RIP Radio Shack

[scottydawg]

Well for all us old Technerds who grew up with Radio Shack the end is here. :*(
All those glory days building ArcherKits, buying crystals for our walkie-talkies and Police Scanners.
Buying all those blank Video Tapes, 8-Track and Cassette tapes. Getting your free battery of the month with your card.
Tracking down Diodes, capacitors and resistors to bring dead things back to life. The little pocket TV's that were so cool.
The turntables, boomboxes, AM/FM Stereo car radios with the install kits. It's all coming to an end.
This picture sums it up. All that big expensive battery eating stuff now all fits in your cellphone in your pocket![attachimg=1]

[Delphi]

Good riddance! 

I will miss it..  Nostalgia

[albrecht]

Well for all us old Technerds who grew up with Radio Shack the end is here. :*(
All those glory days building ArcherKits, buying crystals for our walkie-talkies and Police Scanners.
Buying all those blank Video Tapes, 8-Track and Cassette tapes. Getting your free battery of the month with your card.
Tracking down Diodes, capacitors and resistors to bring dead things back to life. The little pocket TV's that were so cool.
The turntables, boomboxes, AM/FM Stereo car radios with the install kits. It's all coming to an end.
This picture sums it up. All that big expensive battery eating stuff now all fits in your cellphone in your pocket![attachimg=1]

It sucks. But last time I went (two weeks ago) there was NO ONE there except three employees one of whom kept trying to sell me that they had cell phone deals. All I wanted was a garage door opener battery (not in stock and had to go to Batteries Plus!) and a USB to mini-USB cord (got at Discount Electronics for a lot cheaper.) I felt bad so bought some AAAs on special. I have fond memories of Radio Shack but, ouch, it aint the same now.....

[Gd5150]

I'm surprised it last this long. It really hasn't been useful since the 80s.

[Kelt]

I think there was a generation of junior execs who figured, "Hey, if we sell different kinds of stuff we can get more people coming to our stores... it's genius! How can we fail?"


As a result, any time I went to my local hardware store (ACO) to buy something to plumb in a washing machine, wire a light, or buy a specific tool, they had none of the things I needed.  Sure, I could buy a Christmas tree in July from them, or a pack of 5 T-Shirts, or even candy and beef jerky... but if I wanted anything a hardware store is supposed to sell then i was SOL and had to go to one of the big retailers like Home Depot or Lowes.


Same with Radio Shack. Last time I was in there I needed some wiring, a small solar cell, and various other bits and pieces to complete a project.  They had some wire. If I had wanted a cell phone, remote control car, or a pink case for my Tablet then I was in hog heaven... but I didn't need any of those things, and I left their store without making a purchase.


Diversification is fine if you can still carry your core products, but as soon as you start removing them from your shelves in order to fill them with tat then you're on that downwards trajectory that leads to Chapter 11.


I'm not sentimental, they fucked themselves over, so fuck em.

[zeebo]

...If I had wanted a cell phone, remote control car, or a pink case for my Tablet then I was in hog heaven... but I didn't need any of those things, and I left their store without making a purchase.

The tablet case example made me laugh since that's so true.  They stopped being a parts store for fun projects and instead tried to be like some convenience store for consumer electronics.  Kind of like a 7-11 meets Best Buy.  Just ... no.

[MV/Liberace!]

Kind of like a 7-11 meets Best Buy.  Just ... no.

Wow. That's exactly it.

[area51drone]

I remember when radio shack had all the coolest toys as a kid.  Robots, remote control, programmable stuff, etc.   In high school, they were the first place I bought a laser pointer because they were the only ones around that had them.    When you needed a resistor to make yourself an FM transmitter or do some other cool circuit you found in some magazine, it was the place to go.    I miss it, but it has already been gone for a long long time.

[Heather Wade]

Let us not forget the geekiest of all gear:  metal detectors.  Radio shack was great for those.

[MV/Liberace!]

Radio Shack evolved into something terrible, for sure.  They became a total last resort for me as a customer.  If I needed something and I needed it more quickly than an online order could accommodate (emergency), ONLY then would I suffer through a trip to that festering dump with its ambiguous purpose and clueless minimum wage staff.  A trip to Radio Shack came with NO expectation of reasonable prices or quality components, particularly if the merch bore the Radio Shack label.  Imagine making your company's label synonymous with the words "inferior" and "overpriced."  What a great move.  I wonder how many years of college are required in order to develop that sort of business expertise.  Things like audio cables and tip adapters, soldering irons, tools... if you bought it at Radio Shack, you knew 1) it was shit and 2) you got fucked on the price.  I NEVER left a Radio Shack feeling like I got a deal.  Never.  Ever.  Now they're toast.  Good.

[GeorgieForPresident2216]

I lost track of Radio Shack when it became The Source in Canada.  Not sure what they are now.

[MV/Liberace!]

I lost track of Radio Shack when it became The Source in Canada.  Not sure what they are now.

