With the constant 20% off coupons, and bare shelves, Fry's has to be circling the drain. The number of computer and monitors has been decreased so much, that one can only wonder why. Their creditors must not be extending them credit. Maybe all of their sales now are purely a cash grab.
I really wish I was wrong about this, but the writing has to be on the walls.
I just "yelped" Fry's in Diluth, GA and it said that it has permanently closed.
Also, who is the clown pretending to be John Fry who said that the stores are stilled stocked?
Stocked with what? Bottled water?
I purchased an item online and picked it up at the Duluth, GA store. I noticed their stock of heat-shrink tubing was completely bare (the labeled, holding tubes were there, just no product), and commented to the "manager-looking" individual who helped me retrieve my online order about the sad state of the shelves. He told me with a complete straight face that they had a bunch of boxes that just came in and the shelves would be re-stocked in short order. The item I purchased was defective so I went back to the store - the NEXT DAY - to exchange it, and was met by a locked door... an employee said the store was closing. He told me I had to go to the Milton, GA store, which I did. The Milton store had no stock of the item I'd ordered (did a return) and when I checked their stock of heat-shrink tubing... zippo! Something is amiss when - during the time of the year when brick & mortars are making the majority of their yearly profits - the shelves are bare and they are closing stores without so much as a peep of advance notice. Just sayin'
All of the comments below are incorrect. Fry's stores are still stocked with merchandise and will not be closing.
John Fry
Going next week to the Wilsonville, OR Fry's to pay my last respects. There about a month ago, and shocked at the condition. Asked two employees about situation, and got the canned response relating to restocking issues, and denying closure. Used to be a weekly visit, and it was hard to find a place to park. They put out a huge pull out ad in the paper every Friday which fueled the weekly visit. The go-to place for electronic components, and computer parts. Looks like the music is over.
Hours ago....
I just visited the San Marcos location (12/4/2019). I was so shocked by what I saw that I came home and researched on the net...which landed me here. Been building liquid cooled PCs since 2003. It is difficult to witness the death of an empire, Fry's being but one fallen soldier. Let me tell you, at least 75% of ALL store inventory was missing. Rain was falling through the roof into buckets on wet carpet, and the entire area from the stereo aisle to the headphones aisle was cordoned off. All stereo inventory (and displays) were gone. All cpus, mobo and displays were gone. All gaming consoles: gone. ALL hard drives: GONE! Only a fool would deny the obvious. I doubt their daily sales are even covering the electric bill. In my opinion–only a guess!–they will close in less than 60 days. I doubt employees will even know until the day the doors shut.
Been going to Fry's since they opened back in the day and the Austin TX location is the same as everywhere else, empty. Over the years I've noticed when you called you may never get answered, it became horrendous and I'd just take my business elsewhere because I didn't want to waste a 25 mile R/T. These stores are huge, too large and should have been cut in half long ago (Best Buy size). They should've trimmed down supplies in a BIG way due to the internet. Maybe they should have provided PC classes to novices wanting to build or maintain a PC or home theater. Simple fact, they carried too much inventory which didn't cycle quick enough. Hate to see them go, innovation, customer service and stock can be found elsewhere. Maybe a school or mega church will take the space...time will tell.
Still getting the promo codes. Was in Downers Grove location and workers still claiming they're not closing. Story is they're changing suppliers. I asked why they took out the rows of pallet racks that was right past the Computer area a while ago. Answer was, pallet racks? I guess they have high turnover rate too.
Fry's Duluth officially closed. Sign was put on the door and locked down. They were told that the store was to be closed end of Feb 2020 but just decided to close yesterday.
No piror notice was given to employee.
I was in the one in Wilsonville Oregon recently. It was just as everyone else describes, but they'd resorted to filling one spot of floor by putting out the air conditioners.
In November.
Fry's in Anaheim, CA is completely bare. No laptops, parts, TVs, appliances. The statements from Fry's saying they are currently ordering product to restock shelves is ridiculous. They're ordering product? All of it? For every store? Nationwide?! It's a shame. Been visiting Fry's my whole life but I've never known them to be particularly innovative and have always seemed to have more than a couple counterintuitive business practices. As a nonsequiter I remember back in the day before cell phone cameras you could be kicked out of the store for taking pictures inside the store.
I don't know why this is a surprise to me, giving all the struggling brick-n-mortars out there, but I went into Fry's in Irving, TX the other day and was totally shocked. I'm so used to Fry's being the one store you go to for your tech holiday gifts and just seeing it packed with merchandise, shoppers and holiday employees, but this place was totally the opposite. Long asiles of empty displays, nothing in the main asile whatsoever where the latest big screens used to be for the holidays, no decorations, the electronic parts asile picked clean with the exception of a sole little transitor here or resistor there. A book here, a software box there but so empty. Even some of the lights weren't on. A handful of monitors were on display in back. I really couldn't believe it. The decline of the malls really underscored the major shift in retail, but this was another watershed moment as far as how bad it's gotten. I'm going to miss going out to the stores for my holiday shopping.
