Does anyone else hate Radio Shack?

[tron3]

This never really dawned on me until now. When you walk into any other electronics retailer you see something new and different. Sure, everyone has the clearance bin of $5 DVD's, and discounted stuff they want to sell off, but it turns over pretty fast.

In the time I had with Radio Shack, and even now when I walk in, I can still find the same toys they tried to sell from last Christmas, or even the years prior. Much of it is dirty, and you can often see old dusty stuff sitting on pegs for MONTHS. I made mention of a dirty, dirty store at a RS hate site and the corporate heads must have seen it. Word got out to all the stores to clean off the stock!

This has been the Radio Shack model for decades to my best memories. Walking into a Radio Shack is often like walking into the past. They should not be allowing that old dirty Christmas stock to be sold on the floor. Let alone those oddball electronics older than last year.

This is an incredibly bad business image. It's the mom and pop mentality of "we keep it until it sells". Meanwhile the package is filthy and fading from light exposure.

It doesn't matter how many stores you make over when you bring out the same old filthy stock from the basement or back room. In some cases covered in roach crap, or other excrement. Is RS TRYING to get a health violation? I bet some stores would be closed down for some of what they sell.

This is made worse by how RS is almost never on top of the trends of popular consumer electronics. Always a year late and a dollar more. Need I continue?

[Big Daddy]

Radio Shack is not an electronic store like Best Buy or Circuit city. Historically, it has always been the place to buy hard-to-find items like electronic parts, components, transformers, fuses, LEDs, test and measuring equipment, tools & soldering equipment, bulbs & lamps, SPL meters, etc. It is one of the best places to buy hard-to-find batteries. Also, they have a good selection of telephones, including telephones for hearing-impaired individuals.

[maximiza]

You got questions we got blank stares

[Krandor]

Originally Posted by Big Daddy

Radio Shack is not an electronic store like Best Buy or Circuit city. Historically, it has always been the place to buy hard-to-find items like electronic parts, components, transformers, fuses, LEDs, test and measuring equipment, tools & soldering equipment, bulbs & lamps, SPL meters, etc. It is one of the best places to buy hard-to-find batteries. Also, they have a good selection of telephones, including telephones for hearing-impaired individuals.

True, but these days I go to Fry's for that kind of stuff.

[Big Daddy]

Originally Posted by Krandor

True, but these days I go to Fry's for that kind of stuff.

Unfortunately, Fry's does not have many branches. You can find multiple Radio Shack stores in small towns, malls, and some foreign countries.

[Ectoplasm]

When we were kids, the neighbors and I would go into the local radio shack with a coupon for free batteries. It used to drive the manager insane. The purpose of the ad was to get you to buy something to put the batteries in (like a flashlight). We never bought anything... just went there to get the free battery. He hated us.

[Krandor]

Originally Posted by Big Daddy

Unfortunately, Fry's does not have many branches. You can find multiple Radio Shack stores in small towns, malls, and some foreign countries.

Completely agree, but even since we got a Fry's here I go there more then most other places.

Fry's opening a store near where I live was the worst thing to ever happen to my wallet. I remember one day I went in planning to buy a new HD and walking out with a Buffalo NAS solution. :-)

[Kyot]

I hate having to give my postal code just for the purchase of batteries

[Sherlock_Holmes206]

The last time I shopped at Radio Shack had to be close to 20 years ago as a kid.

[tron3]

Originally Posted by Big Daddy

Radio Shack is not an electronic store like Best Buy or Circuit city. Historically, it has always been the place to buy hard-to-find items like electronic parts, components, transformers, fuses, LEDs, test and measuring equipment, tools & soldering equipment, bulbs & lamps, SPL meters, etc. It is one of the best places to buy hard-to-find batteries. Also, they have a good selection of telephones, including telephones for hearing-impaired individuals.

Though true, they are still trying to be a little more like big box with the electronics they carry. Every year they carry less and less of the core components which made them rich and famous.

Does this vindicate them of old dirty stock? 2003 was my only full calander year but we were DYING for widescreen TV to sell. The problem? They had an exclusive 50 year contract with RCA. They couldn't sell anything else! While that contract expired some years ago, I'm sure they will NEVER go into another 50 year contract like that.

