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http://www.macnn.com/articles/01/02/21/computer.city/

Computer City closes stores

updated 04:45 pm EST, Wed February 21, 2001

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Future Shop has announced that it will be closing down all five Computer City locations in Canada, after they failed to turn the stores around following their acquisition in Nov. 1998. Future Shop shut down its US operations a year ago, primarily due to lack of profitability which can be attributed to poor customer service. Future Shop's Canadian stores will be unaffected by this latest move. [updated]

by MacNN Staff

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02/21, 05:01pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
Reseller status?

Future Shop is a Apple reseller. In Victoria BC they have had iMacs for sale for sometime now.

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02/21, 05:05pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
FS not an Apple reseller?

The last time I checked (about a month ago), FutureShop carried iMacs. They've been carrying iMacs since around when they were first introduced (they used to carry Macs before that, but then stopped for a few years until the iMac). Now, granted, their sales staff and service suck big time, but that's another story.

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02/21, 05:06pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
Yep...

Most of the Future Shops I've been in carry iMacs and iBooks. That's Vancouver, Kelowna and Edmonton. Unless there's been a recent change in status...

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02/21, 05:06pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
bye bye computer city

unfortunately, most consumers didn't know future shop ran cc. cc was better in that they had (usually) learn and earn trained employees in an Apple Area branded in the store. Shame. Though you can bet I'll be busting down the door seeing if I can get that cube at prices people are always yakking about here (open box or nothing)...Future Shop's legacy with the Mac is dismal at best. Alot of Computer City staff went to Compusmart when they opened here in ontario...

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02/21, 05:12pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
See Ya!

Computer City had terrible Apple support here in Toronto; empty shelves and poorly trained staff. The Future Shops around here never had more than one low end imac on their shelves. Hopefully, this will provide some support for the smaller Apple focused stores which I try to stick with. Unfortunately, there aren't many of them-Apple Canada won't let them make a reasonable profit.

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02/21, 05:32pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
Too bad

I live in southern Ontario so I know how bad the situation is too. Future Shop has held Macs for as long as I can remember but it did get pretty bad for a while a few years back. I bought my first Mac (an LC II) from a Future Shop in Hamilton. I don't think that this matters too much, though. Ever since then I have bought all but one (a 7200/90) from the Apple Store or on eBay and it is hard to keep a decent Mac section running when everyone in this area goes to CPUsed in Toronto to get anything Better staff, better prices, and used stuff there.

We just need more Apple marketing and exposure in Canada and we could get the market share up. It is not all that dependant on the number of resellers.

~/indigo

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02/21, 05:37pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
FutureShop in St. John's

In St. John's Newfoundland, Future Shop carries iMacs and have since 1999 when Apple introduced the flavours.

The sales staff know LESS THAN NOTHING about the iMacs.

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02/21, 06:05pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
Future Shop = Bad Service

They've always sucked. When they didn't have products be they Apple, Maytag, Sony and more they would say the product was bad. When they did carry Apple a long time ago they knew nothing of it. They're pushy, anoying and have no knowledge. Apart from a decent price (sometimes) they bring nothing of value to the table.

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02/21, 06:06pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
Compusmart

Here in Toronto, Future Shop employees could care less about Macintosh computers. Ask a Future Shop employee about what software titles are available they openly admit they don't know but "if you wan to look around in the software area go ahead" (Great service or what).

However Compusmart has the selection and the service! They have two locations one in Scarborough (Kennedy and 401) and one Downtown (Yonge and Wellington).

In fact the location in Scarborough is almost 1/2 Mac.

check it out!!

CDL

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02/21, 06:24pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
FS in USA sucked royally

When they were in the USA, Future Shop sucked royally. Their
software, Mac and PC, was way over priced compared to any other ocal stores and their salespeople though they were God's gifts to the world. Only on cables did they have decent prices.

