Posted on 03/04/2014 7:07:14 AM PST by SoFloFreeper
RadioShack said Tuesday it would close about 1,100 of its stores in the United States, as weak holiday results prompted significant losses.
RadioShack has been struggling to revive its fortunes in recent years, in the face of a changed consumer electronics environment. In February 2013, it hired a new chief executive, Joseph C. Magnacca, from Walgreen, to help turn things around. But so far a turnaround has been elusive and its financial results have been deteriorating.
(Excerpt) Read more at mobile.nytimes.com ...
Cool. Maybe it’s a good day to find a closeout bargain on a laptop.
I can’t really blame Obama for this one. I think they have an outdated business model.
Far too many stores to support the business and they never gained enough market share in cell phones to be a factor there.
Been in a Radio Shack lately? I avoid them if at all possible since the service in my neck of the woods sucks, and their prices are ridiculous. I would not miss them if all of them shut down. Just my 2 bits.
I surprised it took this long. I’ve only gone there a few times when I needed some obscure smart part or adapter I couldn’t find anywhere else and there was never more than one or two other customers in the place. I always wondered how they made enough money to pay the rent.
I’m sure shoddy merchandise and low intelligence sales staff had something to do with this. Everything I ever had that came from Radio Shack either didn’t work or quit working after a few weeks or months.
Wait... did Ellen advertise for them too? That’s they only way outdated retail models fail now right? I know so because I read it on this board.
[Costco, BJs, Walmart, BatteriesRUs.com, BatteriesPlus, batteryPrice.com,....]
No one calls them Walgreen, anyway, the Radio Shack in our area closed though another one is not far off. They had their day, they have been around for a long long time, those stores. I agree, their prices seem largely exorbitant but as a short wave buff growing up, they had SW radios ready to find.
I used to go to them for electronic components, good old days. Now they are “Phone” Shack.
It used to be a place where the sales staff could answer questions and supply what you needed, or have it to your ASAP.
They've gotten awful. There's no point in a Radio Shack that can't offer knowledge and available merchandise.
wonder - do kids do things like that anymore?
Radio shack has become nothing but a reseller for the major mobile phone companies. I do however appreciate having them available if I need a new charger or something for a phone or computer and not having to battle the non sense at Wal Mart nor having to drive 20 mins to the closest Best Buy.
But, their day is done. Told my kids back in the 70’s and 80’s during the Super Bowl when they cool ad came out it was the place to go because for the very fact they were the first place to bring in cool electronic gadgets and they would let you touch them and play with them. Most of the electronic stores or buying options back in the day were mom and pop type stores or were housed in much larger department stores like Wards or Sears and they kept most of their stuff behind the counter or in glass cases. This was before the Best Buys, Circuit Cities, Fry’s etc made the scene. Good bye Radio Shack. And I say this because they are following the Blockbuster model of slow bleeding
The following Freeper responses do an excellent job in telling us why Radio Shack is going away.
Been in a Radio Shack lately? I avoid them if at all possible since the service in my neck of the woods sucks, and their prices are ridiculous. I would not miss them if all of them shut down. Just my 2 bits.
4 posted by Foundahardheadedwoman (God don’t have a statute of limitations)
To: SoFloFreeper
I surprised it took this long. I’ve only gone there a few times when I needed some obscure smart part or adapter I couldn’t find anywhere else and there was never more than one or two other customers in the place. I always wondered how they made enough money to pay the rent.
5 posted by circlecity
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies | Report Abuse]
To: SoFloFreeper
I’m sure shoddy merchandise and low intelligence sales staff had something to do with this. Everything I ever had that came from Radio Shack either didn’t work or quit working after a few weeks or months.
6 posted by fatnotlazy
Rarely.
That’s a great story and would really take some know-how. In the last 10 years they had a thick catalog. I don’t know if they still do that. They must have something still.
I wonder if Amazon or even Google could buy all of the stock at a firesale price and make something of it. They have plenty of locations and there are niches that need to be filled.
Does anyone remember Lafayette Electronics?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lafayette_Radio_Electronics
Are they still demanding your name and full address to check out?
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