Radio Shack reportedly preparing to shut down.
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I can order something at 4pm pacific from Digikey and have it by 10am the next day if I'm in a hurry. Given that there is about a 1% chance that Radio Shack has what I need and maybe a 10% chance that Fry's has it, I'm not going to waste my time driving around town.
Chadwilliam1
Well-known member
I remeber the cuecat what a useless POS.
elronin
Well-known member
Yea I hated when they asked you for your Name and phone number. When I was there to buy some of those green radio Shack double AA batteries Come on just sell me the batteries.
Remember when they opened up Incredible Universe that didn't work out so well for them, sad to say Sears will follow them one day.
LEVE
Well-known member
If you want to, you can make it into a Bar Code Reader... It works pretty good... I used it to input bar codes from books, tapes and CD's into a database.
chrismenke
Well-known member
The parts bin watch begins!
I just moved a bunch of disorganized stuff from the garage into 8 of those from a Radio Shack nearby. There aren't Lista grade, but are great for organizing pretty much anything that weighs less than collets. The drawer action actually improves with load.
djb2
Well-known member
Radio Shack's selection of parts got much better once they put in the drawer system. But it was still an odd, limited assortment that was stuck in the past.
The wouldn't have been likely to survive selling to the 'Maker' crowd, but it was still nice to see them try. It doesn't take too many $40 board sales to pay for the shelf space.
For me what killed them was the absurd price of minor items like cables. They could have been a go-to store for wall plates, video cables, power cables, etc. But many of them were 4x or even 10x the going rate online. I would have been fine paying 2x, but I usually balked at paying their price if I didn't absolutely need the cable right now.
I understood that I wasn't their target market. They apparently didn't want people that regularly bought cables, connectors and components. They were after customers that didn't know what a cable should cost, or just wanted it right now. But that's not a steady customer base, and they are tough to target. You usually only get those gullible customers right as they are buying a TV, or smartphone, or audio system.
The wouldn't have been likely to survive selling to the 'Maker' crowd, but it was still nice to see them try. It doesn't take too many $40 board sales to pay for the shelf space.
For me what killed them was the absurd price of minor items like cables. They could have been a go-to store for wall plates, video cables, power cables, etc. But many of them were 4x or even 10x the going rate online. I would have been fine paying 2x, but I usually balked at paying their price if I didn't absolutely need the cable right now.
I understood that I wasn't their target market. They apparently didn't want people that regularly bought cables, connectors and components. They were after customers that didn't know what a cable should cost, or just wanted it right now. But that's not a steady customer base, and they are tough to target. You usually only get those gullible customers right as they are buying a TV, or smartphone, or audio system.
articsilber323
Well-known member
there are two local radio shacks to me one last day open was yesterday
methomas70
Well-known member
CHOOSE not to? More like CAN'T.
Not to mention that high school kids used to take electronics classes. Not so much anymore.
Dads used to show their kids how to fix stuff. Now dad is too busy hiding his pot from his kids while he plays Grand Theft Auto or Metal of Dootie or whatever.
Radio Shack should've adapted and sold game consoles & rolling papers.
Wrenches of Death
Well-known member
Yep, I've still got a few stuffed away around here somewhere. It damn sure doesn't seem like fourteen years ago that they were pushing them either!
I just checked ebay and found that there are HUNDREDS of them for sale and had my best laugh so far this year.
When I was a kid, a lot of my allowance and grass mowing money was spent at RS on those little red perfboard box chassis electronic project kits.
In later decades, their GRE built Pro2004, 5, and 6 scanners were exceptional!
Hey, let's not forget the MC10 and CoCo computers either. I ran a BBS off of a Coco, a multipack interface, and a stack of single sided floppy drives and COBBS software. 180K capacity per drive if I remember right. Man, that's thirty years ago...
WoD
quattroJoe
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I just looked up 'crotchety' in the dictionary, lo and behold there was a picture of methomas70 chasing kids off his lawn! [emoji16]
Knurled Grip
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Well damn. Now what am I going to do if this TRS-80 breaks down? 
From Wikipedia: In 1987 BYTE wrote that "Tandy might now be offering the most extensive lines of computer products in the world". Try getting a 20yr old to believe that.
From Wikipedia: In 1987 BYTE wrote that "Tandy might now be offering the most extensive lines of computer products in the world". Try getting a 20yr old to believe that.
n8n
Well-known member
really, game consoles would have been a logical step for them. think if they'd gone there before Gamestop etc. existed...?
methomas70
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justme-
Well-known member
Methomas has a good picture of how "dads" have changed in the past 30 years...society has changed. Consumer electronics are not repairable in the same way they used to be - surface mount technology is not the do it yourselfer ease soldering is even tho it is far more accessible today than it was 10 years ago. the popular experimenting thing today is programming and interfacing, not hardware. Apps, rasberry Pi, Arduino...
