Radio Shack going bankrupt - 25% off locally

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#23
JoeDJ said:
2) They drove customers away by the thousands by rudely demanding all kind of personal info..... even if you just bought a battery!
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That's a "biggie" for me. Many years ago I needed a number of large electolytics rather quickly so I attempted to purchase them at RS since they had them in stock. The clerk asked for my name and address, but I declined, since I was already receiving three flyers, each with a slightly different spelling (mis-spelling) from each mailing at my home. He refused to sell them to me without the info so I walked out. I needed them pretty badly. When I cooled down a few hours later I went into another RS on the other side of town, selected the caps, made up a phony name and address and made the purchase. Although my unaware wife nearly ruined the whole deal when she busted out laughing as I told them that my name was Hernando Ziggyosterfoos!
 
#24
The hobby of electronics has to compete with playstations etc these days so I don't think there is quite the demand for electronics stores.

I have bought from Maplin since 1980 and seen them change/adapt to the market forces.
While they still do a few electronic components etc they sell them for silly prices.
i.e. 17p for a resistor, I get 50 for a £1 at RS or Farnell.
Maplins USB cables are about £12 each , I got 2 off ebay for £3 including p+p !
However I have to say that Maplin has been a lifesaver at times when I was in dire need of a resistor or two quickly.

Maplin did some great projects in the 1980's.
I built their disco kit with record decks, disco enclosure, power amplifiers, mixer and sound to light.
 
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#25
More for the package than for the contents?

I really resented paying $1.39 for a package of 5 resistors, when just the resistors should be around $.40 or so. The package that RS put them in cost more than the contents.

Yeah, Fry's is further, and the "salespeople" aren't much help, but they do have a pretty broad inventory.
 
#26
They made their mistake when they tried to maximize high dollar profit transactions instead of high percentage, small dollar profit transactions in bulk. IOW, computers and cell phones rather than resistors and double-sided mounting tape. They doubled down on a flawed model, different than their founding model, for a very long time (15+ years probably) and are paying the price.

Of course, small electronics parts shops are not in great shape either so maybe just a flawed concept overall, in this day and age.
 
#27
Even RS, Mouser, Farnell and DK don't always have what you want individually, so you have to shop around to find a That chip, a Wima cap or an OPA140. Small vendors just don't stand a chance, unless they become niche specialists and also sell over the internet.
 
#28
ArtG said:
That's a "biggie" for me. Many years ago I needed a number of large electolytics rather quickly so I attempted to purchase them at RS since they had them in stock. The clerk asked for my name and address, but I declined, since I was already receiving three flyers, each with a slightly different spelling (mis-spelling) from each mailing at my home. He refused to sell them to me without the info so I walked out. I needed them pretty badly. When I cooled down a few hours later I went into another RS on the other side of town, selected the caps, made up a phony name and address and made the purchase. Although my unaware wife nearly ruined the whole deal when she busted out laughing as I told them that my name was Hernando Ziggyosterfoos!
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So, Radio Shack was a bit ahead of its time as it were...The data accumulation process of any one particular customer now is automatic, more extensive, somewhat unknown by the general public, and much more far reaching. I was there, behind he counter' asking for the addresses...Annoying, perhaps, but look at us now...as we divulge evermore of ourselves to the merchant hydras of today. Poor RS, they tried to show us the way of the future



__-----------------------------------------------------------Rick.................
 
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#29
The hobby electronics market is long gone. My generation built ham radios, we made car electronics like ignition circuits, we built things. Today that market segment uses computers, plays Xbox, uses cell phones. They don't even teach electronics anymore at the local community colleges. We used to listen to the world and communicate with people all over the world with short wave radio, now the internet makes that look like a grade school game. As much as we might like to wander in there and buy a resistor or a transistor, almost no one else does, so they moved away from that market. Besides, buying parts there was a matter of convenience, not value. it was like buying groceries at the local Quickie Mart.
 
#30
They just filed Chapter 11

Well Radio Shack has stopped circling the drain and fallen right on in. 🙂 The Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing just happened. Sounds like they are structuring it where they will sell up to 2400 of the stores to the hedge fund that gave them emergency financing last year, then that fund will be a co-investor with Sprint in up to 1750 of those stores.

Hmmm.... will be interesting to hear the details. That link above mentions Sprint as a "store within a store" run by the hedge fund, while other articles just say Sprint will run the store outright. If a store within a store then Radio Shack might continue on for awhile. That would explain why the filing is a Chapter 11 reorganization rather than a Chapter 7 liquidation. Can't see how it would qualify as a "going concern" Ch 11 filing if Sprint were taking over the stores entirely.