Chad

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02/21, 06:30pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
FS good for periferals

Our Future Shop here in Hamilton, Ontario has a nice computer section - unfortunately there is only one iMac. Luckily there are two guys on staff who are Mac owners and they regularly take courses. I go there mainly for periferals, disks, paper, cables and all the extra stuff. I bought my LaCie CD Burner there. I buy ny Macs from Light Computer Centre or MacWarehouse and a few other places.

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02/21, 06:39pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
Bring on Circuit City!!!

Any Canadian Mac fan knows that Future Shop has always given dismal support to the platform. At least Computer City carried higher end G4's. All I know is that Circuit City will be invading Canada within the next 1-2 years, and with any luck, they'll put Future Shop to shame when it comes to supporting Macs.

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02/21, 07:47pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
Where's the software!!!

I agree with the posts discussing Future Shop's dismal support. My experiences here in Toronto with Computer City were not much better, but at least they had some (not alot) product. Future Shop will have one iMac, but NO SOFTWARE. I always wondered how they could sell any Macs when the first question asked by the purchaser would be "where is the software" and Future Shop's answer would be "well, you have to buy it elsewhere..."

I am dying to see a good store in the Toronto area, with decent prices, decent hours and a good locations to start selling software for the Mac. Electronics Boutique was promising, but now they are fading. Compucentre is in the same boat.

In order to sell the hardware, you have to sell the software...

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02/22, 12:06am | report spam | close Reply | delete
Future Shop is a joke

I used to work for an big Apple dealer in Hamilton and at one point Future Shop was giving us "some" competition. I cna remember them actually sending some of their sales people down to our shop to have a look around.

The main problem with all these large chain stores is they don't attract knowledgable sales people becuase they don't pay well. Apple Canada pulled Future Shop's authorization a few years ago then reinstated it. They have NEVER been able to handle Apple products properly.

In my opinion Apple products belong ONLY in specialized stores where they can be sold and maintained by proper staff that care. Anyone can sell a PC, its a no brainer. But handing the Mercedes or BMW of the personal computer world requires special attention that no chain store could ever match.

I've been in this business long enough to see this cycle happen a few times. Everytime its the same.
Computer City is just another victim of poor management (likes that surprises me). It has nothing to do with their inability to sell Apple products. At least they had Apple products in stock and most items on display which more than I can say about Future Shop...

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02/22, 02:56am | report spam | close Reply | delete
Extended Warranty

This really hits me! Yep, Future Shop sucks so bad that the MANAGER of the computer department told me that "only really cheap digital cameras in the $100-200 use AA batteries". Meanwhile, sitting right in front of him was the Kodak 290C and HP 500C, both of which use AAs AND were listed in the $1250-1300 range. Pinhead. So, I never actually buy there, just waste salespeople's time thinking I'm buying something when all I'm doing is pumping them for information. Then I buy it somewhere else. :-)

As for sightings of Apple products, I haven't seen a single one in the Regina, Saskatoon, or Calgary Future Shops in over a year (maybe they did have them, but they were sure tucked away!). Plus, they no-brained idea of just selling hardware without software is just STUPID. Not surprising, just disappointing that Apple would allow them to do that. At least carry the damn OS! And it really doesn't help Computer City compete when there's a Future Shop two blocks away from it's Calgary store. Idiots.

But now, what really gets me, is that my fiance bought a G3 PowerBook last November and we got the Extended Warranty from Computer City! Who's taking over those, if anyone?!? Will it be Future Shop?? Maybe I can get my money back and get the Apple Care instead...

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02/22, 10:48am | report spam | close Reply | delete
Don't buy there!

Hey, go to Future Shop, get a good price and then run fast to a real computer store and give them your money instead...

They are not a real Mac dealer,they just carry one or two iMac's, zero software, and no other stuff for the Mac community. You would be better buying a Mac from Safeway.

WaYnE

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02/22, 11:36am | report spam | close Reply | delete
Best Buy Movin in Next

Computer city closing? Waaaaaa. . . .joke service, joke Apple store within a store - no product, no salespeople.

