Funny quote on Radio Shack parts for a posting here

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bigkim100
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Funny quote on Radio Shack parts for a posting here

Post by bigkim100 »

Just about fell outta my chair laughing when I read this one, from a poster that seems to have woken up from a 10 year sleep, and has just now noticed the absence of radio shack parts
SNIP

"Everybody better start stocking up with Radio Shack parts before there isn't any"

Gotta be the first time in a long time that the terms "stocking up"and "Radio Shack parts" have been uttered in the same sentence. Better empty out your bank accounts to buy the last few 100 ohm resistors on the pegboard.
JPKNHTP
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Post by JPKNHTP »

-JPKNHTP
-God Bless
Sambuchi
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Post by Sambuchi »

I went into radioshack I’ve never been into over the weekend and asked for a 12v 500mA wall wart.

The guy behind the counter reached down and was about to sell me a $80 variable voltage wall wart.

I almost lost it when I found a 12v 500mA wall wart further into the store.. it was $20..

seeing that I was a little ticked off and knowing i could buy one from digikey for $5 (3-5 business days).. i left the store empty handed
JPKNHTP
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Post by JPKNHTP »

-JPKNHTP
-God Bless
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dacflyer
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Post by dacflyer »

ya , all they know how to do these days is sell you a cell phone..even then they barely get that right.
lots of times i ask for something..they will look at you like an untrained dog.. head cocked to one side,,, ehuuuuuhhh ?
its no wonder shit shack is starting to go out of buisness. 2 have closed here in the last year.. the rest have become like miniature circuit cities or best buys...i do not think i have even seen any radios for sale any more come to think of it, no more car stereos etc, all i see in there is mostly tv's , cell phones , and computer accessories...Hmmm

ok, enough said :P

NEXT !!!!!!!!!!
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Post by L. Daniel Rosa »

About fifteen years ago I figured it was time for my first job. I got all dolled up in my power suit and went in for an interview. I didn't get it, and I have suspected on several occasions that it was because I do have electronics knowledge.
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Externet
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Post by Externet »

You are overqualified, Daniel.

Well, RadioShack is there to make money, not to show knowledge.

And they do not have parts any more, now they have 'answers' :sad:

Without any need to defend them or not, somehow all items I bought from them in 30 years have never failed. And I have bought a lot of things from them.
Was a good run. :smile:

Miguel
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dacflyer
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Post by dacflyer »

now days its, " you got questions...we have no answers, but well be glad to sell you a cellphone today ! :P"
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Radio Shack getting out of parts business

Post by Timothy Rasch »

Hi ,Timothy Rasch again;I have worked in the electronics consumer repair business for >30 years . The Radio Shack parts I bought 30 years ago are still working in a lot of equipment and their new parts [LM317] to be specific are good quality. I found three LM317 in stock at Radio Shack Sunday. I have always been a- above regular parts customer and bought a lot of radios [sw] back in the 1980's to the present too. Recently another friend gave Me a box of mixed manufacturers parts :UJT's,germanium/silicon npn/pnp,DTL Ic's [Fairchild,Motorola]. A lot of the transistors are Radio Shack,GE,Sprague,TI,Ratheon. The point is the Radio Shack transistors test 100% good[they were made in the 1960's to 1970's]. The GE parts are meedocure with their gains and TI ,Sprague parts,Ratheon parts,Motorola are good quality. By the way this box of parts were stored in the Friends grainery and the UJT's in one plastic bag stappled , were soaking in water in their paper GE boxes. Radio Shack is still good for emergency small transistors npn/pnp and some resistors,electrolytic caps. I am saddened of the fact that someday there will be no Parts available. Yes they are more expensive but consider the conveniance;otherwise a person has to put a parts order in for $25 minimum so the shipping plus parts also gets up to the Radio Shack parts cost. [You still have to spend $25 plus parts for the order]
Tim Rasch [email protected]
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Post by Mike »

If you're lucky enough to have a Frys nearby, you never even have to step into a RadioShack.

The closest to my house unfortunately is 45 minutes - 1 hour away, so only if I really need something I buy it at RadioShack. If I can wait until I'm at Frys, I write it down on a list and pick it up when I go.

I can get 20 resistors at Frys for $1 less than the price of 5 at RadioShack. Only $1.99 for 20 of them. Much larger selection as well.

