What could possibly go wrong? All we wanted was an upgrade of a popular Microsoft software title, and the CompUSA web site showed us the $99.99 price and an indication that the item was in stock at their Concord, CA store (a nice touch).

Off we went, arriving at the shelf in the store's second-floor software section - and there it was, with the correct price marked on the shelf. The actual box was empty - to be taken to the register at check-out where the "real" thing would be brought out. This is a typical security move by many retailers.

Arriving at the register, credit card in hand, we went for the last step - the check out. The register clerk first tried to scan the box. We had to point out the fact that he would need to go get the "real" product. Off he went. Ticks turned to minutes ... and more minutes, while the line behind us began to stack up. Finally the clerk returned, scanned the product he had retrieved, and the price came up $148.00. "That's not the right price!," we informed him. "The correct price is $99.99."

After actually yawning, the clerk stood there with no offer of a solution. We suggested he call his manager over, who appeared. The manager said he would have to check the price, offering to go back to the shelf right away and do so. We waited, and waited - then we went upstairs to the shelf location (no manager was anywhere in site) and after waiting four or five minutes, we removed the shelf label ($99.99) and took it back to the register. There, we encountered the manager, and we gave him the shelf pricing label (that had the stock number of the product right on it). He then took another two minutes to look it up on his computer system, then he returned saying, "You have the wrong product." This as if it was our fault. We pointed out we did not go get the "wrong" product" from the CompUSA vaults. He never offered one "sorry" - but off he went to get the "right" product.

Ten minutes later we departed the store - no product in hand because the manager never returned with it. On our departure, all within earshot were informed that we had - for the last 30 minutes - been patiently been trying to spend $100.00 at CompUSA - and that we had failed to be able to do that.

It's truly unfortunate. CompUSA just doesn't "get it" that retailing is a series of customer events (like links in a chain), starting with marketing and ending with the cash register "ringing" up the sale.  If any of those links break in the process, the sale will never be made. This company must be losing at least 25% of its potential sales based on our observations. 

What's worse: future sales won't be made either, no matter how good the marketing, no matter how convincing the advertising, no matter how low the price. People who don't trust the "chain" will never test the process again. CompUSA doesn't seem to "get it" on this point, either.

While on this visit, we saw a fabulous Sony Plasma Flat-Panel TV system (at a good price). We've been looking for just such a system, and we thoroughly trust the Sony brand. Before encountering the fiasco at the check-out line, we were on our way to measure the wall for that system, and we were willed to return and purchase it. That ended, of course, with the fiasco-induced vow "never to return."

CompUSA is a big outfit, a Mexican-owned operation. They claim at their website they had $4.7 Billion revenue (in 2004) . We wonder if that held or declined in 2005. The corporate website does not mention 2005 revenue. One would think they have the wherewithal to "get it," but - based on our experience over years (and many encounters), this firm takes the Thompson Group award for the "absolute worst" when it comes to "getting it" about retailing.

More ...

If you had invested in the Mexican parent of CompUSA, from what we can determine, here's what would have happened to your capital:

Last Price	Today's Change	Open	Day High	Day Low	52-Week Range
0.4200	0.0000 ( 0.00%)	0.4200	0.4500	0.4200	0.9500 0.4000 (2/2/2006) (4/24/2006)
May 03, 2006 05:22 PM ET Closing price OTC

The stock appears to have plunged from a price of $0.95 to $0.42 in about two months. We wonder if this is affected by CompUSA.