old name.

They're basically giant Radio Shacks. 50% of their product is for EE gearheads, and the rest of the store is basically Best Buy circa 5 years ago. I think it was only about two or so years ago ago that they stopped bothering with the fully stocked print periodical rack.

More like a few months ago.

 

[see5harp]

The one in Oregon is just too damn far from Portland. It sucks to have to drive 30 min out of the way of everything else to go there. For computer parts there's more competitive places out in Beaverton now.

Back in the late 80s and early 90s the place was called Incredible Universe. That store was fuckin incredible. It felt like a trade show in the main area and then there were like separate rooms on the perimeter for computers, parts, business software, games, appliances, tvs, etc. I remember seeing crazy virtual reality setups, all the latest consoles, rides, a pizza hut, etc. all in this crazy megastore.

Fry's was pretty boring when it replaced the spectacle of Incredible Universe but at least it was something.

Strangely enough the Incredible Universe in Sacramento that got shut down eventually was also replaced by Fry's. Did Fry's just buy all of their locations?

 

[KRaZyAmmo]

Our family use to go to Fry's Electronic, but lately we just been using Amazon and/or Newegg (for PC parts). So we really don't find a need to go. I'm unsure if the Fry's in Renton is dead or not.

 

[akileese]

The ones in DFW are all doing just fine. Always plenty of people in them, the shelves are always stocked, and they always have deals. We have prime now too so it's definitely not that.

 

[Rhomega Beta]

We go to the one in north Phoenix. Tons of stuff there, though I've noticed they've recently shrunk their TV DVD offerings. I got my current monitor there about a month ago. It's Best Buy we've been avoiding, since the stores are a lot smaller.

 

[rainking187]

I've only been to one Fry's but I thought it had a huge selection and great prices. Would have shopped there a lot more often if the closest one wasn't like a 40 minute drive away.

 

[tiggerkiddo]

Not even sure if we ever had a Fry's here in Colorado, sounds like an interesting store.

 

[Bubba T]

I don't get how Best Buy has lasted as long as it has. The worst of the big electronics stores, yet it's the one that will outlast them all. It's like Barnes and Noble, Borders was clearly the better store, why did B&N have to outlast them?

Best Buy has made several moves to stay in business. Inventory management, closing big box stores and opening smaller, Best Buy moblie stores are among the decisions made. Replacing their CEO helped matters.

 

[Goro Majima]

Frys supposedly used to have amazing game deals during the PS2 era but last I was there the game prices were pretty awful....most everything is MSRP and loads of stuff won't be priced to reflect price drops that are common at other retailers. Especially with Best Buy's gamer club, Frys just isn't a place where I go to buy games.

So for me personally, I'm not sure what purpose Frys has for me other than acting as an Amazon/Newegg showroom. I love being able to see monitors or keyboards before I buy them...and I have purchased both of those things at Frys since an extra $5-10 is worth it for the instant gratification. If I'm building a PC or purchasing a television, I'm probably going to price that stuff across the Internet and other retailers trying to get the best price. For TVs, models can be retailer exclusive for some crazy reason so that also complicates things.

 

[Nairume]

The Fry's in my area have honestly been getting more and more frustrating to deal with. Not only do they seem to be increasingly getting worse about advertising stuff being available that they don't actually have, but it seems like the stuff I'm getting from them is getting worse and worse in quality and breaks down more easily.

With Microcenter right down the road, a lot of the reason I even cared about Fry's has kinda gone out the window.

 

[harSon]

What? I made this post as a result of just coming back from the Sunnyvale Fry's and going to the Brokaw one just a couple weeks ago. It's pretty relevant since I consider the Bay Area the home of Fry's Electronics and they look like they will be gone in less than two years now.

I actually haven't been to the Sunnyvale Fry's in like a year, but the Brokaw Fry's has always been ass. I regularly go to the Campbell one, which I've noticed no difference over the last decade - outside of the escalator never being in fucking order.

 

[NomarTyme]

I have a Frys in within 5 miles from me and I drive further to Microcenter to get way better deals.

