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[Aquamarine]

They tried too hard to "keep up" with Best Buy in a shrinking market. I can think of a million things they did wrong and several things they could do to right the ship.

I still love the ability to walk in to buy thermal paste or wire when needed. Not many of any other shops in my area do this, so I'm actually kind of sad.

And Best Buy is suffering from a lot of the things that RadioShack suffered from, but they're much stronger than RadioShack financially so they've been able to outpace RadioShack and help contribute to its demise.

In April 2010, RadioShack Corporation was worth nearly $3 billion.

Now, they're only worth $28 million, and their value is plummeting.

Such a ridiculous fall from grace.

What did them in, not reigning it in. That's an amazing fall. They should have become Cell phone exclusive or something.

Oh man...you could write a book of all the things that went wrong with RadioShack the past few years.

They've tried to turn around the company...with "The Shack" rebranding...and it failed miserably.

Massive amounts of new online + retail competition have squeezed them out of the market...by the time they realised their rebranding was a massive failure, it's too late...electronics retail is in decline from showrooming....severe mismanagement for many, many years...a quixotic lack of identity that doesn't translate well to the modern retail environment...

Lots and lots and lots of factors.

Right now the company is hemmoraghing money and is about to announce bankruptcy. And, RadioShack is in major risk of being delisted from NYSE, now that their stock is essentially worthless and their market cap is below $50 million. If they can't turn the company around by...I think it's sometime in March...they'll be taken off the stock market permanently.

 

[AlexBasch]

Ugh, I still don't know how they're still open in Mexico. RCA cables for $10-20 and HDMI ones for $40.

HOW DO THEY EXIST. Steren beats the shit out of them and even regular stores have better prices. Damn.

I still think in the back of Radio Shack stores is a money laundering network, there's no reason why they could've stayed open all these years.

Money from the Cartels. Makes sense!

 

[kess]

The sad thing is, DIY will never really die, and there's about a million things they could have done to stay relevant. In some mirror universe there's a Radio Shack selling 3D printing supplies and Raspberry Pi computers.

 

[Ivan 3414]

Well, yeah.

Most kids today don't even know what a radio is. Much less why you'd need a shack for em.

Dude, stop trying to age yourself. That's total bullshit.

 

[TheSeks]

They tried too hard to "keep up" with Best Buy in a shrinking market. I can think of a million things they did wrong and several things they could do to right the ship.

I still love the ability to walk in to buy thermal paste or wire when needed. Not many of any other shops in my area do this, so I'm actually kind of sad.

Eh... I think Office Depot and Best Buy

Spoiler

which may be going this way

or possibly Wal-mart of all people could stock Thermal Paste if the demand was there for it.

 

[terrisus]

The sad thing is, DIY will never really die, and there's about a million things they could have done to stay relevant. In some mirror universe there's a Radio Shack selling 3D printing supplies and Raspberry Pi computers.

Apparently now "DIY" will have to have a 1-2 day lag time for anything they want to do - and then another 1-2 day lag time each time they run into a problem or discover they need something else.

=(

 

[Astral/H3X]

The sad thing is, DIY will never really die, and there's about a million things they could have done to stay relevant. In some mirror universe there's a Radio Shack selling 3D printing supplies and Raspberry Pi computers.

Actually we do sell Raspberry Pi!

The funny thing is my manager called the Sprint thing about a month ago. Good thing I have an interview here in a few hours!

 

[SocksAndShoes]

Have you been to Kmart?

I shit you not, my local Kmart is eerily reminiscent of the "department store" that you visit early on in Fallout 3.

It's creepy.

 

[Amentallica]

The thread title's error is driving me fucking mad!

 

[terrisus]

Eh... I think Office Depot and Best Buy

Spoiler

which may be going this way

or possibly Wal-mart of all people could stock Thermal Paste if the demand was there for it.

To be fair, when I worked at Best Buy (2009-2013), we did have thermal paste.

