Editing CompUSA (section)

==History==
[[File:CompUSA Santa Clara 2.jpg|thumb|right|275px|A CompUSA store in Santa Clara, California, circa 2005]]

Founded in 1984 as Soft Warehouse in [[Addison, Texas]], a northern suburb of [[Dallas]], [[Texas]], by Errol Jacobson and Mike Henochowicz,<ref>{{cite news |last=Halkias |first=Maria |url=http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/020508dnbuscompusa.38705a9.html |title=CompUSA couldn't overcome obsolete practices |newspaper=The Dallas Morning News |date=February 5, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080208115836/http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/020508dnbuscompusa.38705a9.html |archive-date=February 8, 2008 }}</ref> the company began national expansion in 1988 with its first megastore opening in [[Atlanta]], [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]].{{citation needed|date=September 2017}}

In 1991, the company's name was changed to CompUSA, and the company became publicly traded on the [[NYSE|New York Stock Exchange]]. While under Nathan P. Morton's leadership, CompUSA grew to over $2&nbsp;billion in revenues. Morton resigned in 1993.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/compusa-inc-history/|title=History of CompUSA, Inc.|website=FundingUniverse|access-date=2016-07-19}}</ref>

Formerly headquartered in [[Miami]], [[Florida]],<ref>"[http://www.compusa.com/sectors/aboutus/index.asp About CompUSA.com, Inc.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100106081935/http://www.compusa.com/sectors/aboutus/index.asp |date=2010-01-06 }}" CompUSA. Retrieved on January 7, 2010.</ref> it was a wholly owned [[subsidiary]] of '''U.S. Commercial Corp S.A.B. de C.V.'''<ref>{{cite web|title=Wright Reports Company Profile – US Commercial Corp SAB De CV|publisher=wrightreports.ecnext.com|url=http://wrightreports.ecnext.com/coms2/reportdesc_COMPANY_C484HN000|access-date=2007-12-28}}</ref> associated with [[Grupo Carso]] and indirectly controlled by a common shareholder, [[Carlos Slim]].

On December 7, 2007, an affiliate of the restructuring and disposition firm [[Gordon Brothers Group]], Specialty Equity, bought the company.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.marketwatch.com/story/compusa-bought-by-gordon-bros-group-to-close-stores|title=CompUSA Bought by Gordon Bros Group To Close Stores|work=Market Watch|date=December 7, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607081639/http://www.marketwatch.com/story/compusa-bought-by-gordon-bros-group-to-close-stores|archive-date=June 7, 2011}}</ref> [[Systemax]] purchased the CompUSA name, 16 retail locations and other company assets in January 2008.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704059004575127731650688968|title=Systemax Gives New Life to Failed Brands|work=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|date=March 22, 2010|publisher=[[Dow Jones & Company|Dow Jones]]|location=[[New York, NY|New York]]|issn=0099-9660|author=Miguel Bustillo|access-date=October 21, 2011}}</ref>

Systemax operated CompUSA retail stores in California, Florida, Texas, Maryland, Georgia, Illinois, Delaware, New Jersey, North Carolina, Virginia, Washington and Puerto Rico, as well as CompUSA.com, a [[retail]] website and a dedicated [[online shopping|catalog]] site for businesses.<ref>[http://www.compusa.com/retailstores/compusaStores/index.asp CompUSA.com Retail Store Locator] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605040151/http://www.compusa.com/retailstores/compusaStores/index.asp |date=June 5, 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.retail20.com/store-updates/|title=CompUSA Retail 2.0 Store Updates|website=www.retail20.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090419231553/http://www.retail20.com/store-updates/|archive-date=2009-04-19}}</ref>

