*Radio Shack Store Closing Thread* All posts about Radio Shack closing go here.

[AZScanner]

Fry's has always been known for their piss-poor customer service. They actually seem pretty proud of it and encourage the behavior amongst their employees.

Heh - I don't doubt it, based on my personal experience. However, in their defense, the guys working the PC Components section have always been awesome to work with. I don't even bother looking anymore when I need something, I just go up to the counter and ask for it. They always know right where to find it and they will usually point out things that might be a better deal if available.

-AZ

 

[902]

Like a lot of you, I grew up with Radio Shack and used to live for the day when the new catalogs came out. I used to use those tube testers, too, whenever my buddy and I were able to fish a dead TV carcass out of the trash for projects. I was probably 9 years old when I got a "100 in 1" kit and got a Globe Patrol shortwave receiver just a little later. Those only opened the door to a Space Patrol desktop 100 mW CB and then on to a DX-160 and a Pro-6 pocket scanner - my first non-tuneable receiver. As a kid, I went everywhere with that - and I knew everything that was happening in town. I got bit by the bug of listening to my hometown services and eventually became part of them. It would be a sad day to see them "go away."

In my view, Radio Shack presence got too big. In that golden age, one had to travel a little to get to one. It seems that at their peak, there seemed to be one in every identified center of town. That's probably too much.

Cellphones? I thought the transition to computers was an excursion out of their specialty, but as history would have it, I think doing computers from the TRS-80 Model 1 onward served them well. That could be due to them being the specialty place for the technogeek. Cellular crosses the line there. Cellular is an "everyone" consumer technology. Radio Shack was quite successful as a niche, but failed to capitalize on that, instead pushing (incompetently) toward being a consumer store. Again, that's just another country heard from, and yet another personal theory.

I would continue to have great memories of "stuff" from CB to reel-to-reel to those little red plastic container kits that told you to poke the soldering iron into the plastic to make bigger holes (some of those were very useful items, like 100 kHz crystal frequency references that were invaluable trying to spot the DX-1-drifty). Sure, things do move on, and I would question the relevance of some of those items today - if it were not for one thing: the educational value they had. I made enough money to put food on the table at some point in my life not because I built a few kits, but because very early on I learned how to identify electronic components, read their values, and get to solder (and desolder) things. What gives kids that hands-on learning experience today?

Hoping they refocus on a leaner, more STEM niche-oriented model. Why? Because right now that, itself, is a void. If marketing people pushed STEM items, maybe the next generation of young people can look forward to the next biggest release from Radio Shack... (that aren't the latest cellphones or plans).

 

[jtitus07]

Well after dealing with 3 Radioshacks in 2 days, I understand why they are going down the tubes. Got a new PRO-651 (not from the shack) a few days ago. Went to one local shack to get an AC power adapter for it and told the guy what I needed. He said he didn't have the one I needed, but sent me to the store down the road. This gentleman said they did not have the exact one I needed either (9V, 400mA) and said to try another store (not a shack). So I got something that should work at that store. Well, turns out it didn't (see my thread on AC adapter causing interference). Thought, OK, I can just get the 9V 800mA which I knew would be fine (though the un-knowledgable sales people at RS never mentioned that that would work, they were convinced it had to be exactly 400mA) So I was in another town today, and figured I would stop by RS there and see what they had. Low and behold, they did not even carry the 800mA. I knew one of the ones in my town did, so I stopped by and picked it up. Get it home, open it us, and it is an old, dirty used 300mA adapter.....

Go to return it and the clerk acted like he had no idea what I was talking about, then attempted to look for a new 300mA adapter and I had to explain again that I needed the 800mA, but of course I had bought the only one they had in stock, which was not the right thing anyway. So I asked if the other store in town had them and his reply was "you can go there and try"......and I had to suggest looking it up in the computer before I wasted the gas to get there. So he looks it up, says they have 2, and hands me the box with the old one back, never once asking if I just wanted to return that one there(Where I had purchased it an hour prior) which was fine because it was marked down anyway, so I Would probably need the receipt to get the price at the other store. Get to the other store and can't find it anywhere, or even a spot for the,, but did find 2 6V, 800mA adapters. Ask the girl working there and she looks up the one I need and says they don't have them. So I came to the conclusion the guy at the other store looked up the wrong thing, and sent me on a wild goose chase. The girl was more than happy to return the item for me and here I am, looking for one online, which I probably should have done in the first place.

 

[osros]

Fry's has always been known for their piss-poor customer service. They actually seem pretty proud of it and encourage the behavior amongst their employees.

Got two of them here in Phoenix. One of them is about 5 miles from the house. Talk about dangerous!