But there were regularly things that people would come in looking for that we didn't have in store.
Since we were in a mall in each of the two stores I worked in, I would just tell them, "I'm sure Radio Shack has it"

=(

 

[Ivan 3414]

Speaking of Kmart, I saw some PSP games in a mostly empty gaming section for five bucks. Loco Roco, Fat Princess, Patapon and Patapon 3...

I thought about picking them up but I realized I didn't have a PSP. I don't even know if there's any point to getting a PSP these days.

 

[terrisus]

Dude, stop trying to age yourself. That's total bullshit.

I thought about picking them up but I realized I didn't have a PSP. I don't even know if there's any point to getting a PSP these days.

>.>

 

[TheSeks]

To be fair, when I worked at Best Buy (2009-2013), we did have thermal paste.

But there were regularly things that people would come in looking for that we didn't have in store.
Since we were in a mall in each of the two stores I worked in, I would just tell them, "I'm sure Radio Shack has it"

=(

I stopped by a Best Buy recently to look for a SATA "latch"/power cable for a hard-drive I wanted to put in. Best Buy had zero. I didn't even bother to look at RadioShack because really... I kinda doubt they had it and if they did I didn't want to be leered at for buying just a $3-5 computer cable. So I had to order online.

 

[Astral/H3X]

To be fair, when I worked at Best Buy (2009-2013), we did have thermal paste.

But there were regularly things that people would come in looking for that we didn't have in store.
Since we were in a mall in each of the two stores I worked in, I would just tell them, "I'm sure Radio Shack has it"

=(

Oh don't worry, there's lots of things we don't have either. There's not a lot of actual computer parts, just lots and lots of switches and LEDs and shit. I was actually surprised when I saw that we had Radioshack packaged ArcticSilver.

 

[jstripes]

Seriously, all the people in here saying "lol, why would you ever go there?" should stop and think about that for a minute, if they're not going to take the time to read Kess' post.

I'd never go there because I can get better parts at better prices at plenty of stores.

But I happen to live in a big city.

I've traveled enough in the US to know that Radio Shack is the only option in many places. All those derelict malls and decrepit shopping centres...

 

[DeadlyParasite]

Weren't Radioshacks renamed to "The Source" or something? Or was that only in Canada? Still crazy news though.

 

[TheSeks]

Weren't Radioshacks renamed to "The Source" or something? Or was that only in Canada? Still crazy news though.

Just Canada. Think Target pulling out of Canada but instead of closing stores, they sell them.

 

[Ivan 3414]

>.>

lol, I meant that it would be trouble finding UMDs for the games I want. I don't really know, I guess. But it doesn't seem very cost effective. I suppose I could buy digitally.

 

[kess]

Actually we do sell Raspberry Pi!

The funny thing is my manager called the Sprint thing about a month ago. Good thing I have an interview here in a few hours!

Must be a store to store thing, then? I know there's a local RS near me that sells a line of electrical cleaner that I haven't seen at any other store.

 

[zma1013]

And this was just their ad for last week.

 

[JinKagekiyo]

Crap. The closest place to me that sells electronics parts would be Frys then. I only know of one other store nearby where I can salvage parts from.

This irks me cause even in the past year I can remember doing a Radioshack run when I needed something immediately or didn't quite remember the name for it.

Btw. I guess they've already taken down their site huh?

 

[Aquamarine]

Crap. The closest place to me that sells electronics parts would be Frys then. I only know of one other store nearby where I can salvage parts from.

This irks me cause even in the past year I can remember doing a Radioshack run when I needed something immediately or didn't quite remember the name for it.

Btw. I guess they've already taken down their site huh?

http://www.downforeveryoneorjustme.com/radioshack.com

Oh damn, you're right.

Wow...this really is the end then.

 

[cajunator]

I actually bought one of those mobile phone recharge kit things from Radio Shack recently.
That was the first time I had entered one of their stores in about a decade.