 

[Rival]

I was surprised when I went to a frys and saw a rather large porn dvd section.

 

[harSon]

Frys supposedly used to have amazing game deals during the PS2 era but last I was there the game prices were pretty awful....most everything is MSRP and loads of stuff won't be priced to reflect price drops that are common at other retailers. Especially with Best Buy's gamer club, Frys just isn't a place where I go to buy games.

So for me personally, I'm not sure what purpose Frys has for me other than acting as an Amazon/Newegg showroom. I love being able to see monitors or keyboards before I buy them...and I have purchased both of those things at Frys since an extra $5-10 is worth it for the instant gratification. If I'm building a PC or purchasing a television, I'm probably going to price that stuff across the Internet and other retailers trying to get the best price. For TVs, models can be retailer exclusive for some crazy reason so that also complicates things.

Does your Fry's not price match location and/or online retailers?

 

[pinsomniac]

Strangely enough the Incredible Universe in Sacramento that got shut down eventually was also replaced by Fry's. Did Fry's just buy all of their locations?

Yep, Fry's took Incredible Universe over.

 

[Lv99 Slacker]

Microcenter is where it's at anyway. They have the best deals on computer hardware, often cheaper than even Amazon for high end cpus and such. Would've much preferred we had one in Austin than the Frys on Mopac.

 

[Schlep]

The Fry's in Irving and Plano both seemed to be doing well the last time I was to each a year or so ago. Just went to the one in Arlington to get a monitor about a month ago, and that felt like the saddest, most desolate place on earth. It was like I was at a deserted flea market.

 

[saltypickles]

I used to go to the Fry's near me all the time, they had great deals on video games and a massive selection of pretty much everything. Over time their stock has been shrinking and their deals have gotten worse, which sucks.

These days when I go in it's always nearly empty. I wouldn't be surprised if it closes down soon.

 

[nahlakhai]

Like everyone else in this thread, I used to love to go to Fry's as a kid/teen. Now its just an annoyance compared to Amazon and Newegg. B&M stores are going the way of the dodo.

 

[mariachi507]

I always wanted to go to a Fry's. It would be especially beneficial when hunting for OOP or rare blu rays. The only store's I have near me are a Hastings and a Best Buy.

 

[OrbitalBeard]

I used to adore Fry's back in the early 2000's.

The internet has completely changed how people shop for electronics (and most other things, really). I have zero interest in shopping at a traditional retailer for these types of products anymore.

 

[Purple Cheeto]

I tried to buy a processor at Fry's last year, the experience was pretty awful. I think I checked online and it said they had them, so I went to the store and the guy told me they sell out as soon as they come in and they limit how many they sell and the website isn't accurate. He told me I could call at some random time and go through a million hoops to get someone in the store to actually help. Also it took like 10+ minutes before anyone even could help me when I was physically there.

So next I tried to order one for in store pick up multiple times only to have their website shit the bed or cancel the order on me even after completing it. The website looks like something from 1998 and functions almost as well. It is really embarrassing.

In the end I gave up and bought a slightly different processor because they actually had it in stock. But ugh.

The store is so depressing now, it used to be exciting when I was in college but it feels so empty and dirty and full of people who don't want to be working there. Shit, while I was waiting for them to check inventory they workers were discussing someone who had just quit after less than a week.

If my first attempt at ordering this particular processor online hadn't been so bad I probably would've never even gone to Frys.

 

[Aisen]

The Burbank Fry's is like a dumpster fire compared to the Vegas one. Stock is disorganized, missing, damaged or empty. They're missing some obvious things any specialty electronics store should have (you only have one type of power cable? Really?). The floor salesmen don't know shit about squat, to the point that their incompetence has cost them $300 in mis-priced items that I've purchased (I guess that worked in my favor!). I sliced my tow on some jagged shelving that was sticking out once.

And either you DO internet price matching or you DON'T. On every occasion I've tried to buy a $300+ item I'm trying to have price matched with Best Buy or Amazon, they try to sell me on some irrelevant shit alternative instead that won't undercut their profit margin as much from the price matching on more expensive version. I've already researched the hell out of the product I've decided to buy, I'm not going to change my mind and buy some lesser budget brand version just because your pricing is horribly off on certain products. I shouldn't have to threaten to buy nothing and just order from Amazon instead, just so I can get my shit and leave in peace.

