Thread regarding Fry's Electronics layoffs

As previously posted for the Downer's Grove, IL store, it is pretty barren. If someone were to say that the shelves and displays were stocked to 5%, I would say that's an overstatement.

I've shopped there for years, usually stopping by about once a month, some times a couple times in a month, always for little things I didn't need and at least a couple times a year for large ticket items. A coworker was with me that has never shopped there and he asked one of the employees why the store was so empty. Of course, he didn't get an answer other than to be told that they think they're waiting on shipments to arrive.

I can only say that the good coming out if it is that it's already saved me a lot of money in the past two months, as there is very little stock remaining.

It's a different world today, as most of the younger generation "kids" that I know or work with never set foot in brick-and-mortars any more; buying almost everything from the smartphones they've grown up with and the products magically appear on their doorsteps a day or two later.

Downers Grove IN store is a ghost town also. Bad when the face is barricaded by whatever stuff they had laying around. Sad to see it go.

They need to c-ap and get off the pot ! Why are they stringing their customers and employees along?

It's obvious that they plan to shutdown. They have a small fraction of the inventory they used to have, and it's the Christmas inventory build up season.

I, for one, will be sad to see them go. I used to go to Fry's to shop, not because I needed something, but because I was bored and looking for that next idea of what to do, be it upgrade my PC with some new gizmo, upgrade a wireless router, or buy some software.

My home security system came from Fry's, and was an impulse purchase.

Recently, I've walked in the store a couple of times just to walk out empty handed.

The one in North Houston seemed to have fewer and fewer items on the shelf. Had to wait behind five customers for someone in computers to help get something that was sold out. Are they closing?

I've only been there a couple times (nearest location is several states away) but I think you just described the Micro Center business model. Charge a little more (though sometimes is best price), and nail the overall experience and employ people who seem to want to be there.

Frys, in most states, pays its workers horribly, which is the issue with getting well-qualified help. Its base business model is around minimum wage for almost all workers save for a few supervisor type positions which pay a couple dollars more. In my state, for example, you could go to any of several nearby businesses and get paid the same, or more, as a regular cashier as you would as a supervisor. Even regular workers who leave the company usually make $2-3 dollars more by switching jobs despite being at Frys 5 years plus. Specialists make minimum wage + commission + group commission on select items. If youve seen the shelves you now know how stupid it is to be in sales since you've nothing to sell practically, and as time passes you make less not more as products dwindle. Last, you have salaried managers that make a base amount of money plus potential bonuses. Keep in mind the base was so low in California that they had to raise it since the state considered lower base amounts a joke to call them salaried and illegal. Even if you make your bonuses plus base pay your still making roughly $20,000 plus less then other competitive retail management in like positions. Unless of course you are in a low minimum wage state then your doing good because Frys literally does not pay management differently from state to state regardless of cost of living. As an example while working at Frys Im now roughly 25% behind everyone else in the state due to no raises and a rising minimum wage. Most are in the same boat as several states raise minimim wage. Since I started everyone else around me makes at minimum $5000 more. So if you want a dead end career Frys is the way to go, especially with no real advancement positions anymore, or positions they literally cant fill because no one in their right mind wants them. Oh and asking for a raise. Thats a hoot. They've made it so taboo everyone is scared just to ask. Ive known managers going on 15 years no raise, and this is the norm.

So now you know why no one is knowledgeable at Frys. They also did a most competent job at running off their best, and loyal, employees.

Also, when you say Frys, you really mean John and Randy Fry. They are the ones in charge who've made the most wonderful decisions to actively destroy their company, and are quite competent at it, it seems. Their talent truly seems how to run a business into the ground, not how to successfully run a business. The stop-gap Kathy left and now your seeing what happens when rich kids with money are actually left to make decisions.

And so, your ideas are good. Just lost on people who never walked a day in the regular persons shoes. Kind of like rich politician who grew up rich and think they know how to help everyone despite being clueless about what its like to live normally. Your using logic. They arent.

And yes Frys got into too many nonsensical products it never should have. Believe it or not these are more whimsical decisions based on the owners going to another store and seeing something and saying, Oh that would be good if we sold this, rather then actually trying to compete with another retailer mindset. It was just whimsy.