 

[terrisus]

I stopped by a Best Buy recently to look for a SATA "latch"/power cable for a hard-drive I wanted to put in. Best Buy had zero. I didn't even bother to look at RadioShack because really... I kinda doubt they had it and if they did I didn't want to be leered at for buying just a $3-5 computer cable. So I had to order online.

Yeah, at my store I think we stopped carrying those around 2012.

I would've suggested Radio Shack >.>

Oh don't worry, there's lots of things we don't have either. There's not a lot of actual computer parts, just lots and lots of switches and LEDs and shit. I was actually surprised when I saw that we had Radioshack packaged ArcticSilver.

I love switches though :þ

I'd never go there because I can get better parts at better prices at plenty of stores.

But I happen to live in a big city.

Every single part?
What are your specific needs?
Do you have specialty electronics retailers in that city?

Since, the area I used to live in Massachusetts had a bunch of stores around.
But, still plenty of things I could only get at Radio Shack.

 

[kess]

Check out these Radio Shack Catalogues if you've got the time

http://www.radioshackcatalogs.com/catalog_directory.html

 

[cajunator]

also the name "Radio Shack" reminds me of amateur radio and I wonder if they got their start by supplying parts for amateur and professional radio operators?

 

[zma1013]

I'll miss your $20 usb printer cables. No i won't.

 

[plasmawave]

 

[shone237]

I missed the radio shack experience and was so excited to go purchase a cable from them last weekend. I got on my shoes and my sunglasses, all excited for a traditional walk to the local bricks and mortar. Then I remembered my last radio shack experience, not the romantic ones I was remembering as a kid. So I figured I'd go their site and check what kind of ridiculous mark up I was about to commit to. Yup. Took off my shoes and hit place order via amazon.

Same cable-
radio shack- $45
amazon- $5.

How they even stayed in business this long is a mystery.

 

[AlexMogil]

Wow, I just went there yesterday and bought some Make stuff.

 

[Big Dog]

So are K-marts if you still have ANY of them around. The last local one here is something straight of the 70's with the huge (and I mean HUGE) fans for the AC's still kicking around.

We had the original super k mart in my town until a few years ago. Birds lived in the store and would shit on merchandise. It was disgusting. Similar to radio shack we stopped using that store at least 7 years ago. Matter of fact both of those stores are on very close strips!

 

[tiggerkiddo]

Those stores felt like a relic for the longest...though KMart has them beat in the ultimate relic status.

 

[TheSeks]

also the name "Radio Shack" reminds me of amateur radio and I wonder if they got their start by supplying parts for amateur and professional radio operators?

Yes, yes indeed that's what they did.

 

[cajunator]

Yes, yes indeed that's what they did.

"The discussions represent the endgame for a chain that traces its roots to 1921, when it began as a mail-order retailer for amateur ham-radio operators and maritime communications officers."
Thats what I get for not reading the full article lol.

But yeah back when amateur radio and the sort was the most rleiable high tech means of communication, these stores were a hot item. so many parts for the hobbyists.
When they stopped selling those parts I knew their time was nearly up. They still managed to hang on way too long.

 

[Aquamarine]

I missed the radio shack experience and was so excited to go purchase a cable from them last weekend. I got on my shoes and my sunglasses, all excited for a traditional walk to the local bricks and mortar. Then I remembered my last radio shack experience, not the romantic ones I was remembering as a kid. So I figured I'd go their site and check what kind of ridiculous mark up I was about to commit to. Yup. Took off my shoes and hit place order via amazon.

Same cable-
radio shack- $45
amazon- $5.

How they even stayed in business this long is a mystery.

Radioshack can't compete with Amazon because they have massive retail overhead to compensate for, and they can't be all that price-competitive because their cash position continues to decline and they need better margins.

Who pays for the markups? The ignorant consumers who don't know any better or are too impatient. But those are declining every year in the tech market. People like you just bite the bullet and wait for the tech to arrive online.

Or they go to Best Buy if possible where Best Buy can be more price-competitive.

An inherent negative feedback loop that leads to RadioShack's demise.

