Montreal Tech Watch

CompuSmart closes its doors in Montréal

By Heri Jul 12th 2007 in Design

compusmart

There are currently no CompuSmart in Montréal, according to a DSI article (french). They have been closing their stores in other parts of Canada for the past year in Toronto, Moncton, Edmunton, or Vancouver. This might be a proof that only big electronic retailers or discounted ecommerce websites works.

CompuSmart was one of the rare places in Montréal where you could buy mac computers. I went there because of FutureShop or Best Buy’s sales practices. But Compusmart’s closing is a concern to me, because I still have a running guarantee for a macbook pro from the downtown store.

Looks like the only option now is the Apple Store or the microboutique stores. Or, do like every other montréaler and buy a PC laptop from Futureshop.

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Comments

  • François July 12, 2007

    Just thought you and your readers might like to know that Microboutique just opened a tiny little “Apple Store”-lookalike on the second floor of Centre Eaton (right next to The Gap). They have one sample of every Apple product…

  • Jean-Francois Arseneault July 12, 2007

    This is strange. I’ve seen Macs at Future Shops and Best Buy routinely…(Lasalle, St-Bruno, etc). I’ve seen them at Microbyte boutiques too, I believe. And it’s on their website.

    Of course, there’s also the Apple Store in Laval.

  • Heri July 12, 2007

    @jf arsenefault. yes i didnt say futureshop or best buy didnt have macs. i said i disliked their sales practices.

    @francois – thanks. will have a look next time i go to st-catherine

  • stephdau July 12, 2007

    re: buying a mac: there’s also BMac (on Rachel East) and Mac 911 (in the old Mtl). Not sure about BMac’s current incarnation, but I’m fairly certain Mac 911 doesn’t have a show room. It’s a service shop that happens to also be a VAR. (disclosure: I used to work @ Mac 911, but a veeeeeery long time ago)

  • Pierre Phaneuf July 12, 2007

    I bought my PowerBook at Radioactif, at the corner of Rachel and St-Hubert, and they had some at the Dumoulin on St-Catherine near St-Alexandre. Neither seemed to have much in stock, but they did have some, and my order came in quickly enough.

  • Chris Lamothe July 12, 2007

    The guys at CompuSmart were telling me that the Montreal one was one of the only profitable ones left, although I can’t be sure if that’s true. Does anyone else remember when Crazy Irving used to sell clothes and not just shareware floppies?

  • stephdau July 13, 2007

    @Pierre

    Bmac = Radioactif. They’re one and the same. They rebranded a few years ago. :)

  • daniel July 13, 2007

    UQAM’s Coop Informatique not only carry Apple products they also have knowledgeable staff (sales and tech). It’s open to everyone, not just UQAM students.

  • Alexis Cornellier July 17, 2007

    Thanks Daniel. Indeed we know a things or two about the Mac and that’s true that we’re open to anyone who wich to become part of that cooperative initiative.

    We’ll ask for a 25$ membership card, we’ll cut the price of the computer by 20$ (that make 5$ for a lifetime membership). But we might not carry the retail version of the product (for now, that could change if the demand is there).

    Our technician is apple repair certified and we sell about 80% of mac for the last 2 years.

    I will sell you a mac anti-virus if you ask for it and place it back on the shelves if you ask if it’s necessary.

    Thanks to encourage little store instead of big foreign interest.

  • Heri July 17, 2007

    @alexis cornellier

    but i think you have to be a full-time student to buy at UQAM Coop?

  • Jean-Francois Arseneault July 20, 2007

    @Chris: When I was a kid, my dad would bring me to a Crazy Irving where we’d go through (obviously) copied shareware software, some on audio tapes, which we would then load into our Atari 5200… if you think modems screeched when connecting, you have no idea what screeshing is…

  • Dana July 28, 2007

    Hi.. I want to buy a Toshiba laptop with International warranty from Montreal. Any suggestions on good computer stores?

    Thanx

  • aj July 29, 2007

    Just to follow up with some information about what happened to CompuSmart.

    This was a retail brand franchised by Hartco, the IT retail group behind MicroAge, Metafore and Microserv (and CompuCentre, back in the old days). They made a strategic decision earlier in the year to divest themselves of the CompuSmart assets and basically get out of consumer retail altogether, preferring to stick to corporate IT sales and direct online sales where they have lower overhead / higher margins and can sell consulting services.

    If you have an ongoing warranty or lease going on with CompuSmart, I believe all of this has been transferred to the Metafore organization. If you dial the CompuSmart 1-888 number on the website you get transferred there — I’m waiting to hear from them to get some information.

    In the meantime – yeah, the actual Apple store or the university co-op stores are a much better bet for in-store service!