On November 2, 2012, Systemax announced that it would drop both the CompUSA and [[Circuit City]] storefront names, consolidating their businesses under the name, [[TigerDirect]]. On December 4, 2013, CompUSA intellectual properties were sold to JASALI 645 Realty LLC.<ref name=twice>{{cite web|url=http://www.twice.com/articletype/news/systemax-cut-circuit-city-compusa-brands-exit-pc-manufacturing/103788 |title=Systemax to Cut Circuit City, CompUSA Brands, Exit PC Manufacturing |access-date=2013-11-05 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105061817/http://www.twice.com/articletype/news/systemax-cut-circuit-city-compusa-brands-exit-pc-manufacturing/103788 |archive-date=2013-11-05 }}</ref> On October 25, 2018, the intellectual properties of CompUSA were leased to DealCentral, and has announced to relaunch CompUSA.com in that same day.

===Timeline===
*1986 – Under the original name Soft Warehouse, the first of their super stores opens on Marsh Lane and Belt Line Road in [[Addison, Texas]]
*1988 – Opened their second store in [[Atlanta|Atlanta, Georgia]]
*1990 – Long running radio ad campaign featuring character "P.C. Modem" (played by actor [[Jack Riley (actor)|Jack Riley]]) begins.
*1993 – Began offering technical services at customer locations.
*1996 – Launched retail sales on [[Compusa.com|CompUSA.com]].
*1997 – Partners with [[Apple Computer]] in a "store within a store" concept for selling [[Macintosh]] computers. By January 19, 1998, 57 stores had been built with the remainder to be built by February 1998.
*1998 – Acquired [[Tandy Corporation|Tandy's]] [[Computer City]] subsidiary with the help of former CEO Nathan P. Morton.
*1998 – In May, the company invested in facilities, technology, and expertise to form CompUSA Call Center Services, a division that provided contact center services to [[Original equipment manufacturer|OEMs]], corporate help desks, software publishers, and cellular service providers.
*2000 – Became privately held company under [[Grupo Sanborns]], a [[Mexico|Mexican]] retail company as they purchased 85 percent of the company.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB948731555548239150|title = Slim Family to Take over CompUSA; Microsoft Will Get a Stake in Deal|newspaper = Wall Street Journal|date = 25 January 2000}}</ref>
*2001 – In July, CompUSA Call Center Services became The Telvista Company.<ref>{{cite web|title=Telvista's History |work=telvista.com |url=http://www.telvista.com/about_us_history.asp |access-date=2008-01-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071221182156/http://www.telvista.com/about_us_history.asp |archive-date=2007-12-21 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
*2003 – Acquired [[The Good Guys!|Good Guys]].<ref>[http://hometheater.about.com/b/a/030627.htm CompUSA To Buy Good Guys] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070310202640/http://hometheater.about.com/b/a/030627.htm |date=2007-03-10 }}. ''About.com''. 2003-09-29.</ref>
*2005 – Converted three CompUSA stores and 13 Good Guys stores into megastores. Closed all 46 Good Guys locations. Began marketing in California and Hawaii as "CompUSA with Good Guys Inside" in response to [[Best Buy]]'s marketing campaign "with Magnolia Inside".
*2005 – CompUSA started a customer loyalty program called The CompUSA Network. For every dollar spent at any CompUSA store, the customer received 13 points.
*2006 – Sales of the CompUSA Network membership cards were suspended pending further investigation onto the operation's effect on [[customer retention]] and "program awareness among low-visit customers."{{quote without source|date=September 2011}}
*2006 – CompUSA announced the end of the Network Reward program. All customers were issued coupons for the remaining reward value. They were also offered a refund of the original purchase price in the original form of payment, surrendering remaining points.