 

[djlr181]

On that note, how's Blockbuster doing?

Pretty good in Alaska!

 

[ito007]

Micro center pretty much overtook radio shack for me

 

[Damaniel]

Dammit... they have the best selection of high quality HDMI cables. Where do I go now?

I just order them from Monoprice. The cables are so cheap that I'll toss in a few extras of cables I might need just to avoid having to wait around.

Alternately, I can order them from Amazon. Even by paying the $4 for Prime overnight shipping, I still come out way, way ahead of what pretty much every retail store charges.

The Internet is what killed Radio Shack, plain and simple. The only reason for it to exist is to provide some cable or electronic component that you need *right now*, but Amazon can send me anything in less than 24 hours after I order it, and my local Radio Shacks relegated electronic components to a couple drawers in the back of the store. They did try to get into some new product lines in order to stay relevant (like the whole Arduino/Raspberry Pi thing), but their prices are still too high to justify buying them in their stores.

They definitely had some cool stuff in their stores 20 years ago, but the descent into 'battery/cell phone store' has been ongoing since the height of the dot-com era. At least I got my CueCat from them (which is about as relevant as their stores these days).

 

[Couleurs]

I've been in a Radio Shack twice in the last 20 years. In the late 90s I got annoyed with the barrage from sales people pleading "do you need batteries, want to buy batteries, look at these batteries". I went back a few years ago for the hell of it looking for a Christmas present for my nephew and learned it evolved into "do you need a cell phone, want to buy a cell phone, look at this cell phone".

Can't say I'll miss them. Maybe if I would have gotten interested in computers in the 80s when they were still relevant then I'd feel sadder about it.

 

[Aquamarine]

Pretty good in Alaska!

I assume you live near one of the 13 independent franchised Blockbuster stores still open in Alaska? ^^

 

[kess]

also the name "Radio Shack" reminds me of amateur radio and I wonder if they got their start by supplying parts for amateur and professional radio operators?

Well, kind of, I believe the old rumor was that after the war they were able to undercut most of their other competitors by buying military surplus and rebranding other usable parts (like tubes) that would have otherwise failed name-brand QC. Those early catalogues are loaded with HAM gear and other surplus. There used to be more stores of their kind, like Lafayette and Allied (which was later merged into them).

They were an early importer of Japanese hi-fi equipment which was insanely cheap compared to the competition.

 

[Ekdrm2d1]

Micro center pretty much overtook radio shack for me

Micro Center had a mouse for $50 while every retailer and online store had them for $25.

I returned the item, bought at Best Buy for $25 cheaper.

 

[mollipen]

I shit you not, my local Kmart is eerily reminiscent of the "department store" that you visit early on in Fallout 3.

It's creepy.

I have a strange fetish for both old malls / shopping centers and urban decay, so I utterly love K-Mart—its stores are usually a combination of those two things!

Plus, sometimes you can get some crazy good deals on clearance games.

 

[smurfx]

So many times I've gone to radio shack looking for a cheap cable and always left in disgust at how expensive they were. Oh well there is still fry's for any time I want something right away.

 

[xbhaskarx]

In April 2010, RadioShack Corporation was worth nearly $3 billion.

Now, they're only worth $28 million, and their value is plummeting.

Such a ridiculous fall from grace.

Perfect buy low opportunity.

 

[Blizzard]

Other great memories from Radio Shack:

They had a bunch of those kits, and I had a couple, but I think I owned that exact one.

As a kid I never understood enough about circuits to build things myself really, but the circuits that it described worked.

 

[fritolay]

End of an era in consumer electronics.

Yes. Remember when they renamed their stores "The Shack" and had "The Shaq" in advertisements for them? That was a sad time.

 

[Rest]

There was a blockbuster sign up in my area until about 6 months ago. I assumed it was the last one in the country. It's gone now

There are still a few Blockbusters where I live.

 

[Winterfang]

I've never liked Radioshack. Employees never ever want to help me.

 

[DrForester]