Andrew O'Hara
CompUSA, the computer retailer and Apple hardware vendor that went belly-up over a decade ago, is back from the dead featuring curated selections of technology deals.
Rather than selling tech gear, CompUSA now just refers users to other sites for a curated selection of tech items. You won't find all gear, but games, gaming systems, computers, TVs, headphones, and more have already been added to the new site.
Currently in beta, CompUSA.com — which still uses the same vintage logo as its retired brick and mortar counterparts — allows registered users to set a price for an item they are looking for and are notified the second it drops below that threshold. They can also get stock alerts as well for tech items, which may prove useful for gaming systems or new Apple gear.
CompUSA has a history, starting in 1984 as Soft Warehouse before being renamed to CompUSA in 1991. It was one of the few big-box retailers to stock Apple's higher-end products, in conjunction with the Performa line that saturated the market elsewhere. For most of its life, it was derided by Apple users for poor after-sale support.
By the mid-90's it grew to big a nationwide big box store with 229 locations. During the '90s, it was one of only a handful of locations that carried a large selection of boxed software for the Mac beyond home and educational basics.
The chain was an early victim of the shift to online sales. Things quickly turned sour for the chain in the early 2000's with many locations closing down and the final few being converted into physical Tiger Direct establishments — many of which have since closed.
Eventually the name was sold off, finding its way to Tuesday's relaunch of the brand.
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18 Comments
I'd like to see its return simply because of its name. Radio Shack is gone, Fry's (weird name) is almost gone and Best Buy is like a Target selling everything. I know online sales have taken over but we still need a place we can trust to show and sell legitimate computers and supplies.
We need a place, let’s call it a “show room”, where we can actually see and test products in person... Like a fairly dark room to test TVs in, instead of being forced to guess how they look when they’re not in the absolute most flattering scenarios... as well as computer displays, pointing devices, gaming controllers...
Imagine that concept.
So, they plan on being the camelcamelcamel.com of the online retail at large? Living on the transaction cuts... but yeah, too bad it's getting harder and harder to see and touch the stuff before you buy it.
I'm buying clothes from Amazon now. With returns at Kohl's making it a lot easier than returns at UPS, it's not that bad. Frustrating that clothes size charts is more of a general direction than actual dimensions though, or maybe it's all about the fashion.
CompUSA is not back from the dead — it’s still dead.
A blast from the past indeed. I’m very happy to still have a Micro Center nearby. They survived from the 1990s and their prices are comparable enough to Amazon that I have no reservations using them, especially with items that may get damaged in shipping. They even have a mini Apple Store inside that stayed open through the early part of the pandemic shutdown. I just wish that I needed more tech toys and computer junk because the bang for the buck you can get today is phenomenal, it has never been better.