Peak Oil
Donate Bitcoin

Donate Paypal


PeakOil is You

PeakOil is You

RadioShack to close up to 700 stores

What's on your mind?
General interest discussions, not necessarily related to depletion.
Post a reply

RadioShack to close up to 700 stores

Unread postby duke3522 » Sun 19 Feb 2006, 03:03:35

REUTERS Article


Maybe this is a sign that the middle class is begining to feel some real economic pain.


I know I have not bought anything at a Radio Shack in years. Batteries are always cheaper at WalMart.

Duke of Indiana
<b>I'd rather get my brains blown out in the wild than wait in terror at the slaughterhouse</b>.
Craig Volk, Northern Exposure, A-Hunting We Will Go, 1991
User avatar
duke3522
Lignite
Lignite
 
Posts: 358
Joined: Sat 02 Apr 2005, 04:00:00
Location: Indiana
Top

Re: RadioShack to close up to 700 stores

Unread postby TommyJefferson » Sun 19 Feb 2006, 11:40:41

The internet really did kill Radio Shack.

They owned the electrionic hobbyist and enthusiast market for years. It was the only place a person could purchase capacitors, radio antennas, and obscure electronics equipment like police scanners and multimeters.

Instead of focusing on that market, they tried to compete in the consumer electronics market for TV's, computers, and cell phones. Other retailers could do that far better.

Now the only place I will be able to buy solder and electronic fittings will be mail order.
Conform . Consume . Obey .
User avatar
TommyJefferson
Heavy Crude
Heavy Crude
 
Posts: 1757
Joined: Thu 19 Aug 2004, 03:00:00
Location: Texas and Los Angeles
Top

Re: RadioShack to close up to 700 stores

Unread postby zoidberg » Sun 19 Feb 2006, 12:30:00

Working as a cable guy I know when people buy shoddy cable equipment, it get derisively referred to as "radio shack" equipment. Them and they're bloody gold splitters really arent worth spit. Maybe thats why ;)
User avatar
zoidberg
Tar Sands
Tar Sands
 
Posts: 635
Joined: Wed 23 Feb 2005, 04:00:00
Location: Center of north america
Top

Re: RadioShack to close up to 700 stores

Unread postby TheTurtle » Sun 19 Feb 2006, 13:48:06

I'm always amazed to see the local Radio Shack store still in business. They stopped being cutting edge sometime back in the early 80s.
“Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves.” (Ted Perry)
User avatar
TheTurtle
Heavy Crude
Heavy Crude
 
Posts: 1905
Joined: Sat 14 May 2005, 03:00:00
Location: Along the banks of the muddy Mississippi
Top

Re: RadioShack to close up to 700 stores

Unread postby TommyJefferson » Sun 19 Feb 2006, 15:19:30

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('zoidberg', 'T')hem and they're bloody gold splitters really arent worth spit.


That's true, but I remember when adding a second cable outlet in your home was forbidden by the cable companies. Radio Shack was the only place one could purchase the necessary fittings.

I remember when telephone companies frowned upon self-installed extension phones. Radio Shack was the only place to buy the hardware.

In today's marketplace it is simply impossible for a brick-n-motor retailer to compete against online retailers in obsure niche market products like electronic components.
Conform . Consume . Obey .
User avatar
TommyJefferson
Heavy Crude
Heavy Crude
 
Posts: 1757
Joined: Thu 19 Aug 2004, 03:00:00
Location: Texas and Los Angeles
Top

Re: RadioShack to close up to 700 stores

Unread postby smallpoxgirl » Sun 19 Feb 2006, 15:55:45

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('TommyJefferson', 'N')ow the only place I will be able to buy solder and electronic fittings will be mail order.


Fortunately Missoula still has a mom and pop electronic parts store (oddly electronic parts and precision weighing instruments), but yeah. What you said.
User avatar
smallpoxgirl
Expert
Expert
 
Posts: 7258
Joined: Mon 08 Nov 2004, 04:00:00
Top

Re: RadioShack to close up to 700 stores

Unread postby JeeBoomba » Tue 21 Feb 2006, 00:14:38

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('duke3522', 'M')aybe this is a sign that the middle class is begining to feel some real economic pain.

Radio Shack has been mis-managing itself out of business for years now. This doesn't really have anything to do with the larger economy.
Go read radioshacksucks.com and you'll get a good idea of what I'm talking about. No one has a kind word to say about that company's corporate strategies.
User avatar
JeeBoomba
Peat
Peat
 
Posts: 86
Joined: Tue 09 Aug 2005, 03:00:00
Top

Re: RadioShack to close up to 700 stores

Unread postby Vexed » Thu 23 Feb 2006, 23:50:24

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('TommyJefferson', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('zoidberg', 'T')hem (Radio Shack) and they're bloody gold splitters really arent worth spit.


