>We quit going to Circuit City when we were shopping for an HD TV. We found the TV we wanted at a (mostly) reasonable price and a stand. Then the nickel-and-diming started...again.
>
>You want us to put the stand together? $40,00 charge.
>You gonna need cables with this (that would be the HD cables that you MUST have) $65.00
>You want us to deliver and set up? $120.00
>
>By the time we hit that one, I told my husband that I would be 'over there' and he should come get me when paperwork was ready.
>
>When paperwork was ready, the $1200.00 TV and the $200.00 stand were now costing over $4000.00 and, oh btw, they didn't have one in stock (except the floor model). I said "Fine" (always a bad sign with me) "We'll take the cables. No, just the cables thankyewverymush".
>
>This brought the TV area manager over asking what the problem was. I explained it to him ending with "and when you then inform me that you don't have what I want and it might take a week to get it in, no I don't think so. We'll take the cables thankyewverrymush.".
>
>This brought the store manager out to engage me in conversation whilst the saleman and the TVarea manager were madly dialing phones. I know this because I could see them in the room behind the store manager. They then come out and tell me that another store in the area has the TV and the stand and it could be delivered tomorrow.
>
>We walked out of there with the cables, thankyewverrymush, and found the same TV and stand on Amazon for MUCH less, even after shipping.
>
>So, I kinda understand why CC went down.
>

When I was ready to buy an HDTV (in time for the 2006 World Cup) I did some serious comparison shopping at Circuit City and Best Buy. Best Buy was the winner hands down. Circuit City had slightly higher prices to begin with and laid on the aftercharges you describe. No thanks. The saleslady practically had her hands in my pants on the way to my wallet.

A general word of advice to anyone buying HDTVs --

1. Get an HDMI connector. It gives you the best picture.
2. Do NOT buy it from Monster or the other brand names. They charge over $100. You can get an HDMI cable for less than $20 online, and it is an identical product. This is the biggest consumer ripoff I have ever seen.

The TV is one purchase I have never regretted for a moment. Saturday night I watched "Wall-E" and was stunned by the picture. Even old lo-def movies like "Casablanca" look snappier.