Used to be when you wanted a garden hose nozzle, it was only the twist kind. Then someone came up with the hand trigger. It was same thing year after year. Was like that for much of retail, it moved at a slower pace. But times have changed and you shouldn't be seeing this stuff on the shelves. Stuff ages visually quickly these days.

[JasonR]

Originally Posted by Big Daddy

Radio Shack is not an electronic store like Best Buy or Circuit city. Historically, it has always been the place to buy hard-to-find items like electronic parts, components, transformers, fuses, LEDs, test and measuring equipment, tools & soldering equipment, bulbs & lamps, SPL meters, etc. It is one of the best places to buy hard-to-find batteries. Also, they have a good selection of telephones, including telephones for hearing-impaired individuals.

Actually, this is the model of the Radio Shack of old. I am in the IT field and I have gone to my local Radio Shack to find RJ45 connectors, RJ11 connectors, wall plates, phone cable, CAT5, network switches, etc. just to find them not in stock. I have found more computer related items at my local Wal-Mart. Really quite sad when compared to the Radio Shack that existed ten to twenty years ago...

[SilverFireshot]

I just don't like it because there is a salesman always in your face. I walk in there to grab, say, a splitter and know exactly where it's at. The second I walk in the door they are almost literally right in your face "what do you need?"

The only reason I've gone there was to get CAT5 cable, but since I have wireless now, I haven't been in for awhile.

[tron3]

Originally Posted by SilverFireshot

I just don't like it because there is a salesman always in your face. I walk in there to grab, say, a splitter and know exactly where it's at. The second I walk in the door they are almost literally right in your face "what do you need?"

The only reason I've gone there was to get CAT5 cable, but since I have wireless now, I haven't been in for awhile.

As an ex-employee, I can defend that. Firstly, they want people to feel acknowledged with at least a greeting. They don't want people free roaming in the store. This is all to increase sales and hinder shop lifting.

My big issue with working there was I ALWAYS had to push cellular. This is making it an unpleasant place to work, let alone shop. Now, if you buy a battery operated device, I was supposed to offer the batteries AND the cellular. Does this make any sense?

The business model is not in the best interest of the consumers interest - let alone the employees.

[dough21]

It doesn't help that there store is small and theres only 1 other guy in there.
I hate sales people. But sales 101, if you have confrontation with somebody there less likely to steal. That's a know fact. I think thats why they do it and that's why I don't let it get to me anymore.

[SilverFireshot]

Originally Posted by tron3

As an ex-employee, I can defend that. Firstly, they want people to feel acknowledged with at least a greeting. They don't want people free roaming in the store. This is all to increase sales and hinder shop lifting.

I can understand that. It just makes me as a customer want to leave the store as quickly as possible because I feel uncomfortable with someone breathing down my neck trying to get me to buy other things (like you said cellular services) when all I need is a splitter. But I do see it from a sales standpoint and why they do it.

[111111]

Originally Posted by JasonR

Actually, this is the model of the Radio Shack of old. I am in the IT field and I have goe to my local Radio Shack to find RJ45 connectors, RJ11 connectors, wall plates, phone cable, CAT5, network switches, etc. just to find them not in stock. I have found more computer related items at my local Wal-Mart. Really quite sad when compared to the Radio Shack that existed ten to twenty years ago...

Not mention if Radio shack would have these items in stock, the price tag would be outrageous!

[JasonR]

Originally Posted by RayEdwards

Not mention if Radio shack would have these items in stock, the price tag would be outrageous!

Manga!! You know this!!

[onumb]

Originally Posted by maximiza

You got questions we got blank stares

I had a professor who liked to put it, "You've got questions, we've got batteries."

[tron3]

I have a problem mostly with how much they charge. They justify it saying the person makes a commision of it, but they keep finding ways to take commision AWAY from the employees. I don't think a "clerking" mentality will improve things, but have you noticed the emloyee turnover is higher than flap jacks at IHOP? (Inside joke there.)

Some of what they sell is still those blocky styles of the 70's and 80's.

[Krandor]

Originally Posted by tron3

They don't want people free roaming in the store.

As a technology geek, a lot of times when I go to a place like Radio Shack or Best Buy or Fry's a lot of times I want to just look around and see what they have and sometimes that may result in a sale. I want to be able to free roam in a store and just look without being pestered.