Officials Directing Consumers On Circuit City, Tweeter Issues

HARTFORD — Attorney General Richard Blumenthal is urging consumers to swiftly redeem Circuit City gift cards and other credits and quickly return any unwanted items in the wake of the company’s decision to close all its stores January 16.

The chain’s going-out-of-business sale commenced January 17 and is expected to last through March.

Mr Blumenthal said that the national electronics chain will honor for the time being gift certificates, gift cards and coupons. It will accept returns on merchandise bought before the going-out-of-business sale until January 31.

All purchases during the going-out-of-business sale will be final with no returns.

“My advice to gift card holders: use it or lose it,” Mr Blumenthal said. “I urge consumers with Circuit City gift cards, certificates, or coupons to redeem them as soon as possible. Delay could lead to a worthless gift card or other credit. Consumers have only until January 31 to return merchandise they bought before the going-out-of-business sale and should act immediately.”

Circuit City’s Connecticut store locations include Danbury, Meriden, Newington, North Haven, Trumbull and Manchester.

Consumers with questions should all the attorney general’s office at 860-808-5400.

In related news, following an inquiry by the Department of Consumer Protection, Service Net Solutions LLC of Jeffersonville, Ind. has stated that it will honor all extended warranty contracts on products sold by the now-defunct Tweeter chain of electronics stores.

“My office has been assured that Service Net promises to honor each and every warranty sold by Tweeter, whether the warranty was sold before or after liquidation,” Consumer Protection Commissioner Jerry Farrell, Jr, said. “Even if Service Net was not notified of the sale, the extended warranty will be honored.”

The terms and conditions will be honored as outlined in the warranty, Mr Farrell said. Customers’ service contracts include a toll-free phone number that directs them to the appropriate Service Net personnel. If the contract is on a large, installed item such as a home theater, a service representative may be dispatched to the customer’s home. For portable items such as MP3 players, customers will be directed to ship the item to a Service Net center for repair. In some cases, replacement value will be given to the customer.

“Any consumer who is not satisfied with their Service Net extended warranty service is advised to file a written complaint with the Department of Consumer Protection, and we will investigate,” Mr Farrell said.

Complaint forms are available at www.ct.gov/dcp.