Radio Shack – What The Heck Happened?

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

I always thought that was just me. They NEVER understood what I was going to do with the parts I bought.

I hated being asked. Those 555 timers, D cells, relays and incandescent light bulbs can get you on the terror list.

 

[mmckenna]

This is what I use when asked for a phone number (area code of choice)+555-1212.
This used to be the number to call to get the time. Maybe it still is.

Today, it would be as relevant to most retail clerks as a rotary dial phone.

That's directory information for that area code.

Time was POP-CORN. Actually any 747-xxxx number would get you the time.
That's all long gone, of course.

 

[mmckenna]

I hated the phone number thing. I'd just make up some random number and give it to them, they didn't know the difference.
They used to be a great place for parts, but then they kept shrinking that down smaller and smaller.

Was always fun to go in there and look around. The "Battery club" thing was genius at the time. Every year or so they'd have a free flashlight give away (took months to get one battery a month to make it work).

Last time I went in a Radio Shack I needed a part for something at work. I knew exactly what I needed, where it was, and how much it cost. Guy at the counter wanted to know what it was for, so I told him. He proceeded to tell me it wasn't going to work.

Second to last time I went in there, they were trying to sell a scanner to someone, and telling them how it wouldn't receive one my systems. I finally got tired of listening to it, walked up, introduced myself and explained that it would, and exactly how to do it. I think I even gave the lady my phone number if she had issues. Guy at the counter didn't know what to say.

The cell phone/satellite dish thing was their downfall. Late to the game, trying to catch up, but idiotic marketing and strategy.

I knew a guy that was a district manager for them. He used to get in trouble because he'd actually try to help the customers and give them accurate info regarding radios, especially regarding FCC licensing for GMRS. Radio Shack didn't like that. Eventually he just gave up and retired. Radio Shack didn't have the brains to be doing what they were doing, especially when it got to the point that the customers knew more than the 18 year old kids that had running the places. They could have survived if they had made some changes, but they didn't have it in them. They were stuck and didn't know how to turn around.

They made an attempt or two at returning many years ago, but they fell flat on their face. Amazon was a thing at that point and it was easier, faster and cheaper.

 

[N4KVL]

If you ever find yourself in Socorro, NM there is a RadioShack still open there. Tons of NOS parts and gadgets from the past on the shelves. RadioShack in Socorro , NM

The couple that owns it don't use cellphones and communicate via amateur radio when necessary. HF rig humming away behind the counter and a pretty cool collection of old radios and electronics where the old DirecTV display likely used to be.

 

[mmckenna]

If you ever find yourself in Socorro, NM there is a RadioShack still open there. Tons of NOS parts and gadgets from the past on the shelves. RadioShack in Socorro , NM

The couple that owns it don't use cellphones and communicate via amateur radio when necessary. HF rig humming away behind the counter and a pretty cool collection of old radios and electronics where the old DirecTV display likely used to be.

Thanks. I'm through there every now and then, I'll have to stop in next time.
I've run across a few straggling "Radio Shack Dealers" in some small town hardware stores. They usually don't have much, mainly just TV antennas and RG-6 coax, maybe a few old Radio Shack branded items.

 

[redbeard]

Many of these experiences mirror my own. Damn shame they ran it into the ground.

One time not long before they all closed I tried to buy a new Blackberry they had on sale. Of course all the labels show the contract price and the outright purchase price. I asked for two of them at the full purchase price and they refused my sale. I'm happy to see the abomination they became die horribly.

 

[iMONITOR]

Radio Shack wrote their own death sentence when they converted into a Smart-Phone and battery store. Oh and I almost forgot their marketing slogan... "You got questions, we got BS!" Too bad, so sad!

 

[SmitHans]

They became Cell Phone Shack, but they were late to the game. Local store dedicated over half of their floor space to cell phones, & the best of the remaining space to TVs. Except their prices were generally higher than local competitors.
Then they decided that pushy salespeople were going to win them the market. I got to where I ended up dreading going in there, & only would if I had to have something I couldn't get elsewhere. Because from the moment I walked in, I had a salesman following me around. It didn't help that I knew more about their stuff than they did, and in many cases knew the layout of the store better as well.

 

[kinglou0]

Many of these experiences mirror my own. Damn shame they ran it into the ground.

One time not long before they all closed I tried to buy a new Blackberry they had on sale. Of course all the labels show the contract price and the outright purchase price. I asked for two of them at the full purchase price and they refused my sale. I'm happy to see the abomination they became die horribly.

