RadioShack’s loss widens

[LIScanner101]

After several phone calls and emails to RS corporate about my rusting mag mount scanner antenna, I finally got action. I got a call from the SAME woman I talked to originally at the store I bought it from. The SAME woman who told me that I had to call corporate because it was beyond the 30 day return window. I guess telling corporate that I would never set foot in a RS store was enough to get a response. They must have told her to go ahead and replace the antenna. I will go over on my lunch tomorrow to get it.

But, really...should one have to go through all of that just to get a company to right a wrong? The bottom line is this. A 6 month old antenna should not be rusting and you should stand behind your product...not just feed customers the line about a 90 day manufacturer's warranty. It's a small victory, but I still think RS is a sinking ship as someone else so eloquently put it.


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Your happiness is going to be short-lived. There is a design flaw with that antenna. They stupidly decided to use high-carbon steel setscrews to hold the elements together. As you may know, anything made of HC steel rusts almost immediately after contacting water. When I had one of these my friend replaced them with stainless steel hardware, problem solved.

 

[dmg1969]

RadioShack’s loss widens

That's OK. I will not be using it on my vehicle....trust me. I will probably use it on the window sill in my office for better reception while I'm at work.


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[radioman2001]

Radio Shack was created around 1970 out of the combination of Allied Electronics and Tandy Leather, Allied was a mail order electronics parts company. I used Allied electronics a LOT during the 60's and 70's, ( now I use Newark electronics for parts) maybe if they went back that way they could survive, since most everything is becoming mail order via the internet anyway. Radio Shack did have it's own manufacturing company division in Japan and each September came out with new products, like Brookstone. They could continue that practice as well, and I agree you cannot make a living trying to compete with every mom and pop selling cell phones, and accessories.

 

[fxdscon]

Radio Shack was created around 1970 out of the combination of Allied Electronics and Tandy Leather

Actually, Radio Shack began around 1921....

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RadioShack#The_first_40_years

.

 

[cifd64]

Keep pushing those cell phones. Walked into RS twice this weekend, less than two hours apart for some toggle switches and relays. BOTH time by the SAME salesperson, I was asked if I wanted to purchase a cell phone.

I explained to him the second time that In the two hours since I was here last, my cell phone needs had not changed. I then explained to him that I use RS as a quick fix while I wait for quality parts to arrive from other parts of the country.

 

[Ronaldski]

Way it was Radio Shack Catalogs

 

[ridgescan]

Actually, Radio Shack began around 1921....

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RadioShack#The_first_40_years

.

+1-I wish Ham Radio Outlet would take RS over since they know how to navigate the modern radio crowd so well.
was gonna say-I have a 1962 edition of the ARRL book and in the back is a Radio Shack ad...when they did HAM.

 

[fxdscon]

+1-I wish Ham Radio Outlet would take RS over since they know how to navigate the modern radio crowd so well.
was gonna say-I have a 1962 edition of the ARRL book and in the back is a Radio Shack ad...when they did HAM.

I remember those ads......... and from the link Ronaldski posted above, here is a 1939 catalog from Radio Shack.

1939 Radio Shack Catalog

.

 

[ridgescan]

Wow they carried the Hallicrafters line in those days! Good one.

 

[RRR]

As a product of the 70's, I Loved plowing through Radio Shack catalogs, like people older than me Loved those Sears catalogs.

I would have things circled, highlighted, bookmarked, etc.

I used to love going to RS and getting the newest catalog. And I remember those battery cards too, I had one I kept in my wallet as a kid, and would get a free battery every now and then.

Nowadays in my travels, I try to hit the Radio Shack/Drugstore/etc. combinations whenever I locate one, because they will frequently have old stock items from the old days that they want to get rid of, as opposed to the cookie-cutter RS proper stores, who are constantly thinning out the good stuff in favor of cell phones, etc.

I'll never forget the guy going into RS, and asking about some diodes, resistors, etc., and being told "You will probably need to go to an electronics store for that"

....sighhhh.....

 

[Rt169Radio]

It would be interesting if any radio company or store bought out RS, I wonder how that would work out?

 

[captncarp]

radio shack loss widens

Glassdoor has just rated Radio Shack one of the five worse companies in America to work for.

 

[RRR]

It would be interesting if any radio company or store bought out RS, I wonder how that would work out?

