Systemax bought CompUSA's Web site and 16 stores in 2008 for $30m, picked up Circuit City's intellectual property and some stores in 2009 for $14m, and then relaunched the E-Commerce sites. Now Systemax will spend even more money to bury those brands.

Both these names were legendary just a few years ago, and Systemax paid millions for the names. Less than five years later, they're apparently no longer worth the trouble. It looks like the half-life of big-chain brands is shrinking fast. After all, when was the last time you thought about Borders? And that was just a year ago.

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