I know it's convenient to buy just about everything online nowadays, but there are things you'd rather buy at the store (video card, tv, cpu...)..if something goes wrong you can head right back and get it replaced or get your your money back. For any small computer assessories, it's very convenient to order from Amazon or get it from Ebay..BUT there's a wait. If you want it right away because your video card just got fried and you have an important thing to do and it's due the next day..you can't. You would have to get whatever at Bestbuy that t might not suit you. Best Buy lacks the variety as Fry's. Anyway, this void is creating more inconvenience for lots of people to get something like a video card..etc. Micro Center is just too far. This really s—s.
What I don't get is that...why aren't they liquidating their inventories and get it over like any store going out of business? Instead every day they're opened as any other day; they would incur electricity costs, rents, employees (not much), etc.
Went to Fry's today. They didn't even have the lights on.
Went to the Fry's in Concord yesterday (Black Friday) out of curiosity of what the store would look like. It was just as dead and empty as any other day. I counted maybe less than 10 staff at the store, including only 2 cashier, and this is Black Friday. There was only 1 guy working the TV AREA where in the past youd have at least 3 or 4 working just one of the counters. Half the TV section was missing displays as was the monitors/desktops/laptop areas. Xbox and PS4 games were all one shelf! And the video games section was mostly stocked with as seen on TV c-ap and portable air conditioners. Who wants to buy air conditioners when it's 30 degrees out? To Fry's credit they did actually have a few Nintendo Switch Lites so it seems like they are getting current day product but now I wonder if they just had staff go down to Target to pick up a few retail price in order to look relevant. Seeing what I saw yesterday on Black Friday, it's pretty safe to say Fry's will be dead in 2020.
I went to the Phoenix store today, Black Friday, and was shocked. I parked 5 spots from the front door because the parking lot was almost empty. The store had at more than 50% of the shelves empty. Even the "As seen on TV" shelves are almost bare.
There was no line at the registers, only 2 people checking out. I remember on Black Friday when there were 20 registers open and the line wound back and forth before it turned and ended in the back of the store.
The kid that waited on me was new and didn't know much. I talked to an older guy at the Customer Service Desk and asked him if the store was closing. He said, well they are still hiring and pointed to a sign. I asked him about the empty shelves. He told me he had worked there for 10 years and never seen it seen it before.
I must say that I used to buy something from Frys almost every week because of the deals on the Deals of the Day but I don't think I have been there in at least a few months because the deals have s—ed. It's sad to know my favorite gadget and connector place will probably by gone soon. I'm guessing by years end.
The bad thing is, if I need a phone or din plug, where will I go. No Radio Shack and soon no Frys to drive to and get it now. I hate the thought of resorting to ordering it on line and waiting for it to arrive and holding up my projects.
Good bye old friend. I for one will miss you when you are gone.
Alpharetta, GA store is desolate. No inventory. They are done.
I am sad to report the San Marcos California Frys is in its death throes or so it appears. I had no idea frys was struggling like this. The entire row of hard drives was empty, maybe 25 boxes on the Shelf. It looks like they are down to about 30% inventory or less throughout the store. One of the employees told me they were just changing vendors as an excuse for the empty shells. I feel for him if he does not already know.
As to building your next PC by mail, you're probably correct about that.
There is a place out here near the Concord Fry's that does that but at twice the cost.
Got their Turkey Day sale email (don't mention black friday at all or even Cyber Monday)- nothing to write home about basically the same carp that they have been having on their promo code emails except this time most of them are in-store only and you can't see if your local store even has any stock. So basically they will get you in to because you want to buy the FREE Rhino Soda Can Diversion Safe - Beer only to find out they don't have any. No SSDs or hard drives CPUS motherboards or even any computers. I think they should change their store name to Fry's non-electronic we don't have it Junk store. But hey their Sales is 4 days only so make sure we start lining up and Midnight tonight so that we can get our On The Go! Smart Brush Whitening Kit. Whitens Teeth. Fights Bad Breath. K–ls Bacteria. Up to 7 shades whiter in 30 days. for only $79 when the doors open on Friday at 8
Fry's just outside Portland, OR in Wilsonville... Shelves are bare... They are definitely closing. I came to look at a Mac laptop. Was hoping to buy one soon from them..doubt that will occur.
Was at Fry's in Southwest Houston today, (11/27), sign on door said Open Black Friday, what's to open for. Shelves nearly bare. I whole row which used to be dedicated to software had 1 kite kit on every shelf. Empty parking lot, main entry aisle where the bargains used to be are empty. There is no inventory in the cages. Only one cashier on duty and no one in line to buy anything. Don't know why they just don't lock the doors.