Hmm.  I think for a while they became "The Shack" here in the states, although I don't think that change was applied to every store.  Yeah, a zippier name will save the company!

[cweb]

One of the big things that screwed them was throwing their hat in with the mobile phone craze. Because NOWHERE else could you buy a cell phone and a plan. Not Best Buy, vendor-specific stores, Wal-Mart, Target...nowhere. Right?  :

I agree that every time you went there, they royally fucked you on price. If it cost Radio Shack $1, they charged you $5 for it. There's something to be said about how you make better margins on certain goods, but Radioshack threw that out the window and said "fuck you, I'm pricing my shit like this is a yard sale where I don't want to sell anything."

At least Best Buy tries to tell you a fairy tale about how the 3' Monster Cable you just bought for $372 kills the Balrog, summons Luke Wilson, and gets you mad pussy.

[ItsOver]

I remember when radio shack had all the coolest toys as a kid.  Robots, remote control, programmable stuff, etc.   In high school, they were the first place I bought a laser pointer because they were the only ones around that had them.    When you needed a resistor to make yourself an FM transmitter or do some other cool circuit you found in some magazine, it was the place to go.    I miss it, but it has already been gone for a long long time.

Just another outfit that lost it's original identity and was transformed into an abortion, courtesy of a pack of clueless suits and accountants who couldn't differentiate a capacitor from an employee on a spread sheet.  Sound familiar?

[FightTheFuture]

That sucks. I was hoping the dude there could help me program my VCR.

[RcCle]

I remember when the Heathkit-Zenith store by my house went belly up.  I had to rely on radio shack or mail order to finish my transceiver...  Really sucked because the heathkit guys were totally into everything electronic and offered advise.  Radio shack dudes were usually high and didn't have any passion/knowledge. 

[Delphi]

I remember when the Heathkit-Zenith store by my house went belly up.  I had to rely on radio shack or mail order to finish my transceiver...  Really sucked because the heathkit guys were totally into everything electronic and offered advise.  Radio shack dudes were usually high and didn't have any passion/knowledge.

Why did the healthkit go up?

[Delphi]

We are open for business

Thank you for your interest in our recently announced restructuring. We intend to transition a portion of our stores to new ownership and begin a sale process for other company owned assets. Our domestic and international franchise stores are independently owned and are not part of our restructuring.

We expect to continue to maintain day-to-day operations at our open stores and on our website at RadioShack.com, throughout the sale process. Here you’ll find the most up-to-date information, including links to our claims agent site, restructuring information line, and frequently asked questions. Please check back for updates.       

  1. Is RadioShack continuing to do business?

We are open for business and serving customers. As stores begin to close, business will continue at our remaining retail stores and online at radioshack.com. If there are additional changes, those will be announced.
2. Is RadioShack going away?

Clearly there will be a lot of changes as part of this announcement, but RadioShack is currently open for business at locations nationwide and online. We expect to maintain day-to-day operations during the bankruptcy process.
3. What happens if my local RadioShack closes?

If your local store closes, please visit radioshack.com to find another store near you or to shop online, or reference local signage for your nearest store.
4. When will you know which stores will close? How soon will they close?

The list of potential stores closing has been posted to the Restructuring section of RadioShackCorporation.com. We will know in the near future exactly which stores are closing. Stores are expected to close over the coming weeks.
Stores operated through franchise agreements are independently owned and are not included in the Chapter 11 filings or the 363 auction.
5. Will the filing affect the product selection and services that Radio Shack offers?

We do not expect significant changes to our product mix in the near term.
We currently offer the same range of devices and service plans as before. The status of future mobility partnerships remains to be determined by the court.
6. What is the impact on RadioShack customer programs?

We have asked the court for permission to honor the following:
Returns and exchanges;
Sales promotions;
Coupons and rebates;
Gift cards;
RadioShack Credit Card;
Extended service contract and customer warranties; and
Administered payment services.
Subject to the Court’s approval, we will be honoring all gift cards through March 6th.
New gift cards and coupons will no longer be offered.
7. Can I continue to use my RadioShack credit card?

Yes, your RadioShack credit card remains valid for charging and payments. If you have questions, you can call Citi Card directly at 1-800-767-4556.
8. Is my warranty still valid?

Yes, the RadioShack warranties on products purchased through RadioShack are still valid for 30 days.
We also expect extended warranties purchased through Assurant to remain in place. For information specific to your Assurant warranty, please call 1-800-433-5502.

[Juan]

Another thing the geniuses did in my area was move the stores out of shopping centers with plenty of parking and into tiny stand alone stores with only two or three customer parking spaces. I could usually get something with free shipping from Amazon before I could park at Radio Shack.

[b_dubb]

I'm guessing RS will be split up into two companies. One company will include viable stores and capital. The other company will include the corporate debt, the leases on the stores that won't contiunue operations, and other worthless crap. The junk company will be torn apart and sold off piecemeal by investors who specialize in that type of vulturism.