FutureShop as a viable alternative? No bloody way. The worst salespeople this side of the border.

Mac Retailers in Canada? Most fine for systems, but for peripherals and add-ons, prices are insane. Example: 20 gig PB drive - $151.95 USD from OWC; local Mac Dealer $500. I drool at the free 128 MB, free battery offers, given by those Mail Order firms, but because of export restrictions, can't get them.

Apple Store? Same problem.

Please give Canadians some viable options, and soon.

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02/22, 02:35pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
A loss in Calgary

Calgary's Computer City store was a viable Mac dealer, which had some good success in getting Mac fanatics to work in their store-within-a-store. They even carried esoteric products like Mac Today (now Mac Design) magazine that I wouldn't see in the Mac-only dealers. With CompuSmart no longer carrying Apple products in their Crowfoot location, that will further limit the Mac competition in this market. The loss of Computer City is just that: a loss.

I work at the U of Calgary, and recently posted an information page for students in Fine Arts who wanted to know where to buy a Mac and Mac stuff. It gives my impressions of the Calgary market from an educational buyer's point of view. If you are interested, it is at http://iaml.ffa.ucalgary.ca/help/mac_resources.html

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02/22, 10:24pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
Computer City in Calgary

Sad to hear this...Not that I've shopped there a fair bit, but here in Calgary, Computer City has the largest Apple Store within a Store in the city, save for the dedicated shops like MyMacDealer and Westworld...

CompuSmart ain't bad, but I do like the competition...

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02/22, 11:12pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
Montreal Store Sucks too

Ususally one or 2 imac in display. Usually the mouse is missing (stolen?) and replaced with a 3rd party mouse or none at all. The software is corrupted most of the time so there is an error message all the time. If I ask a salesperson to fix it or to reinstall the sortware, they say they dont know where it is, and they want to show me a @real@ computer. I go to B Mac instead. that's a real store.

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02/23, 01:29pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
Don't Bother in Miss.

Just went to the Close Out in Mississauga, Ontario. They are selling G4/466 and 566 for about $200.00 less than normal, but it's the Dreamweaver 2 that I had my eye on ;-)

No iMacs. Only deal would be software at 25% off if you need any of the heavy hitters. They are in the glass case.

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02/23, 01:58pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
Computer City

What can one say? Sad they are gone, but then again, good! I heard of CompuSmart and have seen the selection and service. It's the service Computer City had when Tandy owned it. Check them out. I live in Toronto and have visited the Scarborough store and Downtown. Great selection, good prices. Service is good. The salespeople helped me thoroughly with my computer needs. Way to go CS!

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02/23, 01:59pm | report spam | close Reply | delete
FS

Future Shop = Future Slop

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Computer City closes stores

updated 04:45 pm EST, Wed February 21, 2001

Reseller status?

FS not an Apple reseller?

Yep...

bye bye computer city

See Ya!

Too bad

FutureShop in St. John's

Future Shop = Bad Service

Compusmart

FS in USA sucked royally

FS good for periferals

Bring on Circuit City!!!

Where's the software!!!

Future Shop is a joke

Extended Warranty

Don't buy there!

Best Buy Movin in Next

A loss in Calgary

Computer City in Calgary

Montreal Store Sucks too

Don't Bother in Miss.

Computer City

FS

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Computer City closes stores

updated 04:45 pm EST, Wed February 21, 2001

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Reseller status?

FS not an Apple reseller?

Yep...

bye bye computer city

See Ya!

Too bad

FutureShop in St. John's

Future Shop = Bad Service

Compusmart

FS in USA sucked royally

FS good for periferals

Bring on Circuit City!!!

Where's the software!!!

Future Shop is a joke

Extended Warranty

Don't buy there!

Best Buy Movin in Next

A loss in Calgary

Computer City in Calgary

Montreal Store Sucks too

Don't Bother in Miss.

Computer City

FS

Login Here

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