Circuit City Renews, Expands Relationships with ConsumerReports.org, Popular Photography, Sound & Vision Magazines; Ramps-up Social Commerce Efforts with Pluck(TM) Social Media Platform

RICHMOND, Va., Aug. 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Boosting its commitment to provide shoppers with easy access to comprehensive and objective product information, circuitcity.com proudly announces renewed and expanded alliances with ConsumerReports.org, Popular Photography and Sound & Vision magazines and the expansion of Circuit City's social commerce platform.

'Empowering consumers with the information to find the right product to fit their needs is at the core of the Circuit City business,' said Brian S. Bradley, Circuit City's senior vice president - multi-channel. 'The Internet is our new 'front door.' More than half of the customers who make purchases in our stores conduct product research beforehand at circuitcity.com.'

'To continue to build consumer loyalty and trust, we believe it's imperative to provide industry-leading knowledge resources,' added Bradley. 'Consumer Reports, Popular Photography and Sound & Vision are clearly the 'gold standards' when it comes to reliable and expert product knowledge and Circuit City is proud to offer these valuable assets to its shoppers.'

Circuitcity.com will host an expanded library of Consumer Reports' independent and expert buying advice and a host of new product reports from experts at Popular Photography and Sound & Vision magazines.

'At Consumer Reports, our mission is to test, inform and protect consumers as they navigate the marketplace,' said Jerry Steinbrink, vice president, publishing for Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports. 'By providing our buying advice right on the circuitcity.com site, we feel that we are helping consumers make a more informed decision on what to purchase and how to purchase it, right at the point of sale.

'We're excited to bring the technical expertise and up-to-the-minute knowledge from Popular Photography and Sound & Vision magazines directly to Circuit City's online visitors' said Jeffrey Roberts, vice president and publisher of Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S., which publishes both magazines. 'By teaming with Circuit City, we're able to share our passion and know-how with people exactly when and where they are most eager for the information.'

In addition to becoming a one-stop destination for research from leading publications, circuitcity.com enables shoppers to share information with each other through the use of blogs, forums, and monthly photo contests.

Using Pluck(TM) Corporation's social media platform, CityCenter enables customers to connect with each other and Circuit City associates when considering complex purchases, such as HDTVs, digital cameras, MP3 players and personal computers.

CityCenter has fostered strong examples of deep-rooted community engagement:

-- More than 5,000 site-wide user contributions per month over the last 90 days

-- Active participation in 35 product category Forums, including regular and frequent interaction with both Circuit City and firedog(SM) staff

-- Fifteen topical and contest photo galleries, which have attracted more than 2,500 user-submitted photos

'Circuit City's CityCenter is a shining example of how social media technologies can improve the customer experience in a competitive retail environment,' said Dave Panos, chief executive officer of Pluck Corp. 'By helping its community of customers and staff converse in an informative, interactive setting, Circuit City showcases how retail leaders can tap social media experiences to excel in the race to reach consumers online.'

Circuit City's new research tools at circuiticity.com join an impressive array of information assets already available for shoppers on the site:

-- Product Demonstrations - more than one-thousand product demonstration features are posted at circuitcity.com; allowing shoppers to see products in action

-- Customer Ratings and Reviews - Circuit City pioneered the posting of unfiltered product reports from consumers, starting in April 2001. Today, the site hosts more than 150,000 customer ratings and reviews

-- Wish List - this new feature lets shoppers save a list of products for their own review, or to share gift ideas with friends and family

-- Product Finders - powerful sorting tools to help consumers find the right solution to fit their needs, based on how they will use products, features, price range, brand preference, etc.

About Circuit City Stores, Inc.

Circuit City Stores, Inc. (NYSE: CC) is a leading specialty retailer of consumer electronics and related services. The domestic segment operates through 700 Superstores and 9 outlet locations in 158 U.S. markets. The international segment operates through approximately 800 retail stores and dealer outlets in Canada. Circuit City also operates Web sites at http://www.circuitcity.com, http://www.thesource.ca and http://www.firedog.com.

About Consumer Reports:

Consumer Reports(R) is published by Consumers Union, an expert, independent nonprofit organization whose mission is to work for a fair, just, and safe marketplace for all consumers and to empower consumers to protect themselves. To achieve this mission, Consumer Reports tests, informs, and protects. To maintain its independence and impartiality, Consumer Reports accepts no outside advertising, no free test samples, and has no agenda other than the interests of consumers. Consumers Union supports itself through the sale of its information products and services, individual contributions, and a few noncommercial grants.

About Sound & Vision:

Sound & Vision has led the field in coverage of consumer electronics products since its inception as HiFi & Music Review in 1958, later known as Stereo Review, celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2008. From early adopters to everyday shoppers, people come to Sound & Vision for the latest product reviews, recommendations and information on home theater, high-definition TV, digital surround sound, and more. For more information, visit http://www.soundandvisionmag.com.

About Popular Photography:

Popular Photography, published by Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S., is the world's largest photography magazine and the leading technical authority, buyer's guide, and how-to resource for the photo enthusiast. Geared toward those who are passionate about photography, each monthly issue presents unmatched technical expertise and a wide range of articles on the technique, craft, and equipment used in making outstanding images. Both in print and online, Pop Photo's influence and authority are unmatched. For more information, visit http://www.PopPhoto.com.

About Pluck Corporation

Pluck Corporation social media solutions empower leading media companies, brands, and retailers to integrate open content, community and social networking into their web properties to drive audience traffic and revenue. Pluck customers include more than 200 premium properties from market leaders like USA Today, Circuit City, Discovery, Conde Nast, Real Networks, Scotts and The Guardian. Pluck is based in Austin, Texas and operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of Demand Media. More information on Pluck offerings can be found at http://www.pluck.com.

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SOURCE Circuit City Stores, Inc.