Well RS is doing well financially, better than the competition. As for
what they sell, well, you have to follow the money especially with the rents
so high. Cellphones, satellite service and other modern fun things is where
the money is now. Parts make up very little of the business, even though
they make a high profit on them. The do-it-yourself market is pretty lean
now a days, with college areas making up the biggest market. It is to easy
to buy a digital rig and get it up and running than a homebrew one. Even
though the homebrew one is funner to get going.
The internet also plays a big roll in the dimise of the parts draw.
There is also a few hams left at RS.

Dave
KB1HUP

"-ex-" wrote in message
...
clfe wrote:

the front. Radio Shack selling basically the same thing the others do -
with the exception of a few things, will peter out. I give them 10 years
tops. I hope I'm wrong, but I doubt it. I think their era has come and
gone.

clf

10 years? No way. In recent years I've had a few instances to go into a
RS looking for stuff for the kids like videogame machines and just odd
random non-radio related stuff. They aren't competitive with that stuff
either.

Seems to me that they are 'surviving' off of their convenience aspect
since most of their urban stores are located in malls and many smaller
towns that don't have the big box stores and malls at least have an RS
franchise...but they never have a very good stock of anything. When you
go into a RS and they can't fit you with a new cellphone battery whats
left?

My bet is that there are a lot of red ink stores in their chain and the
poor franchisees are basically working only to have a job and to try and
salvage their investment. I suspect if it weren't for their franchising
schemes the name Radio Shack would be long gone already.

-Bill M

"Geoffrey S. Mendelson" wrote in message
...
In article io.net,
clfe wrote:

Sadly, I think them doing that - is wishful thinking. Actually, were it
not
for the Cell Phones and some other miscellaneous items, it seems to me
that
they would be out of business in the not too distant future. Electromics
"toys" - can be had at Wal-Mart or any other place, same with TVs,
Stereos,
Computers and phone accessories. The "few" scanners they sell isn't
enough
to hold them. I really do think they're on their last legs. IF they go on
longer, then all the better. But I think it is going to take a major
miracle
to pick them up. I used to go in a RS store at least 3 times a week. I'm
lucky if I walk in one - once every couple months. They simply have
nothing
to offer me anymore. I can get all they have - elsewhere, and usually
cheaper - WITHOUT - the "Do you need a cell phone?" pitch.

Last night I was watching on cable a movie made in 1997 about Star Trek
fans. One of the fans builds things. It showed him going into a Radio
Shack store and asking for parts and electronics help (should I use
a 270 oHm resistor instead of the 3k?).

The back of the store was a maze of parts racks, and they guy knew the
answers.

As Joani Mitchell once said "you don't realize what you've lost until it's
gone".

Geoff.

--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel N3OWJ/4X1GM
IL Voice: (077)-424-1667 IL Fax: 972-2-648-1443 U.S. Voice:
1-215-821-1838
Support the growing boycott of Google by radio users and hobbyists.
It's starting to work, Yahoo has surpassed Google.

Problem with that scenario is most and I'd dare say a majority of the RS
clerks didn't have a clue about electronics - to be able to give "that" type
of answer. They were lucky to know what a resistor was, let alone how to
substitute one value for another. They were good when they sold parts, the
other stuff was for the "other" people - not into Electronics. I'm talking
the toys and gadgets. For anyone wanting to go in for parts only - it has
seriously lost its touch.

clf

Dave wrote:

Well RS is doing well financially, better than the competition. As for
what they sell, well, you have to follow the money especially with the rents
so high. Cellphones, satellite service and other modern fun things is where
the money is now. Parts make up very little of the business, even though
they make a high profit on them. The do-it-yourself market is pretty lean

I wasn't meaning to compare selling cellphone contracts with selling
parts that nobody buys anymore. What I meant to suggest is that they
are not even the best choice in the satellite tv/cellphone package
market. Sure, they get bulk deals from the main providers but so do a
lot of other people who don't have to pay mall-front rent prices and
can undercut them at their own game.

Follow the money is very appropo and will likely figure into their
ultimate demise. I'll reitirate that its the franchise owners who are
taking the beating, not the corporate entity.

-BM

Reloader wrote:

Back in the '70 you had to demoinstrate knoweledge of electronics before
you could be hired; not an expert, but at least understand what the
customer was looking for. I worked for them until '79. Their new
slogan is "you got questions, we got insults."

--
Reloader

You've got questions? So do we! ;-)

You've got questions? Come back when you have the answers! ;-)

You've got questions? Go ask someone with an IQ higher than 70! ;-)

You've got questions? What do you expect from us. Answers? ;-)

You've got questions? Go away, I'm trying to sell a cell phone! ;-)

You've got questions? Don't we all? ;-)


Anyone have any more good ones?

--
Link to my "Computers for disabled Veterans" project website deleted
after threats were telephoned to my church.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

"Geoffrey S. Mendelson" wrote in message
...
In article rio.net,
clfe wrote:

Problem with that scenario is most and I'd dare say a majority of the RS
clerks didn't have a clue about electronics - to be able to give "that"
type
of answer. They were lucky to know what a resistor was, let alone how to
substitute one value for another. They were good when they sold parts,
the
other stuff was for the "other" people - not into Electronics. I'm
talking
the toys and gadgets. For anyone wanting to go in for parts only - it has
seriously lost its touch.

The manager of the Radio Shack I went to before I moved here, was a ham.
All of the employes knew radio (swl or scanners), electronics or
computers.

Geoff.