I'm not an expert at this type of corporate legal wrangling but it seems like I've seen this happen in other situations where a once viable company tanked.

[Designx]

I think they one of the first retailers to go 100% Chinese junk. It's not surprising they are failing as a business model of overpricing low quality merchandise never works. At least at Walmart they sell the Chinese junk much closer to actual cost of production.

[VtaGeezer]

Amazon was negotiating to buy a couple thousand of the RS stores.  Gee, brick & mortar stores...what a novel futurist idea, Jeff B.  I'm old enough to remember that RS ran Allied Radio (Heathkit, Dynaco, other quality stuff) out of business with their cheap Realistic brand crap. I stopped mourning the loss of DIY electronics when 12 yo boys began playing D&D and wanting to dance instead of making stuff.  I blame Tolkien.

[albrecht]

Speaking of companies that fold I received an Monkey Wards catalog in my mailbox yesterday . Thought Montgomery Ward folded years ago but, I guess, they are trying to operate via mail-order. I wish them luck with that.

[zeebo]

...I'm old enough to remember that RS ran Allied Radio (Heathkit, Dynaco, other quality stuff) out of business with their cheap Realistic brand crap. ...

Ah that was it, "Realistic", I couldn't remember.  Everytime you bought their radios or speakers etc. it would fail with loose wiring in like two weeks.  It's like they soldered all the connections with a drop of Elmer's glue.

[MV/Liberace!]

One of the big things that screwed them was throwing their hat in with the mobile phone craze. Because NOWHERE else could you buy a cell phone and a plan. Not Best Buy, vendor-specific stores, Wal-Mart, Target...nowhere. Right?  :

Yup. I think that was sort of a hail Mary pass started years ago when the company knew it was in long term trouble so they thought they'd sell anything they could to fight the bad numbers and generate revenue. Then they started tying employee performance to the number of phone contracts sold, firing employees who didn't sell enough and generally turning it into a horrible place to work. This didn't help the customer experience at all.

At least Best Buy tries to tell you a fairy tale about how the 3' Monster Cable you just bought for $372 kills the Balrog, summons Luke Wilson, and gets you mad pussy.

heh heh

[Heather Wade]

I remember when the Heathkit-Zenith store by my house went belly up.  I had to rely on radio shack or mail order to finish my transceiver...  Really sucked because the heathkit guys were totally into everything electronic and offered advise.  Radio shack dudes were usually high and didn't have any passion/knowledge.

A tech support dude once quipped:  "At Radio Shack, you have questions, we have stupid looks."

[Mind Flayer Monk]

I use Fry's Electronics. Haven't been to Radio Shack in ages.

[cweb]

A tech support dude once quipped:  "At Radio Shack, you have questions, we have stupid looks."

Not to Best-Buy this thread up, but your comment reminded me of when I went there to try and get a stupid USB OTG cable on a moment's notice. (Also because Radio Shack had closed at 6pm)

"USB what?"
"USB on the go. Look, one end looks like this {shows female USB A} and the other end fits into this {shows female USB micro}."
"Uh, maybe they have it with the Samsung accessories. Did you look at the computer cables?"
"Yes. I believe that is the aisle we're standing in."

I asked three more employees and was on the receiving end of three more baffled looks. I left before one of them could try to sell me a TV.

[Wintermute]

The first computer I played a video game on was a Tandy. I also learned some BASIC on it... hahaha. Every delay pedal I built for guitarists here in the midwest between 1998-2009 had Radio Shack products in them. The battery in my cell phone was the last thing I purchased from Radio Shack.

The fact is that as times changed, Radio Shack did not. They held on as long as they could slinging cell phones and bad hobbist kits. Now Amazon and Sprint are taking the locations that are closing. Fitting in a way since one kept the boat afloat and the other was a beacon of what killed them off.

As free-time is squeezed by longer office hours, binge TV watching competes for time, integration & consolidation of technologies make things less tinker-ish, as software becomes the medium of "Making"... the Radio Shacks of the world will fall. We saw it in the "mom & pop" computer shops of the 80s-90s. Now it's the generalist shops that are beginning to fail.

Lessons:
1. Nothing lasts forever.
2. Things are changing quickly, so be ready to change.
3. Commerce is about ease of clicking a button.
4. There is a hole that someone will have to step up and fill now.

[Mind Flayer Monk]

As free-time is squeezed by longer office hours, binge TV watching competes for time, integration & consolidation of technologies make things less tinker-ish, as software becomes the medium of "Making"... the Radio Shacks of the world will fall. We saw it in the "mom & pop" computer shops of the 80s-90s. Now it's the generalist shops that are beginning to fail.

They should turn all the Radio Shacks into Makerspaces, 3D printer print-on-demand shops, and Lulu print-on-demand shops. I imagine this is what Amazon has in mind. Or some kind of pick-up and delivery hub.