I grew up with a Radio Shack that was 90% components and electronics toys. Ran my first RC car races with a Golden Arrow body masking taped on top of my RC10 (******* off all the other older racers who spent big $$ on their toys)
We went into Heathkit stores - still have several Heath items my dad built (a TV, radios, oscilloscope, testers, signal generators) and a Hero1 I'll eventually repair and get working with my boys.
Radio shack lost it's way with the cell phones and the low quality consumer electronics at big markup... Originally the electronics were great to good - I own plenty including a 2 meter mobile HAM radio. Many companies loose their way - from poor leadership choices for ceos, to poor choices by ceos to failing to grasp a change in the marketplace. We'll all be sad to see them go, but really will you miss them? Locations are inconvenient for me to get to (in malls only now), the staff has been generally useless (as we all know) for over a decade, the components have been relegated to a cabinet which is a big improvement from the single cabinet they had at one point years ago, but still lacking many basic things. got lucky last time I was by one and needed fuses for my DVM - they had them and I remembered I needed them...same with a replacement 2AA battery holder which may or may not actually fit in my DVM that needs it... but 90% of the time the thing I need is catalog only. I miss what they used to be when I was growing up, but I won't miss what they are.
Also - Digikey and Mouser (and Gerber and Newark for that matter) are not consumer retail sources - they are industrial and commercial electronics supply outlets. 15-20 years ago you had to be a company to purchase from them. My fathers company had accounts with all of them and more. (he was an electronic engineer at that point - had a turn-key development/research company)
I grew up with a Radio Shack that was 90% components and electronics toys. Ran my first RC car races with a Golden Arrow body masking taped on top of my RC10 (******* off all the other older racers who spent big $$ on their toys)
We went into Heathkit stores - still have several Heath items my dad built (a TV, radios, oscilloscope, testers, signal generators) and a Hero1 I'll eventually repair and get working with my boys.
Radio shack lost it's way with the cell phones and the low quality consumer electronics at big markup... Originally the electronics were great to good - I own plenty including a 2 meter mobile HAM radio. Many companies loose their way - from poor leadership choices for ceos, to poor choices by ceos to failing to grasp a change in the marketplace. We'll all be sad to see them go, but really will you miss them? Locations are inconvenient for me to get to (in malls only now), the staff has been generally useless (as we all know) for over a decade, the components have been relegated to a cabinet which is a big improvement from the single cabinet they had at one point years ago, but still lacking many basic things. got lucky last time I was by one and needed fuses for my DVM - they had them and I remembered I needed them...same with a replacement 2AA battery holder which may or may not actually fit in my DVM that needs it... but 90% of the time the thing I need is catalog only. I miss what they used to be when I was growing up, but I won't miss what they are.
Also - Digikey and Mouser (and Gerber and Newark for that matter) are not consumer retail sources - they are industrial and commercial electronics supply outlets. 15-20 years ago you had to be a company to purchase from them. My fathers company had accounts with all of them and more. (he was an electronic engineer at that point - had a turn-key development/research company)
fm2176
Well-known member
Babbage's (now Gamestop) cornered the market as a videogame retailer when it really mattered. They survived the video game crash and reaped in the profits after the NES revived the industry. I recall Radio Shack stores of the time as focusing more on computers and other more "serious" electronics instead of the game console "toys".
I'll scope out the local RS this weekend if it's still open. Truth be told, I haven't stepped into one for a few years. They used to have decent Black Friday sales, but I mostly recall using them as a source for record player needles.
mooseracing
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RadioShack carried older low end/speed components. Nothing for newer faster devices/projects.
Sears had the same issue, who else had the selection of US made tools you could walk into and as many stores?
Depends on what you're into. I pick up resistors there to bypass older GM ignitions with the resistor in the key.
They have good cheap rectifiers to replace burned up ones in older motorcycles.
if you do any wiring, fuse holders, terminal strips, that kind of thing.
Soldering irons, de-soldering irons, etc.
other than that, there isn't much else.
they won't be missed much as there is a much wider selection online of the electronic components almost anywhere, just no longer able to stop in and pick up the odd connector or fitting when needed without having to wait for delivery from an on-line vendor.
last time I was in there I was looking for a radio dial belt kit...all I got was a blank stare...
stealthmagic27
Well-known member
I worked at radioshack for 4.5 years through high school and some college, then got layed off when they closed a ton of stores. All they cared about were stupid cell phone sales. They played their cards wrong year after year, they were just delaying the inevitable. Unfortunately going to have to find another hobby place for components now
pauls_workshop
Well-known member
Question: So which soldering stations are good ones to pick up on clearance from RS? Brands and model numbers please. thx- Paul
jobo1004
Well-known member
It looks like The Source is owned by Bell Canada and no longer affiliated with Radio Shack.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Source_(retailer)
I went over to the local Radioshack, to look at soldering irons, soldering supplies, components, etc.
First, everything was full retail price, no discounts or clearance at all.
Second, everything was somewhat low-end generic private label Radioshack brand. Nothing brand name or higher-end like Weller, Panavise, or anything like that.
