Will the third time be the charm for Circuit City?
Following two delayed starts in 2016, a revised Circuit City is ready to re-emerge this year under trade-name owner and CEO Ronny Shmoel, who has since overhauled his go-to-market strategy.
Central to the new business plan is a social-focused e-commerce site that’s fueled by IBM Watson commerce, which incorporates AI and other leading-edge retail technologies into its web platform.
According to Circuit City, the IBM platform will help it expand its offerings, provide “a personalized shopping experience,” and “ultimately transform how clients shop for electronics.”
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The game plan also calls for various innovative retail store concepts, the company said.
Shmoel, who has a background in retail, e-commerce and global sourcing, acquired the Circuit City brand, domain and associated trademarks from IT supplier Systemax in 2015.
Once the No. 1 big-box tech chain, Circuit City succumbed to a rapidly changing marketplace in 2008, and misfired in its second incarnation as an online-only sister site to Systemax’s TigerDirect IT chain.
Shmoel is joined in his latest endeavor by a new management team “with experience across top-tier leadership companies,” the retailer said.
He plans to share the details of his rollout at a CES press event on Monday, Jan. 8 at 3:00 p.m. at the Venetian Las Vegas. For more information visit the proto-site at CircuitCityCorporation.com.
