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CompUSA, Inc. is a retailer and reseller of consumer
electronics, technology products and computer services. CompUSA serves consumer
retail, small-to-medium businesses, corporate, government and education
customers. Founded in 1983 and based in Addison, Texas (a northern suburb of
Dallas), CompUSA currently operates 103 stores in markets across the United
States and Puerto Rico. CompUSA, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of U.S. Commercial Corp S.A. de
C.V.[1], which is indirectly controlled by a common shareholder, Carlos Slim.
U.S. Commercial trades on Bolsa Mexicana de Valores (Mexican Stock Exchange) as
USCOMBI.
CompUSA's retail Web site offers an assortment of over 19,000 products and the
ability to schedule technology services and training sessions. Businesses may
order from a catalog containing more than 573,000 products as well as select
from over 133,700 online products.
CompUSA's sales team now works under a combination of hourly pay and commission.
This is frequently under federal and state minimum wage.
1984 - Founded as Soft Warehouse in Addison, Texas, selling direct to business
customers.
1985 - Opened first retail store.
1988 - Opened first Computer Superstore.
1991 - Changed name to CompUSA.
1993 - Began offering technical services at customer locations.
1996 - Launched retail sales on CompUSA.com.
1997 - Filed for bankruptcy
1998 - Acquired Tandy's Computer City subsidiary.
2000 - Became privately-held company under Mexican retail company, Grupo
Sanborns.
2003 - Acquired Good Guys.[2]
2005 - Converted three CompUSA stores and 13 Good Guys stores into "megastores."
Closed all 46 Good Guys locations. Began marketing in California and Hawaii as
"CompUSA with Good Guys Inside" (in response to Best Buy's marketing campaign
"with Magnolia Inside").
2006 - Announced the closing of 15 stores across the United States including
several locations in California; these stores are being used to liquidate
discontinued items from other stores across the nation until the end of October.
Roman Ross, a former Phillip Morris executive, replaced Tony Weiss as president
and CEO after only four months in office. In November 2006, CompUSA launched
their new "Home Entertainment" Rollout in 40 of its stores (including Puerto
Rico), who now sell a variety of High Definition Televisions and Home Theater
equipment. Roman Ross claims that Home Entertainment is one of his chief focuses
as the new CEO.[3] Press reported that CompUSA's Mexican parent Grupo Carso was
interested in putting CompUSA up for sale.[4]
2007 - Announces the closing and liquidation of 126 stores due to "..need to
close and sell stores with low performance or non strategic, old store layouts
and locations faced with market saturation" Roman Ross CEO. [5]. The realignment
includes a $440,000,000 cash infusion, store closures, major expense reductions
and a corporate restructuring. CompUSA is laying off employees at some stores as
well in order to get back on its feet.
2007, May 14 - CompUSA ends the liquidation sale and finalizes the 126 store
closures.
2007, May 27 - Annual General Manager Meeting brings talks of 56 store closings
to the table, the corporate officers present refuted the claim.
2007, August through December - Gabriela Villalobos, EVP, makes her stops
through all of the 103 operational stores to evaluate the functionality of each
since the store closures.
The CompUSA Network
In 2005, CompUSA started a customer loyalty program called The CompUSA Network.
For every dollar spent at any CompUSA store, the customer received 13 points.
Rewards included an Epson photo printer and a Canon Digital Rebel SLR digital
camera. However, in June 2006, sales of The CompUSA Network membership cards
were suspended pending further investigation onto the operation's effect on
customer retention and "program awareness among low-visit customers."
On August 24, 2006, CompUSA announced the end of the Network Reward program. All
customers were notified of this and issued coupons for the remaining reward
value, as well as their original purchase price. They were also offered a refund
of the original purchase price in the original form of payment, however this
option removed any remaining reward points.
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