Radioshack used to have a mix of cheap Radioshack brand, but they would have a handful of higher-end stuff like Weller soldering stations, higher-end soldering irons, panavises, high quality helping hands, and stuff like that. But I think over the last two years Radioshack has offloaded the good stuff, and now seems to have almost exclusively cheap Radioshack brand stuff.
First, everything was full retail price, no discounts or clearance at all.
Second, everything was somewhat low-end generic private label Radioshack brand. Nothing brand name or higher-end like Weller, Panavise, or anything like that.
Radioshack used to have a mix of cheap Radioshack brand, but they would have a handful of higher-end stuff like Weller soldering stations, higher-end soldering irons, panavises, high quality helping hands, and stuff like that. But I think over the last two years Radioshack has offloaded the good stuff, and now seems to have almost exclusively cheap Radioshack brand stuff.
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methomas70
Well-known member
So I went to my local Radio Shack in Montgomery, IL (less than a mile south of Aurora).
Sign in the window said 20-50% off. So I browsed around. Asked the nice lady now much the discount was on this doohickey.
She replied, "50% off everything."
"Everything?" I asked.
"EVERYTHING" she said.
I said um this says clearance price is $7 something, that's the price right?
Nope, they took half off on that too.
I got a few things, added it up in my head, with half off, about $20 plus tax.
I paid $16.01 out the door.
Apparently it's 50% off or MORE.
And it wasn't all picked-over ****.
I'd say this particular store was 75% stocked.
And they said to come back in a few days because they're getting boxes and boxes of merchandise from other stores that are closing sooner.
Your mileage of course will vary.
Sign in the window said 20-50% off. So I browsed around. Asked the nice lady now much the discount was on this doohickey.
She replied, "50% off everything."
"Everything?" I asked.
"EVERYTHING" she said.
I said um this says clearance price is $7 something, that's the price right?
Nope, they took half off on that too.
I got a few things, added it up in my head, with half off, about $20 plus tax.
I paid $16.01 out the door.
Apparently it's 50% off or MORE.
And it wasn't all picked-over ****.
I'd say this particular store was 75% stocked.
And they said to come back in a few days because they're getting boxes and boxes of merchandise from other stores that are closing sooner.
Your mileage of course will vary.
bmxdad
Well-known member
RadioShack and HeathKit ... gonna miss them.
pauls_workshop
Well-known member
Thanks for the info. So really not anything good to buy there soldering wise then. That is unfortunate. I'll have to check mine out but not sure what if anything I want to buy from there. Maybe find something I could use. I used to buy various electronics parts from RS when I needed something, as local was more convenient, but that was years ago. Back in the 70's and 80's RS was really KING. Computers, electronics, toys, batterys, etc. Pretty much out-thought and out-maneuvered by competitors in every former strong area over the years until not enough strengths left. - Paul
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wow I had no clue bell owned them..another reason not to shop there!!! I do know locally we just went from 2 stores too one... I was wondering how they stayed open all these years they always sold there own funny name branded junk for big bucks....rmbr the tandy computer? an ibm clone for big money... I do rmbr as a kid 30yrs some years ago you could walk into radio shack and they'd give you a battery like a dcell or something, kept us kids happy...don't rmbr if there was a punch card we had to fill or what the deal was but the end result was a free bat...
kd3pc
Well-known member
Nope.
they are a victim of their own devices.
Plenty of options out there, with better quality and most times, prices.
I'll miss them about as much as hemorrhoidal flare up.
byoungblood
Well-known member
They used to have an excellent selection of parts, you would have to go to an electronics supplier to find more in stock, and then deal with their wierd hours and counter guys who don't give to shakes about you because you aren't coming in with a $500 PO.
I'm going to go check my local store again tomorrow morning to see if they've started marking stuff down. I'll go clear out their bulk packs of resistors, caps and LEDs if they have. They still had everything at full price yesterday.
I think that's overstating at least a little... don't you?
Yea, you're right. Hemorrhoids really aren't that bad.
928'er
Well-known member
Last time I went into a Radio Shack I was looking for some heat shrink. Clerk told me "we don't carry shrink wrap." Still, sorry to see them go, although I'm not quite sure why...
For companies asking phone number purely for peppering me with telemarketing calls, mailings, etc. . . . . .
. . . . .
. . . . . . . I just give them my famous number . . . . 867-5309 . . . .
EasyTiger864
Well-known member
For companies asking phone number purely for peppering me with telemarketing calls, mailings, etc. . . . . .
. . . . .
. . . . . . . I just give them my famous number . . . . 867-5309 . . . .
LOL, For the ones that ask for my zip code I tell them 90210. But the trick is you have to say nine, zero, two, one, zero. They never catch on but it drives my wife crazy.
Motown
Well-known member
I went by my local one and they where selling the cabinets for the electrical components for $300 a section. She said she could go as low as $250. They already had sold one of the two they had.