I don't know what your opinion of this is..... :) :) :)

[ezdays]

This is a cry for help.

Too late! Radical Shack died years ago when they made the move to cut the electronics parts line, and go with computers, games, and cell phones.
My "opinion"?, in five words......good riddance to bad rubbish.

I suppose I've been in RS some once or twice over then past few years. The last time I was in there, I had an RS part number for a spare battery for my camera and they told me it wasn't a store item and I could only buy it on-line. I still don't have the battery and that was well over a year ago. I used to go there frequently, especially when we had our business and needed a few parts quickly just to get me by.

[Russ Bellinis]

They cut way back on electronic parts for the diy electronic hobbyist. They are trying to compete with big box stores like Best Buy in the consumer electronics sales business, but they have small stores in every mall instead of a few large warehouse type stores in every city. I think Radio Shack is almost as ubiquitous as Starbucks! I think they have an ineficient, unworkable business model, and doing a name change is about as effective as decorating the dining room on the Titanic! If they are going to stay in business they need to close 100% of their stores and move into a bunch of the now vacated Circuit City buildings, and they need to take lessons in marketing from Best Buy, Home Depot, and Lowes. They need to have a section of the store reserved for the electronic hobbyist and restore some of the products they cut when they switched over to consumer electronics. I don't think they will do it, and I think they will go under within the next year.

[ezdays]

Russ, you hit the nail on the head. As I said, I'd shop there when I needed a few of something for my business, a switch, a couple of fuseholders or a lamp, and I didn't mind paying the premium price they charged for the convenience of not having to order it. If they don't stock these things locally anymore, then you're right, they've gone off in the wrong direction. Somebody has to cater to the hobbyist.

[Brakie]

Russ,Our shack closed about 3-4 years ago..It passed from the scene unnotice by many..Of course the cry was lack of business according to a fellow club member that worked there...

Of course..
Their high prices had very little to do with the closing.

[Steamtrains]

I have frequented RS several times over the last 6 months, looking for some of the parts I needed to put together a couple of transistorized throttles...I was kind of surprised when they had everything I needed with the exception of a couple of "specialty" chips. If they maintain at least that level of inventory they can call themselves whatever they want....

P.D. I did buy a SW radio from them a few years back..... It kept me company during the 4 day blackout we had after hurricane Dolly last year....

[ngauger]

This is a cry for help.

Too late! Radical Shack died years ago when they made the move to cut the electronics parts line, and go with computers, games, and cell phones.
My "opinion"?, in five words......good riddance to bad rubbish.

I agree... having worked part time at a few stores (doing inventory) in the early 80's, I thought that's when they "Jumped the shark" too..

[ezdays]

It's a pity, but I have seen so many find store chains go bye-bye thanks to managements attempts at finding a new direction. We had a very fine chain of paint and decorating stores in the west. Standard Brands Paint catered to the home decorator and had a quality line of their paint at about half the cost of name brands. Wallpaper was selling for in some cases as low as a $1.00 a roll, and maxed out at just a few dollars. Their stores were packed on weekends and you had to take a number to get waited on. We were on a first name basis with the people that worked at our local store, that's how often we would be there for our home and business. Along came some investment company and bought the chain. In order to make ends meet they went to selling "designer" type products. Wallpaper was now selling for $10 a roll and floor covering and other things were no longer affordable. Their paint was still high quality and reasonably priced, but there wasn't anyone there to buy their paint since they couldn't afford the other stuff, so they went elsewhere. From what I can tell, they liquidated back in 1995. :cry:

[Russ Bellinis]

I guess I'm not the only one to notice that Radio Shack's problem is not the name but the postage stamp sized stores. I just read an article from the editor of P.C. World that boiled the whole issue down to the question of "How many big screen t.v.'s, Blue Ray players, computers, etc. can you put in a store the size of the average Jamba Juice bar?"

[Green_Elite_Cab]

Yeah, and they have really phased out their parts selection. they used to have drawers full of parts, now you only get two drawers worth, and thats if you go to a store outside of a mall. in the malls around here, their policy is not to stock many parts, if at all, and focus solely on selling electronic gadgets and toys.

[sgtcarl1]

Well, in all fairness, I went to the local "shack" a few months ago, because I couldn't find the multimeter I was looking for anywhere else. (read that as "Wally-World) They had the exact unit I was looking for, and at a price that couldn't be beat. I have also bought audio jacks for my reel-to-reel tape players. And reel-to-reel tapes, too. Most places don't even know what a reel-to-reel tape player is, let alone carry any parts for them.

[Russ Bellinis]

Well, in all fairness, I went to the local "shack" a few months ago, because I couldn't find the multimeter I was looking for anywhere else. (read that as "Wally-World) They had the exact unit I was looking for, and at a price that couldn't be beat. I have also bought audio jacks for my reel-to-reel tape players. And reel-to-reel tapes, too. Most places don't even know what a reel-to-reel tape player is, let alone carry any parts for them.

That is the problem. If you want batteries, or small parts, or some hard to find pieces, The Shack is worth checking out; but anybody wanting to buy a $3,000.00 or more home theater system will most likely go to Best Buy, Costco, or even Wally World before they even think of looking at one of tha Shacks small stores. This question is retorical, but think about how much you spent to buy that stuff. Was it anywhere near the price of a big screen tv? Generally the more expensive the item, the more profit there is for the seller. I would hate to see them leave the niche they have built up for meters, and small electronic parts, but if they want to compete with the big box electronics stores, they need bigger stores not a name change.