"We have invented this idea of retail 2.0," says Gilbert Fiorentino, chief executive of the Technology Products Group at Systemax, now parent company of CompUSA. Fiorentino is also the founder of Tiger Direct, a web only electronics retailer and another subsidiary of Systemax. "Every screen in every CompUSA store is now connected to the internet and making buying a richer experience for customers," he says.

"We do the same thing with laptops, desktops and monitors," says Fiorentino. "We are using tech to change the retail experience for the customer and giving them access to all the information on the internet anytime they want during the buying process." And there are no restrictions. Users can surf the internet, check their Facebook or even Twitter if they want, says Fiorentino.

I don't know if "invented" is the appropriate word. More like "ripped off" from Apple—but it does mean that they are giving customers carte blanche to shop around online for information before making a purchase in their store. A bold move, considering that some other gadget retailers don't even want you to connect with their own website while shopping in the store.

Will this philosophy lead to a new, less sucky CompUSA with competitive prices? One can only hope. [Wired Gadget Lab]

I'm wondering because I've literally spent thousands of dollars at Newegg because I hold them in much higher regard than say, TigerDirect, and never, ever had a problem until I tried out their new EggSaver shipping option. Not only did the tracking number never work at all—a customer service rep I called asking where the hell my package is explained they're having issues with their EggSaver tracking system, since it's apparently outsourced through the USPS—after two weeks, I called for the second time, and they told me they lost it. Replacement and refund are both 10-15 business day processes (unacceptable, since I wanted this for CES). A couple friends I've talked to also said that EggSaver was terrible. So, if you go NewEgg (who rocks 99.9 percent of the time), go with Fedex or UPS shipping.

Implied sub-question: Where do you go if the obvious choices, like Amazon and Newegg, fail you?

The webcast will be here. The webcast starts at noon and will last until midnight. They will be giving a lot of giveaways, including PS3s, Xbox 360s, Bluetooth headsets, or a 42" plasma TV with a computer built inside of it, among other things.

While not everyone will get the crazy deals—they are limited quantities—the products above look like a good enough hook to leave yourself in the arms of the crazy goddess of consumerism, that busty and curvaceous naughty girl. [Compusa]

It's a much better store than it used to be, full of components, motherboards, and lots of actually _helpful_ people who know computers.

The Nostalgia Video

[Tiger Direct]

Product Page [TigerDirect via Logic & Sanity]