Circuit City buys out online rival 800.com - e-Watch - Brief Article

DSN Retailing Today, March 25, 2002

RICHMOND, VA. -- Since March 1, shoppers of 800.com have discovered that their Web browsers are taking a detour and being automatically rerouted to circuitcity.com. The change comes after Circuit City, the No. 2 consumer electronics retailer, purchased assets of its online competitor for an undisclosed amount.

According to a FAQ section on circuitcity.com and Greg Drew, 800.com's founder and ceo, the 4-year-old Internet retailer chose to close due to economic reasons. Once lauded as the "Best of the Web" by "Forbes," "Yahoo! Internet Life" and "Resource Marketing," 800.com specialized in electronics, movies and music, carrying names like Sony, Panasonic, JVC, Kenwood and Nikon. Along with dissolving the Portland, Ore.-based 800.com, the deal gives Circuit City access to the e-tailer's customer database, and it will honor 800.com's orders, returns and gift certificates.