But if anyone is familiar with Fry's I hate how they treat everyone as a theif with their little bag and recepit inspection at the door. I never go along with it, just show my recepit, let the person mark it with the highlighter and leave, there is no need for them to dig through my bags when I clearly came from the registers, so I don't let them.
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Post by dyarker »

Maybe part of the reason Frys is cheaper is they have shoplifting under control. Another interesting thing about low price items like resistors; for a pack of 5 the packaging costs more than the resistors.

High prices, and sales people totally ignorant in electronics, reduces sales. With rent for commercial sales space between $100 and $1000 per square foot, it should be no surprise Radio Shack is shifting to items with higher profit margins that move faster.

Unfortunate cause going to RS was convenient. And mostly the fault of dumb management at RS. I'd bet Frys does little better than break even on resistors; but they get computer/electronics literate people used to going to their store, maybe to buy something bigger someday.
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Post by hp »

The only radioshack in my area recently closed because its business was so bad. Everyone started going to Fry's (2 minutes away from the radioshack) and EPO (a surplus electronics place ~10 minutes away).

Radioshack seems like it is truely dieing as everyone says. There is simply too much better competition out there. Oh well, that is what happens when a store hires totally incompetant people.
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Post by Dean Huster »

If I lived in west St. Louis County, I'd be going to Gateway Electronics vs. a Radio Shack, too. Trouble is, all you ever get in Podunk is Radio Shack. "I need a thermistor," I say. "You have to get those at a heat and air conditioning place," the idiot says. "Thermistor, not thermostat, dufus." "What's a thermistor?" "Something beyond your ability to learn."

But it isn't just Radio Shack. Look at Home Depot. They moved into our town of 16,000 with the intent of putting our three major and three minor lumber yards out of business. The honeymoon was nice with a sales associate in each aisle, etc. Six months later, they cut their staff by 2/3 and now, you hunt for a sales person. That person has to find the guy who "know" the products for that area. The guy who "knows" the products doesn't know squat. They've not restocked their 10" Freud Diablo saw blades in at least 10 months. I think they want to push their own Rigid brand. "You can do it. We can help." That's their motto. "You'd better be able to do it by yourself. We won't be of any help." That's more accurate.

Dean
Dean Huster, Electronics Curmudgeon
Contributing Editor emeritus, "Q & A", of the former "Poptronics" magazine (formerly "Popular Electronics" and "Electronics Now" magazines).

R.I.P.
Robert Reed
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Post by Robert Reed »

Adding to Deans remarks on home depot. As far as advice goes, it worse than no information at all because its usually wrong information! There lumber is inferior to regular lumber yard stock and they do not have the expertise of the yard people. The last few major items I have purchased, I got as cheap or cheaper than home depot, from a "mom and pop " store and from people that not only knew their bussiness, but loved their bussiness! My verey last purchase was a chain saw from another "mom and Pop' store. This was a Stihl brand ( one of the top names in that feild). Now heres the interesting part, Stihl will not market their products through Home Depot or Lowes---only through qualified personel. Kudos Stihl and I am beginning to see more and more of this with quality products. Sorry for getting off topic here, but Deans reply triggered a response I couln't resist.
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Post by philba »

interesting thread and actually has some bearing on board topics...

"Radio Shack Parts" is a misnomer, they are (er, were) just repackagers.

Frys - an ok store but they are often out of the the components I would use and the area (componets shelves) is usually a mess. Low priority area. I've seen this in San Jose, Portland and Seattle stores.

I basically don't buy components locally. Mailorder is easy, fast and cheap, even when you factor in shipping. I use Mouser to stock up. Their prices are better than you can get locally and they have 100X the range of stock. If you are smart about it, you can also reduce shipping cost and time to a very reasonable level.

Home Depot vs Service Oriented Speciality Stores. welcome to the Walmarting of America. You don't think those low prices come along for free? how does a supplier survive under the unrelenting pressure to reduce the cost every year? maybe by manufacturing smarter and better design but most definitely by cheapening the product. If they don't, the walmarts of the world will drop them for some one who will. case in point, I bought a Bolens weedwacker from HD about 7 years ago. It was really well made and has lasted a lot of use. I went to get parts for it (brush cutter head) - no parts. you can't even find the product number on the Bolens web site (they got swallowed up). So I looked at the newer models hoping that they were of similar construction. not even close. amazingly flimsy and at a somewhat similar price point to the one I bought. Guy with the orange apron was useless. So I went to a local HW store and got everything I needed from very knowledgable clerks.
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