An article says the liquidation of the remaining stores will be done by some outfit called Hilco Merchant Resources, so I assume they will be the folks to sell off the remaining inventory.

Lol - Sprint isn't the healthiest outfit either. Turns out they haven't had a profitable year since 2007 and just yesterday posted another huge loss, including a $2 billion charge for loss of value of their name.

Here is the case summary information.
 
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#34
Well, Radio Shack was in the perfect place (like everywhere) to capitalize on the incredible growth of electronics over the last few decades, yet they failed to do so. Lack of vision on the part of the management? Too bad, goodbye RS.

I was an occasional customer, would have been a regular if they carried more. Maybe I'll go by the local one and grab a few clearance items.
 
#35
ArtG said:
That's a "biggie" for me. Many years ago I needed a number of large electolytics rather quickly so I attempted to purchase them at RS since they had them in stock. The clerk asked for my name and address, but I declined, since I was already receiving three flyers, each with a slightly different spelling (mis-spelling) from each mailing at my home. He refused to sell them to me without the info so I walked out. I needed them pretty badly. When I cooled down a few hours later I went into another RS on the other side of town, selected the caps, made up a phony name and address and made the purchase. Although my unaware wife nearly ruined the whole deal when she busted out laughing as I told them that my name was Hernando Ziggyosterfoos!
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It was about 15 years ago that Radio Shack made a Big Deal in their advertisements that they would no longer ask for your name and address at the register when you bought something.

This turned out to be true. They only asked for your phone number, which they put into their computers which did a reverse lookup on to get your address and send you flyers.
 
#36
Having worked in a phone related business (Ma Bell days), I learned that there are certain "invalid" numbers and number combinations; the most obvious being the "555-xxxx" that's always heard in television shows.
I kept the pay-phone numbers, however, for "special" situations!😛
 
#37
As I noted in the other now closed thread, how long since the Shack was relevant at all to the hobbyist base that was their foundation for the first 75-80yrs?

Yes, the company's trajectory would be an interesting case study indeed for business administration class.

And of course, for us Canucks, does Bell's participation ensure a more stable future for "The Source"? - perhaps, but then see above 😀
 
#38
From the closed thread,

I remember tandy/radioshack and reading their catalogues showing things like Shure microphones and things like tape decks and transports..bubble pack parts with things like infra-red leds..which as a young person could not understand why I couldn't tell if I had it connected backwards (what does infra-red look like when its on?)😀..It isn't working..🙄 strange the red LEDS work when connected the same..😀

Oh look a bag of transistors..I'll buy them..LMAO the numbers arn't in the book??? er what type are they..:rain::usd:
Er why don't they sell BC109..😀 Oh look 1n4001 3 for a fiver..er I want 4 for a bridge..

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=lifetime+tubes&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=UDfVVNz4N8Pdap7-giA&ved=0CAoQ_AUoAw&biw=1600&bih=735#imgdii=_&imgrc=jdeVbLps28B4FM%253A%3B5JHXtBCManhI0M%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.tuberadios.com%252Ftemp%252Frealistic7199.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fantiqueradios.com%252Fforums%252Fviewtopic.php%253Ft%253D140843%3B564%3B446

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TRS-80_Color_Computer

The minimus 7..
http://www.retrothing.com/2011/06/minimus-speaker.html

I had a nice very small power amp/graphic eq for the car..led power meters..woohhhhooo...car clocks..
The TRS80..make the robot move..😀..jump kick

Maplin stock one of each value of resistor..😀..er can I have 6 1K 2watts please..sorry we only stock one..

Regards
M. Gregg
 
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#39
I must admit Tandy/RadioShack seemed to loose their way in the 80's for me.

Its quite strange really, I seem to link the demise of the electronics hobby with the coming computer..it just didn't feel the same after the TRS80, Sinclair ZX80 and 81..the computer race and the TV programs about the BBC computer and the mighty micro..and the predictions by the programme about everyone having more leisure time..🙄..and the world being a better place..

Here it is from the past..1979 on

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7t5ARDIo7w

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBly56Uy_tg

What they didn't say it was goodbye discrete components..and the slave to the machine..:scratch1:

I was a follower of the micro and built circuits ...then something happened..
Its interesting to watch the whole series.

Regards
M. Gregg
 
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#40
If anyone manages to find a more universal Daily motion type of the Mighty micro, I think many would find it interesting.

I had a quick look but couldn't find it..
Part 3 is the political impact<<that's why I haven't posted the link its 1979 tech and its very interesting...the program had significant impact on me. Perhaps that's why I'm part luddite..😀
However I think the program is a representation of the demise of electronic stores and the times in general.

Regards
M. Gregg
 
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