  • Heri July 29, 2007

    aj: thanks for the precisions. makes sense because compusmart have much less success than direct competitors like futureshop.

    I doubt i could get some reliable, quick and professional service from Metafore.

  • Ajit Basak October 23, 2007

    We purchased two Mac OSX,last January 2007, from Copusmart at GreenField Park, Quebec. This store as well as other compusmart stores have disappeared. We have extended warranty (3 years). What is the legal course we can take to recouperate the cost of warranty which Compusmart will not be able to provide.

  • AJ October 23, 2007

    Ajit, see my comment just above. Ongoing CompuSmart extended warranties were actually held with the Warranty Company of Canada, a 3rd-party organization that handles extended warranty programs for many different manufacturers and retailers. (wcc.ca)

    I was informed by them that basically I take my Mac to any qualified Mac repair shop (Mac 911 in Old Montreal are excellent) and they will reimburse the cost of repair. It’s possible they can arrange for direct reimbursement without you having to spend any money, as long as you have all your warranty docs and serial numbers, etc.

    There’s a long blog comment thread (dating from 2005 to today) at this link that may be helpful to explain the story further:

    http://www.darcynorman.net/2005/01/29/compusmart-sucks/

  • Ajit Basak October 23, 2007

    Closing of Compusmart Stores and remaining warrany:
    According to my communcation with one Mr Jacques St. Laurent of Compusmart Online sales support the remainder of the warranty will be honored by the SmartPlan service center. The tel. no. to contact: 1-866-377-7071.

  • psa December 13, 2007

    Another alternative is MacClinic, 1551 rue Centre in Griffintown, 514 395 2040. Owner Joe DiMello (sp?) has been doing Mac tech forever, and they are both resellers and Applecare repair center.

    They do mostly corpo but do not turn anyone away, and the new location (they were on Wellington x Peel prior) does have a showroom of sort.

    I’ve been dealing with them for over a decade for repairs, and service is excellent.

  • Gary Palmer December 17, 2007

    I am a former CompuSmart employee from one of the earlier closures – Brandon, Manitoba. As far as extended warranty is concerned, there is not likely to be a concern. SmartPlan was insured. Phone the 1-800 number and repairs are likely to be available — except servicing will be contracted out since CompuSmart service centres are now defunct. As for SmartSwap — well, that may be another matter. Try that same 1-800 number.

  • ihor smith December 22, 2007

    i must be the only one whose gald to see them go. i was never happy with their service. it didn’t surprise me that they went bankrupt a few times. have people also forgotten how compusmart and microbytes started, it was in selling (or renting) pirated software.

    i just hope the company doesn’t morph into something else again.

  • Gary Palmer December 22, 2007

    Sorry to hear about your bad experiences, Ihor. I hadn’t heard that story about pirated software. Must have been an awfully long time ago. I do know that in our particular store any staff member dealing in pirated software would soon find themselves out on the street. Of course a lot of CompuSmarts were originally independently owned franchise operations, so perhaps the Brandon store was a bit of an exception to the rule. Anyway, I guess it doesn’t really matter now since there are no longer any CompuSmarts around to prove me right or wrong.

    I do think, though, that anyone with SmartPlan coverage should still breathe easy. It was an insured service.

  • Martin Pitchon December 31, 2007

    I had a prolonged warranty also. My screen does not work at all. I was surprised goint to Brossard and seeing their door closed!

    They suck!

  • Martin Pitchon December 31, 2007

    had a prolonged warranty also. My screen does not work at all. I was surprised going to Brossard and seeing their door closed!

    They suck!

  • Gary Palmer December 31, 2007

    Warranty service: 1-866-377-7071. 24 hours per day 7 days per week.

  • Athena March 24, 2008

    Does anyone know where Izzy (spelling??) the technician from the philips square store has ended up? Or perhaps the manager DOmenic? Please help

  • Jessie April 05, 2008

    Jessie…

    I?ll admit it. i have been to your blog SIX times since your last post looking for a new post?….

  • Good Old Days July 14, 2008

    1-866-377-7071

    All extended warranties bought at Compusmart are still in effect. Just call that number.

    I used to manage both St.Hubert store and the Montreal store and honestly I believe we were the best computer retailer in Montreal and the South Shore. Unhappy customers happen no matter how good you are but we had a massive clientelle that refused to shop anywhere else. I loved my store and my team. The only reason Compusmart folded was so Hartco could hide the money they were losing. Hartco sold items to us at a profit and expected us to sell them at a profit also. No other retailer works that way… it makes no sense.

    Here’s hoping that another retailer (Microbytes?) rises up to compete against the big blue and red box (FS/BB).

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