At RadioShack, 'you've got mail' means 'you're fired'

AP via StarTribune ^ | August 30, 2006 | AP

[Hawkeye's Girl]

FORT WORTH, TEXAS - When the ax fell for about 400 workers at RadioShack Corp. this week, the bad news was delivered by e-mail.

[Calvin Locke]

Sleeve fans last about 30K hours. Ball bearing ones about 50K.

I try to take them apart or find the bearing and oil/grease them to make them last longer. Especially for
what RS charges for a cheapo $1.99 by mail order fan (+ shipping).

Part of the RS problem is that "stuff" nowadays is either disposable, or made with sub assemblies rather
than standardized discrete parts.

[DannyTN]

I don't understand your comment about writing "please see ID".

Doesn't the store need your signature as proof, that you were there and presented the card? The credit card companies charge a different rate if you make a telephone order and just provide your number, than if you actually show up and present the card in person and sign.

[Roccus]

I remember when Tandy sold leather and leather working tools.

[teletech]

Best Buy has service?

Yes, they do.

[Bob]

How 'bout that $495 16k memory upgrade? What a deal!

Yeah, on a 5 x 10 inch S-100 board that only needed four 1-amp regulators on it. :=) Those were the days.

[BigSkyFreeper]

Yep. I oil the ball bearing fans with sewing machine oil when they start to make a whining noise.

[Old Student]

"How 'bout that $495 16k memory upgrade? What a deal!"

I waited until the price of memory dropped to $100/16k, and then upgraded myself. Then I bought the expansion interface, and filled it, too. 64K! Woooooo Hoooo! ;)

[Old Student]

"I remember when Tandy sold leather and leather working tools."

I remember those days, too. I also remember when they split the leathercraft stores back off. There is a Tandy Leathercraft store not too far from my house; Radio Shack is much cheaper, now. I remember when you could buy a purse or wallet kit, complete it, and sell it for enough to buy a couple more of them, and maybe some tools, too. Now, you just about have to take out a loan to get the kit... I can buy a computer cheaper (at Radio Shack!) than I can get a whole hide, now. I don't see how they stay in business, any more, either.

[John Robertson]

I just bought a digital travel alarm for $19.99. It has endless features, including "sleep sounds"--rainfall, forest, wind, etc.--coming out of an amazing speaker. It's got a light-up dial, 24-hour time if I want it...it's a wonder, and a bargain, and that's why I still wander in sometimes.

[veronica]

Fired is fired. Best just move on.

[4yearlurker]

Went to my local Radio Shack about 2 years ago looking for a plug in power supply for my digital camera. The clerk told me that they did not sell them. I said okay but looked around anyway. After about 3 minutes I found a whole rack of them. When I brought it to the counter to pay the clerk asked; "where did you find that?" I told him we both learned something today.

[Drawsing]

I worked for a man for several years who fired people by telegram. He was a really nice guy.

I am very familiar with this kind of "niceness". What you describe is the act of a coward. I would much rather have someone sit me down face to face, tell me what I have done wrong, and fire me.

On the other hand...he is the boss and I need to live by my tagline.

[AmishDude]

It's better than the manager following you around everywhere, never leaving you alone.

[Roccus]

Yup. As a Scout in the 50's, Tandy's was a mainstay. Even after the Scouts, I used to buy all my belts as blanks there. Not sure when they merged w/RS, but after I came back from the Navy in '64, the two Tandys where I used to shop were gone and I couldn't find another in NYC.

[AmishDude]

The last thing I bought at RS was a voltage changer for international travel. I knew there were other places to find it, but after I checked Wal-mart, I just went to RS, knowing it would be there.

Same with adapters of pretty much any type.

[Durus]

When i was working in field service for Big Blue we were supposed to call them "impact forming tools."

We call them "percussive maintenance tools" at my place of business.

[AmishDude]

Best Buy has service?

Of course, you can buy a service plan for about 50% of the price of the item that lasts about 50% of the expected length of service of the product.

[Old Student]

"Yup. As a Scout in the 50's, Tandy's was a mainstay. Even after the Scouts, I used to buy all my belts as blanks there. Not sure when they merged w/RS, but after I came back from the Navy in '64, the two Tandys where I used to shop were gone and I couldn't find another in NYC."

They didn't merge with Radio Shack, IIRC. RS started as the electronic equivalent of the Tandy leather stores, and as it got more popular, replaced them as the main source of income for the corporation. I think I remember that one of the members of the board, possibly one of the Tandy heirs, didn't like the "new-fangled toys" and bought out the leathercraft side of the business, and was able to keep the name as well, but I'm not certain of that. Mid-to-late sixties IIRC is when RS started, late 70's got really, really popular and profitable, and mid-80's when they split. I think. I'm getting old fast, so it's quite possible my brain has disintegrated into fuzz, too. ;)

[Xenalyte]

"All parts should go together without forcing. You must remember that the parts you are reassembling were disassembled by you. Therefore, if you can't get them together again, there must be a reason. By all means, do not use a hammer." – Actual quote from IBM maintenance manual

OMG, that is hilarious! Would you happen to have a link, or do you have the actual manual?

[chilepepper]

I emailed them as such, and they seemed disinterested

Or maybe everyone at Radio Shack is afraid to read their email???