The Vegas store is lovely in comparison, but if the other locations are as jank as the Burbank one, I'm not surprised that it's becoming a place that is more hassle than it's worth to shop in.

I think I've been to the Burbank store a few times. Isn't the theme UFOs?
The Vegas store is my "local" store and it's always pretty busy when I go there. Maybe it's just the hours I go or something. It's pretty nice to just drive down there and pick up a case fan or other computer part and I'd be sad if it closed.
Before Vegas I lived in Fremont, CA and that store had a much worse selection of products.

 

[radioactivez0r]

I always looked forward to the Friday ads because occasionally they'd have some great deals, especially on lower end CPU combos and such. The anniversary sale in particular was always great. Then they switched to the bullshit promo codes and I get a god damn email every single day and I just stopped reading them.

 

[Timeaisis]

I love Fry's. Way better than Best Buy, and they have like everything (unlike BB which just has the flavor of the month kind of deal).

But yeah, unfortunately Amazon is pushing them out. I think BB is going to go first, to be honest. BB doesn't have a lot to offer to compete with Amazon. At least Fry's got shit you want to actually try out in-store (like musical instruments, PCs, random cables and junk, shit you'd actually want to see before buying online).

Hope they don't go. We'll see.

 

[Korgill]

I think I've been to the Burbank store a few times. Isn't the theme UFOs?
The Vegas store is my "local" store and it's always pretty busy when I go there. Maybe it's just the hours I go or something. It's pretty nice to just drive down there and pick up a case fan or other computer part and I'd be sad if it closed.
Before Vegas I lived in Fremont, CA and that store had a much worse selection of products.

Vegas is also my local and I've gotten some good deals there. Always end up waiting in line because there seems to be crowds there every time I go. They do have a strange selection but that;s part of their charm for me.

 

[Coalition-PezRadar]

Bought my gaming pc a few years ago. I still like going for impulse purchases like astronaut food and games on sale.

Haha.. So true. It's weird what you find there in their bins of weird 'As seen on TV' stuff

 

[johnny956]

I have more video games on my shelves than my Best Buy has on theirs at this point it's actually quite depressing how reduced a lot of their sections have gotten. I will give them credit for making their movie section bigger (after dramatically reducing it 2 years ago) but the Anime/Horror section still only consist of like 20 titles.

Music/Movie will continue to get reduced just no money it in anymore. Gaming has actually expanded at my store. Best Buy is still around because they have actually adapted. Price match Amazon, their website is pretty functional, and they lease space to Sony, Samsung, Apple, and Microsoft and get them to actually pay for employees to work there too. they focus on margins which seems to be working out. Lot of their stores have dedicated employees for appliances and carry pretty high end appliances too.

My go to tech store is Microcenter. Place has everything I need

 

[DTJAAAAM]

Loved it when they used to carry PSP imports. I still stop by every now and then for a deal, but haven't seen anything too great in any of the daily ads lately.

 

[out0v0rder]

too many fucking people 'test drive' all the worthwhile products and then return them. Now all the shelves are filled with open box items. Its so hard to find unopened items lol

 

[EatinOlives]

Microcenter opened a few more locations in NYC and I really like going there.

Word.

I walked in and asked the lady working there if she could get help me find a mobo+CPU combo, she heard just the mobo name and immediately completed my sentence "with an i5 4690k, right?" and went straight for both.

Goddamn. I mean, it was a pretty common combo but the Microcenter employees really know their shit.

 

[Dead]

Used to go there for Computer and electronics shit but now that Micro Center has renovated and moved closer, there is literally no use to go there at all anymore especially since they have completely nerfed their Movie section from what it used to be.