There was NO upside to selling a phone at full price. None. Zero. If someone came in and said they wanted to buy a phone outright when I was slinging phones, pagers, and PDAs, I’d develop a sudden case of not being able to converse in English.

Sure, there’s a price listed but you weren’t buying one from me. A move like that would get hours of coaching/lectures and some guaranteed payback like less scheduled hours or hours outside of your availability. “Go buy your phone from the carrier” is what would eventually spill out of my mouth.

 

[kinglou0]

Radio Shack wrote their own death sentence when they converted into a Smart-Phone and battery store. Oh and I almost forgot their marketing slogan... "You got questions, we got BS!" Too bad, so sad!

You know everyone keeps hitting on this idea that every Ratshack had a group of mystical gurus that mentored at the feet of Marconi, could diagnose what was wrong with any project quicker than they could smoke an unfiltered Camel, and knew all of the unpublished FBI frequencies because they sold them equipment on the side.

Maybe this was the case in the 70s and 80s or in smaller towns but by the time I started spending unhealthy amounts of time at RadioShack in the 90s, I met one guy in the all of the employees I interacted with that knew his stuff. Most of the people working there were your average mall worker floating from store to store just hoping for something better or the sweet release of death.

You’d get a few that would pick some stuff up after working there for a few years but most just wanted to get paid and find out what the girl at Orange Julius was hiding under her polo shirt.

 

[iMONITOR]

most just wanted to get paid and find out what the girl at Orange Julius was hiding under her polo shirt.

Oh man I used to love those Orange Julius drinks...AND the girl wearing the polo shirt!

 

[K5MPH]

What happen to Radio Shack they gave up on the Hobby person.............

 

[K7MFC]

I miss buying new old stock from Radio Shack…some random connector or whatever in packaging from 1979 🤣 just waiting all those years until I came along and needed it..

 

[scottymcneill8657]

My local shop is still open (there's about 328-ish privately owned shops still out there.) Big reason its still there is we didn't go full ham on cellphones and kept stocking electrical components and the like. Don't get the business we used to but still get a few stragglers here and there.

 

[RichardKramer]

I have no idea what Radio Shack is today on the internet?? Don't have a clue.

Did you read my #3 post?????

 

[Chronic]

Phone numbers.

People hate giving out their phone numbers just to buy four AA batteries.

didnt mean you had to give them a valid number

 

[trentbob]

Did you read my #3 post?????

I wasn't sure that is it the same Radio Shack? I did read your post.

I know the Tandy Corporation is gone. I also know that they were selling stuff online during the liquidation phase of the bankruptcy.

So did someone buy the name or the brand?

I just took a look again at your post and the products that they're selling aren't really like the original Radio Shack, they do have batteries with their name on it however. The deeper I went for example, finding a store, it said that because of covid independent operators had closed stores. I don't know of any actual brick and mortar Radio Shack stores in the United States.

They certainly are using the logo, I don't know what to make of that site, have you bought anything from them, I'm curious.

Seems innocent enough🙂

I just saw the post above that there are brick and mortar Radio Shacks, wow!

 

[RichardKramer]

I wasn't sure that is it the same Radio Shack? I did read your post.

I know the Tandy Corporation is gone. I also know that they were selling stuff online during the liquidation phase of the bankruptcy.

So did someone buy the name or the brand?

I just took a look again at your post and the products that they're selling aren't really like the original Radio Shack, they do have batteries with their name on it however. The deeper I went for example, finding a store, it said that because of covid independent operators had closed stores. I don't know of any actual brick and mortar Radio Shack stores in the United States.

They certainly are using the logo, I don't know what to make of that site, have you bought anything from them, I'm curious.

Seems innocent enough🙂

I just saw the post above that there are brick and mortar Radio Shacks, wow!

Yup, bought some connectors awhile back, items were delivered on time with no issues.

 

[trentbob]

Yup, bought some connectors awhile back, items were delivered on time with no issues.

So I'm doing some research now and apparently it's owned by the same company that owns Dress Barn, Linens and things and Pier 1 and they do have brick and mortar RadioShack stores, approximately 350 around the country.

You learn something new everyday😆

 

[bob550]

I always thought that was just me. They NEVER understood what I was going to do with the parts I bought.

Perhaps we just didn't want to know. Over my 22 years as a part-timer, I helped numerous customers looking for parts I could have sworn would have been used to construct a timer for a bomb or an illegal surveillance device.