However, I went there about a year ago to buy a new DSLR. I had $1000 to spend. You'd think the salesperson behind the camera counter would have been more interested but all she kept saying was "Nope, we don't have that one. Nope, not that one either. Sorry" Eventually she walked away and left me standing there wondering what the hell she was doing, so I left and headed instead to Best Buy. I probably spent maybe $20 more on all the camera gear I bought that day, but it was worth it. The salesperson there went out of their way to find all the gear and accessories I wanted for me while I waited. Now that's customer service! These days when I have a big purchase to make, I go there first and then only Fry's if Best Buy doesn't carry what I'm looking for.

-AZ

I heard about bad service but I guess since I don't go all that way for a major purchase I have not experienced it. I usually know what I want and if they have it in stock and cheaper worth the trip I would go get it. I mainly go there for parts, accessories, nick naks nice to have a lot to choose from in one place I cant think of any other store like it.

I never rely on staff for anything at any store many don't care or educate themselves on the products. I cant say all because I'm am sure there are some out there that take pride in what they do and are knowledgeable on what they are there to sell.

 

[osros]

Well after dealing with 3 Radioshacks in 2 days, I understand why they are going down the tubes. Got a new PRO-651 (not from the shack) a few days ago. Went to one local shack to get an AC power adapter for it and told the guy what I needed. He said he didn't have the one I needed, but sent me to the store down the road. This gentleman said they did not have the exact one I needed either (9V, 400mA) and said to try another store (not a shack). So I got something that should work at that store. Well, turns out it didn't (see my thread on AC adapter causing interference). Thought, OK, I can just get the 9V 800mA which I knew would be fine (though the un-knowledgable sales people at RS never mentioned that that would work, they were convinced it had to be exactly 400mA) So I was in another town today, and figured I would stop by RS there and see what they had. Low and behold, they did not even carry the 800mA. I knew one of the ones in my town did, so I stopped by and picked it up. Get it home, open it us, and it is an old, dirty used 300mA adapter.....

Go to return it and the clerk acted like he had no idea what I was talking about, then attempted to look for a new 300mA adapter and I had to explain again that I needed the 800mA, but of course I had bought the only one they had in stock, which was not the right thing anyway. So I asked if the other store in town had them and his reply was "you can go there and try"......and I had to suggest looking it up in the computer before I wasted the gas to get there. So he looks it up, says they have 2, and hands me the box with the old one back, never once asking if I just wanted to return that one there(Where I had purchased it an hour prior) which was fine because it was marked down anyway, so I Would probably need the receipt to get the price at the other store. Get to the other store and can't find it anywhere, or even a spot for the,, but did find 2 6V, 800mA adapters. Ask the girl working there and she looks up the one I need and says they don't have them. So I came to the conclusion the guy at the other store looked up the wrong thing, and sent me on a wild goose chase. The girl was more than happy to return the item for me and here I am, looking for one online, which I probably should have done in the first place.

Asking for anything at a RS is just an exercise in frustration. As far as the run around with what the computer says is in stock or not that happens a lot in many stores, poor stock control. In future have them call the other store right there in front of you and have them eyeball stock there cause someone wants to come and get it. I did this with a Bestbuy and worked out well computer said 2 other stores had it one did and the other did not. The sales person should have no problem doing this for you.

 

[Voyager]

I doubt they didn't hire you because you had knowledge of their product line.

Sure it was. Who wants to hire someone who could easily replace them?

 

[SCPD]

I better go by one pretty quick.
I got a $50 gift card from there for Christmas.

 

[Project25_MASTR]

I heard about bad service but I guess since I don't go all that way for a major purchase I have not experienced it. I usually know what I want and if they have it in stock and cheaper worth the trip I would go get it. I mainly go there for parts, accessories, nick naks nice to have a lot to choose from in one place I cant think of any other store like it.

I never rely on staff for anything at any store many don't care or educate themselves on the products. I cant say all because I'm am sure there are some out there that take pride in what they do and are knowledgeable on what they are there to sell.

Never had a problem with Frys customer service (not that I don't usually go off on my own just looking for random stuff). Don't got to one very often (700+ miles round trip to the closest…never leave the state either), maybe once every two years when I'm close to one and want to go in for a peek. When I was in high school it was about 90 miles round trip…then I moved 6 hours further north for college.

I've found Best Buy has a very minimal selection of anything I'd want these day which is really PC components for builders (not a great selection) or business class PCs. They are a consumer electronics store…not a tinker's electronics store. They don't carry 3.5" floppies, 3.5" floppy drives (not like I'm looking for a zip drive or 5.25" floppy), serial cards…really anything that's been "phased" out within the last 5 years. Went looking for a RS232 adapter…the Dynex one was $35. I drove 4 miles to a mom and pop electronics store, bought a TrippLite for $17.

 

[MK]

I have had many problems with Fry's, both at checkout and return/exchange. They treat every customer as a potential criminal. As a result, I no longer buy anything from their stores. Instead, I visit there to view the latest products and then purchase them elsewhere. Example: last year I wanted a new laptop. I examined all the models at Fry's, then bought my laptop at Best Buy.