And yeah, Micro Center employees were not bad at all. When I went to buy all the shit for my new PC, the first guy to talk to me seemed very knowledgeable, but since I already knew what I needed I just made sure he was on comission and told him to give some time to find all my stuff and then made sure he got the commission. :lol

 

[Curler]

I only started going when I moved a few years ago to NorCal. Soooo many PS2 games they carried, I should've bought a bunch when I had a chance! Was SO surprised to see their anime selection too! It's still the biggest in any B&M store! People I know practically lived in them, so I was dragged around to a variety of the locations. Then they started dying, very noticeably.

I remember they tried doing graphic novels and manga, and even Udon artbooks for a bit, but people would just read and bend them and ruin them all :/ Then the toys came... surprised no one mentioned them! EVERY Fry's in the past couple years have like, 5 whole aisles just filled with toys, Legos, Marvel, whatever! It's like, they didn't know what else to invest in. All that space... Kind of a shame they can't really downsize their stores (and GIANT parking lots), because as it is, the stores are just WAY too big. Also sad walking by the cafeterias too, with only employees every hanging out in them

Failing businesses are always sad to see. I've worked in them before and it's pretty depressing being in a ghost town, low morale, and everything. Oh and yeah, a shame they didn't modernize their website. They might have actually been able to keep up sales that way :/

 

[The Lone Courier]

Strangely enough the Incredible Universe in Sacramento that got shut down eventually was also replaced by Fry's. Did Fry's just buy all of their locations?

Hell the San Diego location still has semi trucks with the Incredible Universe logo still on them.

 

[deadscreensky]

Fuck Fry's. They treat their employees like shit.

I don't really have any personal knowledge of this, but it does feel like that when I go shopping there and that matters. All the employees just seem so unhappy, and that probably discourages me from going there more often.

Maybe it's not universal, but my local Fry's also has a mandatory receipt check when leaving and I hate that. It's another thing that's probably only operating on a subconscious level, but it gives the store a bad vibe somewhere upstairs.

Their sales seem to have gotten worse too, so I don't want to pretend it's just love for my fellow man driving me away from Fry's.

 

[R-User!]

This is basically the long and short of it.

Know what most people use places like Fry's and Best Buy for? Seeing televisions and other appliances in person and giving them a test drive before actually making their purchase for the lowest price they can find online. These big box electronics retailers just can't stay open like that.

I'd imagine, that if (most likely when) Fry's/Best Buy fall, that perhaps, they would be bought out by Amazon, and turned into Amazon "showrooms". lol, the irony...

 

[Tom Nook]

Microcenter opened a few more locations in NYC and I really like going there.

Lucky.

There was a Microcenter in the Sunnyvale, CA and Santa Clara, CA area. Got Fatal Frame 1 and 2 for $30 each there. (Ebay prices were in the $60s). Sadly turned into a Neighborhood Walmart.

 

[aeolist]

as a former fry's employee: good

they're terribly run and treat their employees like garbage. the two major stores in my area have a full-time middle manager whose entire job is to get groups through their 5-day orientation and training course. churn is so bad they have 5-10 new people a week.

 

[Fletcher]

Back in the day Fry's is where I'd go to get a weird import game and browse their DVD collection.

Total bummer

 

[Owensboro]

Man, when the internet eventually kills all these stores I'm really going to miss having the ability to walk into a store and actually see / hold / touch the things you can buy. Coming from a small town and going to a Fry's for the first time was magical. I still remember seeing the entire rows of cables, equipment, cases, and a whole wall of Motherboards and just thinking "this is amazing", I must have wasted half a day in that store the first time. I went as recently as two weeks ago to help someone buy a laptop...and the store is a shadow of it's former self.

 

[tearsintherain]

I've been to Fry's once in the past 4 years to get a specific cable for my PC, can't even remember what now. 99% of the time I just order stuff like that online. Used to go every week since it was THE place to see what cool new electronics and games were out, but the internet has sadly long since replaced that.

I feel bad for them, but much like Nintendo its hard to see how they could realistically compete. Amazon is better than them on pretty much every level except having stuff in stock, but that rarely matters to most people. Even for big stuff like TVs and furniture nowadays with highly detailed review sites you don't need to really see something in person anymore to decide its perfect for you.