Might work out ok if they didn't have to assume their massive debt, and if they changed their current business model

 

[LIScanner101]

Might work out ok if they didn't have to assume their massive debt, and if they changed their current business model

Agreed, the crushing debt would be a real detractor and I highly doubt there are a million hobbyists who would go to the "new" Radio Shack if that happened.

As much as I dislike the store I went into one yesterday to buy a right-angle BNC adaptor. Of course they don't carry them BUT they DO carry a gazillion BNC to phono plugs (like the old scanners used to have). Sigh indeed.

 

[Allan_Love_Jr]

Glassdoor has just rated Radio Shack one of the five worse companies in America to work for.

Ouch!

 

[RohnsRadio]

Radio Shack has always gone where the money was. in the CB days they had a wall full of CB radios. then police scanners were king and they had a wal full of scanners. Next came computers they even started a new line "Tandy Comupters" and put a big hurt on IBM.
Then DBS TV and then Cell phones.
Dont mean to sound like i am a bashing them, i am not. i just feel they should have stayed where their roots were, radios, TV, stereos, and of course electronic parts.
and for the guy who said they would not hire him, told me the same junk. I held 2 degrees in electronics and worked as a tech for over 10 years. they want those cute kids just out of high school. they work for less money and will work more hours without question.
i have to agree, Radio Shack or the Shack or whatever they want to call themselves now will be gone very soon,.

 

[Allan_Love_Jr]

Radio Shack has always gone where the money was. in the CB days they had a wall full of CB radios. then police scanners were king and they had a wal full of scanners. Next came computers they even started a new line "Tandy Comupters" and put a big hurt on IBM.
Then DBS TV and then Cell phones.
Dont mean to sound like i am a bashing them, i am not. i just feel they should have stayed where their roots were, radios, TV, stereos, and of course electronic parts.
and for the guy who said they would not hire him, told me the same junk. I held 2 degrees in electronics and worked as a tech for over 10 years. they want those cute kids just out of high school. they work for less money and will work more hours without question.
i have to agree, Radio Shack or the Shack or whatever they want to call themselves now will be gone very soon,.

Amen to that. Watch for those last minute killer sales soon.

 

[ridgescan]

Radio Shack has always gone where the money was. in the CB days they had a wall full of CB radios. then police scanners were king and they had a wal full of scanners. Next came computers they even started a new line "Tandy Comupters" and put a big hurt on IBM.
Then DBS TV and then Cell phones.
Dont mean to sound like i am a bashing them, i am not. i just feel they should have stayed where their roots were, radios, TV, stereos, and of course electronic parts.
and for the guy who said they would not hire him, told me the same junk. I held 2 degrees in electronics and worked as a tech for over 10 years. they want those cute kids just out of high school. they work for less money and will work more hours without question.
i have to agree, Radio Shack or the Shack or whatever they want to call themselves now will be gone very soon,.

I don't see the bashing in what you said-but in my humble opinion, the fact they're still in business is due to them catching a new wave as one dissipates and riding it out best they can. The radio hobby is a tough business for those on the business end of it. Places like Ham Radio Outlet seem to be staying afloat on this hobby without the need to sell unrelated peripherals, but to me it's because their model has always been based on this niche and what we need and has had a staunch loyal following that RS didn't. RS has been more of a family electronics store what with stereos, TVs at one time, and all those other many items they have carried to try and cover all the bases.
They sure have tried to keep one foot in radio stuff but what thinning crowd is left is deferring to HRO and the like.
Like I said in another thread-I wouldn't mind seeing HRO and maybe a couple others team up and buy out or into RS and then they can use RS brick and mortar to sell to us

 

[Rt169Radio]

Who else would be large enough to buy RS? Maybe AES? Scanner Master? Maybe a single antenna or radio company/brand?

Anyway I don't think RS is doing good because there are so many other stores and online stores where you can buy all kinds of electronics, like Amazon for example.

Now would buy from RS if they switched back to actually being a Radio Shack?

 

[Michael-SATX]

Who else would be large enough to buy RS?

Hmm, back in 1963 Charles Tandy of Tandy Leather goods was, he bought the entire company back then with all 562 stores for ony $300K

10-4 ~ ol good buddy ~ That's why his CB handle was "Mr Lucky" !!!

ps ~ As Larry the Cable guy would say: " I don't care who you are ~ that there is a GREat deal "

btw ~ I wonder in todays dollars what $300K would translate to ? I guess todays buyer would then have a social media screen name type handle ?