That's true, but I remember when adding a second cable outlet in your home was forbidden by the cable companies. Radio Shack was the only place one could purchase the necessary fittings.

I remember when telephone companies frowned upon self-installed extension phones. Radio Shack was the only place to buy the hardware.

In today's marketplace it is simply impossible for a brick-n-motor retailer to compete against online retailers in obsure niche market products like electronic components.


With a large amount of experience in "obscure niche markets" I can tell you, your post hits the nail on the head. Radio Shack closing 10% of their stores is NOT about weakness in the larger economy.
User avatar
Vexed
Coal
Coal
 
Posts: 434
Joined: Fri 13 Aug 2004, 03:00:00
Top

Re: RadioShack to close up to 700 stores

Unread postby strider3700 » Fri 24 Feb 2006, 02:09:49

radio shack should still be able to out do online by beating the prices after shipping is taken into account. I've been hunting for a couple of DC motors for awhile. I find some for $10 each
http://www.surpluscenter.com/item.asp?U ... e=electric
but shipping puts them at $35 each. Never mind any duties or anything else that will get added on as it crosses the border. A local shop should be able to do better then that.

The major issue I find is radio shack doesn't have anything in it worth looking at. It's all consumer crap that can be found elsewhere. Oh and radio shack up here was bought out last year and is now "the source by circuit city"
shame on us, doomed from the start
god have mercy on our dirty little hearts
strider3700
Intermediate Crude
Intermediate Crude
 
Posts: 2865
Joined: Sun 17 Apr 2005, 03:00:00
Location: Vancouver Island
Top

Re: RadioShack to close up to 700 stores

Unread postby Vexed » Sun 26 Feb 2006, 01:50:22

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('strider3700', 'r')adio shack should still be able to out do online by beating the prices after shipping is taken into account. I've been hunting for a couple of DC motors for awhile. I find some for $10 each
http://www.surpluscenter.com/item.asp?U ... e=electric
but shipping puts them at $35 each. Never mind any duties or anything else that will get added on as it crosses the border. A local shop should be able to do better then that.


Have you gone to a local shop? Sounds like you are more aware of what is available on-line.

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'T')he major issue I find is radio shack doesn't have anything in it worth looking at. It's all consumer crap that can be found elsewhere. Oh and radio shack up here was bought out last year and is now "the source by circuit city"


I remember when Radio Shack was aisle after aisle of esoteric electronic crap. Is it possible that the "consumer crap" you have recently been confronted with was a last ditch effort by Radio Shack to reverse their losses? I noticed, especially this last x-mas. that their selection was more mainstream than ever.

Do not underestimate the effect that on-line retailers have had on real-world retailers.
User avatar
Vexed
Coal
Coal
 
Posts: 434
Joined: Fri 13 Aug 2004, 03:00:00
Top

Re: RadioShack to close up to 700 stores

Unread postby Tyler_JC » Sun 26 Feb 2006, 02:00:42

This is not a news story. It is not important.

Capitalism means creating new companies by destroying old ones.

All of the growth in the internet retail sector comes from destroying the traditional retail sector.

The internet is a better way of selling things than brick and mortar stores. Better means more popular/easier/faster/cheaper/whatever.

Radioshack will disappear along with BlockBuster and General Motors.

These will be replaced by Online Electronics Inc., Netflix/Digital Cable, and Toyota.

It's all part of the cycle.

Peak Oil will mess up the cycle, but we haven't started falling off the energy cliff yet. So don't take this as some kind of "The End is Near!!" sign.
"www.peakoil.com is the Myspace of the Apocalypse."
Tyler_JC
Expert
Expert
 
Posts: 5438
Joined: Sat 25 Sep 2004, 03:00:00
Location: Boston, MA
Top

Re: RadioShack to close up to 700 stores

Unread postby Vexed » Sun 26 Feb 2006, 02:15:51

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Tyler_JC', 'T')his is not a news story. It is not important.

Capitalism means creating new companies by destroying old ones.

All of the growth in the internet retail sector comes from destroying the traditional retail sector.

The internet is a better way of selling things than brick and mortar stores. Better means more popular/easier/faster/cheaper/whatever.

Radioshack will disappear along with BlockBuster and General Motors.

These will be replaced by Online Electronics Inc., Netflix/Digital Cable, and Toyota.

It's all part of the cycle.

Peak Oil will mess up the cycle, but we haven't started falling off the energy cliff yet. So don't take this as some kind of "The End is Near!!" sign.


With respect, you are as in touch as any one these days Mr. Tyler_JC.
User avatar
Vexed
Coal
Coal
 
Posts: 434
Joined: Fri 13 Aug 2004, 03:00:00
Top
Post a reply

Return to Open Topic Discussion

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest



cron