I'm heading to my local store this afternoon for one last look around for nostalgia sake. I have a feeling might be the last time they're open. About 6 hours left until they close for Thanksgiving, and they may not open ever again :|
You get your worst good byes/buys at Fry's!
I drove by the Burbank store last Sunday and I saw 2 trucks parked by their loading dock. I don't know if those trucks were loading or unloading merchandise. Given by their lame sale ads of refurbished 5 year old computers, they're not selling much.
Fry's will probably become a refurbished store selling Windows 98 PCs.
“They’re going to f*^% all of their employees right at the holidays. I guarantee it.”
To the poster who said that. 6 + months ago they started major cutbacks and quickly cut roughly 80% of all employees. Full timers were told they are now part time. Part timers were given 4 (or 0) hours. Managers were told they aren't managers and became specialists. Most were majorly screwed over so bad they all quit or were forced to get other jobs to make a livable wage.
To be honest FRys pay is so low it was a boost for most just to get another job. The company cannot tout competitive pay, and do not. Most the work force makes minimum wage. Benefits are a joke they cost so much most cant afford it.
Theres literally no moving up anymore its just a question of what positions will eventually “Not be needed” so instead of having a good environment where you can advance, your just left wondering if you'll have a job still tomorrow. Loyalty to the company paid off with apathy from Frys. They could care less about its employees they are just an overhead that costs them money. The companies situation is its own fault, not anything that has/is currently happening economics wise.
They could be open on Black Friday... but I bet it would be a nationwide liquidation sale.
All 3 DFW stores lacking serious inventory. I went on a WEEKEND day mid-day and there were maybe a dozen cars in each lot?
The Irving store has the most inventory. Dallas/Plano have almost none.
All of the home theater displays and display rooms are torn down. The computer displays are torn down. Appliance displays, torn down... all of the inventory they have is sitting in boxes on the floor where those displays were.
The inventory racks are completely empty. Completely. They’re liquidating what’s left in the stores and trying not to fold for as long as possible.
I’ll bet all of the sales people are going to not make their minimum sales numbers which will allow the company to fire them with cause and not have to pay unemployment. Then they can fire the managers with cause for not driving a successful team making sales.
They’re going to f*^% all of their employees right at the holidays. I guarantee it.
Even if they had everything on site, there's no way they could restock the Tempe store by Black Friday. The place is two thirds empty at least. I don't see why they're even open. There is no good reason to go there like it is. Very sad.
We're the 1% who follow these things on the interwebs, but when the other 99% notice that the store is FUBAR not sure how that's supposed to work.
Still predicting they don't open on Friday. Wednesday 11/27 is the last time they're open. We'll see...
San Diego, CA Store practically empty of customers with lots of un-stocked shelves. There was a man out front with a sign indicating that the store is not closing. It sure looks like it is.
Let’s put it this way, the Pepsi cooler was emptied and the vendor had a paper shipping it out of the store...
With black friday approaching so close and shelves still empty, it's safe to say our good bye's to fry's electronics. RIP.
Just visited the mopac store in Austin. Empty shelves, three customers in the whole store, and they won’t even run the A/C. I sweated my fat a– off.
You guys wanna know why Fry's was bleeding knowledgable talent? Because they put every department except for components and software on full commission. They even hired me, an artist that didnt have any real prior knowledge. I did know the best budget build for a digital artist starting out and a lot of the media and tablet choices. I came out knowing how to build a computer, but making me hawk the already made stuff was the last straw and I knew I had to leave.
Of course this is simply one factor of many that equate to a much bigger problem. Big box stores just arent as profitable as they used to. Hopefully Fry's can rebrand, their sales philosophy should shift to components and software and their floor space needs to be cut to 1/4. As seen on tv stuff doesn't belong anywhere near a place where nerdy people congregate. It was always a waste of money. Making the store seem fuller than it really is, like wax fruit in a grocery store.
Twinkle, twinkle, hoy
Gunna roll up like Char Aznable and laugh.
Frys in Arlington, TX, Plano, TX, and Irving,TX all empty shells and empty parking lots, confirm, something is up
@YbiPZw8-41jiu, the dude just told future laid off Fry's associates to "get a job" LOL
No sh–, Sherlock.
Enjoy your water, Fry's Beverages & Knock-Off Perfumes.
It's so sad. In Las Vegas, I always preferred Fry's over best buy or the likes. It's probably not likely, but I really hope someone gives them and hand and they can get back on their feet. It would be absolute hell to build my next PC by mail.
@YbiPZw8-41gpz, If you don't like our comments, then leave.
How about everyone on this site gets a job already stop worrying about this company . Thank you