CompUSA vs. BestBuy

Two company, two very different headlines:

• CompUSA latest retailer that's fading into oblivion - Chicago Tribune
• Best Buy's Profit Jumps 52%, Helped by Fewer Promotions - Wall Street Journal

So, two chains selling pretty much the same stuff.  One sees a huge jump in profits, the other ... oblivion.  So what's the difference?

My take ... staff.  Dave Taylor says it all really:

My take, having been there many times, is that the problem wasn't the stock, but the employees. There are plenty of small shops with mediocre selection that do well in business because they have top-notch employees who really know their market segment and genuinely want to help (think of your local independent bookstore). CompUSA never had that and while I enjoyed seeing all the computer gear and gizmos they had, their employees, even their "Apple Center" employees, were generally clueless gits who knew far less than I did about their own product lines, and would clearly push the product with the highest margin (e.g., commission) over superior national brands like Toshiba or Dell.

Says it all really. 

Thoughts?