 

[DJ11DLN]

http://forums.radioreference.com/ge...302484-actual-pleasant-radio-shack-visit.html

I posted this over in General Scanning Discussion awhile back after a pretty nice experience in a local RS. The employee did explain to me that they were going to start doing more in-store repairs (not just smart phone screen replacements) and that there was a plan to get back to the kind of store we remember from the '70s and '80s.

At the time, while I was encouraging to him, my thought was, "too little, too late." And with these fiscal reports...well.

So I agree, time to hope for some good deals on closeout before they hit the wall with bankruptcy and liquidation. Bad as they've become, I do have a lot of fond RS memories, though most of them are quite old now. I doubt we'll see a miracle, and that's too bad...but the strong survive and the weak perish. RS has been on the wrong side of that ledger for a long time now.

 

[bagman37]

I bought a home patrol last week from local rs 305 out the door

 

[pratzert]

I also grew up with RS. I would spend WAY too much at the stores.

But what got me into the store in the first place, was the catalog. I could go thru that catalog 100 times and I would still manage to see something I wanted every time I looked at it.

To me.... it was the beginning of the end when they stopped producing the catalogs.

Same thing happened when Montgomery Wards stopped printing their catalog, and the same thing when Sears stopped their catalogs.

Geez, our throne room always had a Sears Tool catalog and a RS catalog within arms reach.

Coincidence between doing away with the catalogs and stores going out of business? I think not.

 

[Wally46]

Yeah it was nice going into the store and asking for the new Radio Shack catalog for the year and rushing home to look through it.

 

[KC5KAW]

Speaking of the catalog, if you're up for a little Radio Shack nostalgia and have a few hours to kill, I came across this a couple of days ago:

Radio Shack Catalogs - General Catalogs

Enjoy!

 

[SCPD]

I have seen that site before. I loved looking at the 80's catalogs and seeing all the old scanners I used to own .. like the terrible crystal scanners.

We are so fortunate to have the amazing scanners we have now. But honestly I think the day of the scanner is coming to an end .. and in 10 years we will all be using strictly a SDR.

 

[AtomX]

We have two in my town. One is staying open, and the one in the mall is becoming a clearance store. Anyone else have a clearance store? Will I be able to find some deals on scanners?

I recently found out the one across from my work was a clearance store. I stopped in to pick up a BNC connector for my old Pro 51 since the signs said clearance blowout. Went to another store in the area and they were having a sale as well but that location was closing the woman said its due to downsizing. The woman was really cheerful and helpful unlike other locations so I feed bad for her. Sure enough I went crazy buying a ton of radio stuff to get back into it all.

 

[jackj]

MK, why make two trips when only one is needed? If you know you won't buy from Fry's what difference does it make if they have what you want in stock. Why not just go to the store you intend to buy from and check it out there. If they don't have it, then go somewhere else but if you aren't going to buy from Fry's then why darken their threshold?

 

[902]

Based on this thread, I convinced the Mrs. and my older son to take a ride with me to my local Radio Shack to see if there were any clearance items, but also to satisfy a morbid curiosity to see if they were still there. Well, nothing I wanted is on clearance, the store is still there and expects to continue being there, and the shocker - they are closing the store in the local "mall." The mall's been in decline since we moved here about 5-1/2 years ago, but they sunk over $1M into renovations (as if I could tell the difference between lame before and lame after...). Guess it hasn't paid off and the rent there appears to be much more than the other locations.

I felt kinda bad leaving empty-handed, but they had absolutely nothing that struck my fancy.

 

[902]

I have seen that site before. I loved looking at the 80's catalogs and seeing all the old scanners I used to own .. like the terrible crystal scanners.

We are so fortunate to have the amazing scanners we have now. But honestly I think the day of the scanner is coming to an end .. and in 10 years we will all be using strictly a SDR.

I'm not sure what Canada's strategic goals are, but here we seem to be pushing very hard to migrate everything over to "broadband." The vision is to free up spectrum and auction that in order to create more broadband spectrum (and raise money to cover our debts, but nobody talks about that much). Eventually what radio is today will be an app on a hand-held computer with some kind of broadband "wireless" interface that sends vocoded voice in the form of data into "the cloud" where it ping-pongs around until it comes out... somewhere else.

That will be fine until something happens to the last mile, and then, not so much.

Scanning? It's a fantastic public relations and recruitment tool. If leaders knew that, they would selectively stream their voice content. I think that's the form it will survive in.

 

[MK]

MK, why make two trips when only one is needed? If you know you won't buy from Fry's what difference does it make if they have what you want in stock. Why not just go to the store you intend to buy from and check it out there. If they don't have it, then go somewhere else but if you aren't going to buy from Fry's then why darken their threshold?

Fry's has far more laptops than Best Buy, and in my area these stores are located just a few blocks from each other. This makes it easy to compare prices and features.