--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel N3OWJ/4X1GM
IL Voice: (077)-424-1667 IL Fax: 972-2-648-1443 U.S. Voice:
1-215-821-1838
Support the growing boycott of Google by radio users and hobbyists.
It's starting to work, Yahoo has surpassed Google.

I don't doubt that at all. "Some" did know what they were doing and/or
selling. But, by and large - most didn't. I was in a store once too where a
customer asked about a Public Service Scanner. The sales lady didn't know
what was what with the three models they listed. I overheard them asking her
about them, as they wanted to buy one. She plain said "I don't know". I
asked if I may help, she said yes. I explained to them what they needed to
know and they did buy "a" scanner. I told the young lady - I know it may not
be required, but you should at least "try" to learn a little of what you're
selling. That store wasn't a RS, but just goes to show, many sales people do
not know their products. THAT can hurt them in the end. People don't want to
or like to buy things they can't use. Especially now with the price of gas
to return something.
The Employee selling the item isn't going to look very good - whether he did
it on purpose or just plain didn't know. In the end, I think the Staples,
Wal-Marts, Office Maxs, (maybe Circuit Citys and so on are going to be in
the front. Radio Shack selling basically the same thing the others do - with
the exception of a few things, will peter out. I give them 10 years tops. I
hope I'm wrong, but I doubt it. I think their era has come and gone.

clf

You have questions? We have puzzles, mysteries, enigmas and impossible
solutions!

John

On Wed, 17 Aug 2005 03:19:49 +0000, Michael A. Terrell wrote:

Reloader wrote:

Back in the '70 you had to demoinstrate knoweledge of electronics before
you could be hired; not an expert, but at least understand what the
customer was looking for. I worked for them until '79. Their new
slogan is "you got questions, we got insults."

--
Reloader

You've got questions? So do we! ;-)

You've got questions? Come back when you have the answers! ;-)

You've got questions? Go ask someone with an IQ higher than 70! ;-)

You've got questions? What do you expect from us. Answers? ;-)

You've got questions? Go away, I'm trying to sell a cell phone! ;-)

You've got questions? Don't we all? ;-)


Anyone have any more good ones?

Unfortunately, all their money comes from cell phone sales. I won't be
visiting them until they lose their shirt doing that and have to go back
to
selling components.
=====================
Ratshack get their income from people living in today's consumers' society
,not from the few dinosaurs who enjoy tinkering with electronics . That's
the reality . If they are reconsidering publishing a catalogue and include
electronic components ,then their marketing people and nobody else consider
this a potentially profitable move .

They wouldn't do it just to please electronics enthousiasts (which include
some home brewing radio amateurs)

Frank GM0CSZ / KN6WH

"-ex-" wrote in message
...
clfe wrote:

the front. Radio Shack selling basically the same thing the others do -
with the exception of a few things, will peter out. I give them 10 years
tops. I hope I'm wrong, but I doubt it. I think their era has come and
gone.

clf

10 years? No way. In recent years I've had a few instances to go into a
RS looking for stuff for the kids like videogame machines and just odd
random non-radio related stuff. They aren't competitive with that stuff
either.

Seems to me that they are 'surviving' off of their convenience aspect
since most of their urban stores are located in malls and many smaller
towns that don't have the big box stores and malls at least have an RS
franchise...but they never have a very good stock of anything. When you
go into a RS and they can't fit you with a new cellphone battery whats
left?

My bet is that there are a lot of red ink stores in their chain and the
poor franchisees are basically working only to have a job and to try and
salvage their investment. I suspect if it weren't for their franchising
schemes the name Radio Shack would be long gone already.

-Bill M

Bill - BILL - I was "trying" to be nice about it - be conservative - give
them time to buy themselves out of this mess. If they go 5 they'll be damned
lucky. As to their "Franchising" - knowing what I do, I'd be very hard
pressed to want to be a part of their system. I recall a day when they
wouldn't allow (at least how I recall it) a store within 10 miles of
another. Now, they have stores and francised outlets squeezed in between.
Maybe in the quest to try to add more stores for more sales, - they choked
themselves. Seems to be a going thing today. A big store chain comes in -
claims the best of the world and within a very few short years - declare
bankruptcy and shut down. Whatever their problems are - Cell phone sales -
TV sets, Phones, Gadgets and so on - just aren't going to cut it. They
really did lose the basis of their origins. Sad but true - a sign of the
times. It wouldn't surprise me if tomorrow on CNN - they came out with the
announcement that RS is calling it quits. Like the death of a famous movie
star or whatever you hold somewhat near and dear - it may startle the mind,
but life goes on.

clf

Anyone have any more good ones?

You've got questions? We've got blank stares!

In article , Highland Ham wrote:
If they are reconsidering publishing a catalogue and include
electronic components ,then their marketing people and nobody else consider
this a potentially profitable move .

They wouldn't do it just to please electronics enthousiasts (which include
some home brewing radio amateurs)

No, it's the simple demographics. The parts buyers are older people with
more disposable income and a technology bent. They won't sell you a cell
phone, but they might get you to buy one of their big ticket items
while you are there.

Let's face it, if you go to a Radio Shack once a week to pick up parts,
like many of us used to do in days gone by, while you are there you are
more likely to buy something else than make a trip to one of the
big stores especialy to buy a $20 item. I'll bet you that they make
profit on that $20 item than some of the big stores make on a $100
item.

Geoff.

--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel N3OWJ/4X1GM
IL Voice: (077)-424-1667 IL Fax: 972-2-648-1443 U.S. Voice: 1-215-821-1838
Support the growing boycott of Google by radio users and hobbyists.
It's starting to work, Yahoo has surpassed Google.