Wednesday, August 13, 2008
By Lana Groves
Standard-Examiner Staff
PC users wait for computers after store in Riverdale abruptly closes without notice
RIVERDALE -- Katie Morrison walked up to the PC Clubs store in Riverdale recently and expected to pick up her laptop computer, only to find the store had unexpectedly closed.
Morrison checked the weekday closing hours, which read 7 p.m., and left the store wondering what happened.
Several phone calls later, her mother, Kris, reached a customer service representative for PC Clubs and learned that the store shut down for good.
"They apparently have to ship the computers to California, and then ship to the owners," Kris Morrison said. "I don't know why they can't just let us in to get her laptop."
Store workers told Katie when she came in that she could pick up the computer the following week.
The 23-year-old stopped by the store but missed the final closing by two days without realizing it.
PC Clubs had decided on July 28 to shut down all stores in Utah, Nevada and California.
"It was a sudden movement (based on) an internal investigation," said Alan Hunter, spokesman for NAOC, the company that owns PC Club Computers. "(The company) is just not efficient enough to support the current trend of business."
Katie's laptop, which she will need as she begins her senior year at Utah State University, was among hundreds of laptops, computers and other equipment shipped Aug. 5 to headquarters in California, according to the NAOC voice-recorded message. The message also says they plan to have all items returned to customers by Aug. 9, but delays may occur.
Dan Young, CEO of PC Laptops, a separate business, said that his company has made arrangements with PC Clubs and will accept all computer, laptop and equipment warranties from the newly closed company as they alter their business.
"Anyone with a PC Club computer can bring it to any of our nine locations and we'll adopt any of those computers," he said.
"You can bring it to us and we'll guarantee a lifetime warranty, any upgrades on wireless removal, (and) any service labor included 100 percent."
Young said they expect to receive computers from the Riverdale store by today and will start calling customers to say their computers can be picked up.
PC Clubs closed in May for three days, but managed to reopen the business.
Hunter said that won't be repeated. PC Clubs has already talked with Young about PC Laptops taking over customer warranties.
Despite the confusion, Hunter has guaranteed that all customers will receive their computers back.
Kris Morrison is just hoping her daughter gets the laptop back before school starts.
"School starts in another three weeks," she said. "(Laptops) are kind of necessary for students these days."
.
