[Hebrews 11:6]

Sudden nerd unemployment crisis!

[Utilizer]

Although I rarely go to Radio Shack, if it does close its doors then My little towne might have a slight problem. Because then the combination Autozone/RadioShack store would have to find some other way to pay the bills, not to mention changing the signs out front. They would be able to reclaim half of one aisle and most of the wall space on the right-hand side, however. The other town near us has an even smaller AceHardware/RadioShack store, although the RS section is actually half of one wall with those swing-out thingies and a catalog on a string.

Thye do come in handy for the odd emergency purchase, I must admit. I had to make a sudden trip out of town a few months back and needed a good Field Strength Meter -which they did not stock so I wound up purchasing an RF Scanner which they happened to have on sale and which worked almost as well for My purposes. They also were open late as always so they really saved My arse -thanks, mates!

Incidentally, anyone know where I can get a cheap FSM these days so I don't have to actually build one?

[RightWhale]

replacing old, slower-moving merchandise like speaker wire and outdoor antennas with new, faster-moving items

They don't have much for radio or robotics experimenters anymore. Without that, they have no reason to exist.

[LibKill]

I used to go to Radio Shack when the Lab Geeks needed a simple electronic part. Much faster than ordering through our 1970's style supply system.

Then they started selling cell phones.

The last two times I went to Radio Shack they had a very small selection of electronics parts, not half of what I needed.

And I got to stand in line for 30 minutes while the sole clerk tried to fix some ladies' cell phone problem.

Farewell, Radio Shack.

I have found a real electronics store, they have stuff even the Lab Geeks don't know about.

If I want novelty electronic junk that breaks in 5 days I can get it cheaper at Walmart. And I won't have to wait in line for 30 minutes unless it's the week before Christmas.

[FixitGuy]

I notice a lot of talk about RS being a cell phone store. What idiot would go any where but the cell phone service provider for his contract/service.

Second hand resellers have NEVER had the customers needs in mind!

Radio Shack needs to remember who their real customers are. Could it be that no-one builds stuff anymore??

Wonder what they'd do if I took in my EL84 (Fisher X-101 amplifier) tubes for an exchange on their "Lifetime Guarantee"???

The Amp still works great and I run the TV Audio through it sometimes.

[Casloy]

Dumb stores with no theme. What exactly would you be looking for in a Radio Shack that you can't find in more variety and less cost at a Circuit City or a Best Buy?

[Havoc]

Ah, gotta love the stock market - the one place where making a profit is still bad news.. other than among liberals..

[Professional Engineer]

The whole "You've got questions, We've got cell phones" thing isn't working so well, eh?

[gathersnomoss]

Now where will I get my free battery? This sucks.

[SamAdams76]

Never saw the appeal of Radio Shack. I always thought it was an awful store. Aisles of useless junk, staffed by teenagers who don't have a clue about anything electronic. Everything about it screams CHEAP. I always regarded Radio Shack as a mallstore. You know, there are always certain stores you only see at shopping malls. Orange Julius, Waldenbooks, The Gap, Brookstones and Radio Shack. Stores so godawful that they could never stand on their own. The only way they could survive is to be in malls where they have somewhat of a captive audience.

But Radio Shack always went one step beyond awfulness. Last time I was in there was about 10 years ago when I had to buy a phone cord or something like that. For like a $4 cash sale, it took me about five minutes to complete the purchase because the kid at the counter had to write the entire sale out on an order pad, listing item number, price, and all kinds of other irrelevant information. To top it all off, he insisted on putting my name, address and phone number on the form. Finally I just gave him a bunch of bogus information just so I could get the damn phone cord and get the hell out of there.

[festus]

RadioShack is Americas Technology Store


And that explains what is wrong with America.......

[Wilhelm Tell]

Something just occurred to me. A month or so I was in a Radio Shack buying some parts and I remarked to the clerk that this store has more parts than other Radio Shack stores I had been to. The clerk said that RS stores in malls would focus on consumer goods and not have many parts while RS stores not in malls would have more of a selection of parts. I thought that was kind of odd. In light of this story, I bet the RS store not at malls will sell components and stuff at closeout prices and many of these stores will then close, while the RS stores in malls will be cellphones wall-to-wall with the occasional stereo.

[JABBERBONK]

Some of their home brand equipment is overpriced junk. Forget buying radio controlled toys there, they are overpriced junk. Their brand of batteries are underpowered overpriced junk. But worse of all their sales people are completely ignorant of their products. I remember before CD recorders came on the market , I asked a Radio Shack salesman if RS was going to carry the new CD recorders, he replied : " I don't thinks so because the laser beam in the CD-R is dangerous, because it has to be much stronger than the laser in cd player, because the laser in the CD-R must be strong enough to cut a groove in the CD"....nuff said.