*2006 – Announced the closing of 15 stores across the United States including several locations in California. These stores were being used to liquidate discontinued items from other stores across the nation until the end of October. Roman Ross, a former [[Altria Group|Philip Morris]] executive, replaced Tony Weiss as president and CEO after only four months in office. In November, CompUSA launched their new "Home Entertainment" rollout in 40 of its stores, including Puerto Rico, that sold a variety of high definition televisions and home theater equipment. Ross claimed that home entertainment was one of his chief focuses as the new CEO.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.retailnet.com/story.cfm?ID=31115|title=CompUSA names new CEO|author=Laura Heller|work=DSN Retailing Today|date=September 5, 2006|access-date=October 21, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120604093009/http://www.retailnet.com/story.cfm?ID=31115|archive-date=June 4, 2012}}</ref> In September, it was reported that CompUSA's Mexican parent, Grupo Carso, was interested in putting CompUSA up for sale.<ref>[https://money.cnn.com/2006/09/13/news/companies/CompUSA_sale/index.htm CompUSA seeking buyer, paper says] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070223053607/https://money.cnn.com/2006/09/13/news/companies/compusa_sale/index.htm |date=2007-02-23 }}. ''CNN Money''. 2006-09-13.</ref>
*2007 – The company announced the closing and liquidation of 126 stores due to the "need to close and sell stores with low performance or non strategic, old store layouts and locations faced with market saturation," according to CEO Roman Ross.<ref>{{cite press release|url=http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20070227006439&newsLang=en|title=CompUSA Announces Realignment Strategy|publisher=CompUSA|date=2007-02-27|access-date=2007-03-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930033646/http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20070227006439&newsLang=en|archive-date=2007-09-30|url-status=dead}}</ref> The realignment included a $440&nbsp;million cash infusion, store closures, major expense reductions, and a corporate restructuring.
*2007 – On May 14, CompUSA finalizes the first round of store closures as liquidation sales end.
<!---COMMENT OUT WP:OR. PLEASE SOURCE *2007, May 27 – Annual General Manager Meeting brings talks of 56 store closings to the table; the corporate officers present refuted the claim.
*2007, August through December – Gabriela Villalobos, EVP, makes stops through most of the 103 operational stores to evaluate the functionality of each since the store closures.--->
*2007 – On December 7, CompUSA was acquired by Specialty Equity, an affiliate of [[Gordon Brothers Group]], as discussions led to the agreement on store sales and closeouts for the remaining 103 stores.<ref>[http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9831235-7.html CompUSA Store Closings] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081013145433/http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9831235-7.html |date=2008-10-13 }}. ''C-Net''. Retrieved 2007-12-14.</ref>
*2008 – On January 6, [[Systemax|Systemax Inc.]] announced an agreement on the acquisition of the CompUSA brand, trademarks, [[e-commerce]] business, and as many as 16 CompUSA retail outlets in Florida, Texas, and Puerto Rico.<ref>{{cite news|title=Systemax Announces Definitive Agreement to Acquire Selected Assets and Retail Stores From CompUSA|work=RedOrbit.com|url=http://www.redorbit.com/news/technology/1205083/systemax_announces_definitive_agreement_to_acquire_selected_assets_and_retail/index.html|date=2008-01-06|access-date=2008-01-06 }}</ref>
*2008 – On March 2, CompUSA finalizes the round of store closures that started on Dec 7. AT&T Consumer Home Services agrees in principle to purchase the TechPro group for an unstated amount.
*2008 – On March 21, CompUSA announces that 12 CompUSA stores are open to the public.<ref>{{cite press release|title=CompUSA News: 12 Stores Already Open|publisher=CompUSA|url=http://news.compusa.com/11-stores-already-open/34/|date=2008-03-21|access-date=2008-03-23|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517183402/http://news.compusa.com/11-stores-already-open/34/|archive-date=2008-05-17}}</ref>
*2008 – On October 1, CompUSA announces a new strategy called 'Retail 2.0' which integrates Internet shopping convenience throughout retail stores. Concept store debuts to public at Dadeland Miami, Florida location.<ref>{{cite news|title=CompUSA Comes Back from the Dead|publisher=Wired|url=https://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/04/compusa-back-fr/|access-date=2009-06-28|first=Priya|last=Ganapati|date=April 9, 2009}}</ref>