When I was atalented /diy/er I loved going to RS to go look at all the R/C cars and cool keyboards and junk. As I got older, I started using it for electrical components (resistors and the like). I realized pretty quickly that the staff knew almost nothing, as I called one time to make sure they had a certain capacitor in stock, and the guy working didn't even know what one is. I understand not everyone is an EE, but I would like to think that workers there would at least have a basic knowledge.

I'm very fortunate in that I have a wonderful electronics store not far from me, with any part I would ever want, and with a staff overflowing with knowledge. I'd hate to see RS go, but I think their time has come.

BTW, I knew their were hurting when they used that painful "The Shack" rebranding scheme. It's not hip, and it never will be.

>>308205
Just noticed the word filter /diy/ installed to keep that k i d troll out. Thanks very much board.

Radio Shack assrapes you on price. I went there for a simple phone connector, because I needed one in a hurry. 9 bucks. The same connector online . . . 1.38. Now okay I get it, I'm paying a price for convenience, but nearly 9 times as much? Get fucking real.

Also, they used to bug me for my phone number and address whenever I was buying ANYTHING. Whoever came up with that brilliant plan should be shot, because it pretty much meant I just never went to Radio Shack for shit anymore. Who wants to sit there and answer questions for 10 minutes just to pay for the privilege of buying an overpriced spool of wire?

>>308211
Oh, also Radio Shacks entire business model is basically bilking retarded baby boomer women with overpriced Apple products now, which makes me kind of resent them.

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Well, shit, that is pretty ugly.

>>308215
It had a very surprising 12% pop today. I'm not saying it's a healthy investment, but it's definitely an interesting one.

So, another Q I guess: Assume 10 years from now radioshack and most other small /diy/enthusiast stores are gone, how would that affect your life now and/or when you were younger?

>>308221
Apparently some BoA analyst upgraded it. It's pretty cheap and there's some big divergences, so I wouldn't be surprised by a short term bounce, but it's still pretty questionable.

I haven't been to one in a long time, and the one down the street is tiny with limited selection and cell phone junk taking up most of the space. Internet shopping is the way to go now.

I'm a little conflicted about how I feel towards radio shack. I go to the one close to the house if I need electrical components or soldering supplies. Even though I know I could easily buy the same stuff online for cheaper I do like to see what I'm buying before I make a purchase. That being said every time I go in there I wonder how they stay open. If they do go belly up I hope Lowes or Home depot takes up the slack and stocks at least part of their electrical isles with the components and small electrical tools.

>>308202 (OP)

We're moving into a consumer world, so whether the only big retail chain that like this fails or not the world is going to become consumer whores soon enough.
The averagetalented /diy/erin the U.S. owns a highly advanced computer the size of a credit card and costs an overbearing amount of money monthly just so that they can play angry birds and check their facebook status, don't tell me you didn't expect diy shit to die because of this generation.


RadioShack was on the very edge of falling, all it needed was a little tiny push, no one uses it anymore for consumer electronics.

>>308250
the home depot near my house already does this, they are starting to stock small resistors, capacitors, solder and flux. they have a sift through bin of stuff, and a small breadboard area. Next to where they sell the dremmels.

It is kind of sad to see Radio Shack go, and I feel like they have a hard time competing with Chinese manufacturers that build their components with slave labor that can always out-price them.

When I first started EE stuff a few years ago, my first circuit experiment needed a CR2032 coin cell battery. I went to the 'Shack, and I could only find them in single packages for $5 each. Five. Fucking. Dollars. For one battery. Later that night, I bought 100 with free shipping from China for $9.99. Un-American to the core, but I just can't bring myself to do it.

Then I think that maybe they are stocking the same cheap Chinese goods and just selling them for a 5000% markup, to which I say good riddance.

It'd be nice to know which one was true.

>>308261
>Then I think that maybe they are stocking the same cheap Chinese goods and just selling them for a 5000% markup, to which I say good riddance.

This. I used to work at "The Shack" and the warehouse price of 2032s is ~$.60. Pretty much the same for any battery there, and most of the in house Gigaware brand shit has a massive margin.

>>308256
>don't tell me you didn't expect diy shit to die because of this generation.

Do you really think DIY is dying? I've only been a DIYer for about half a decade, but my ability to do anything is all because of the internet. You can find out how to build so much because of the sharing that takes place and open-source hardware and software design.

My perception is that DIY is at an all-time high, but maybe that isn't accurate.

Radio shack hasn't been a very good electronics-DIY place for a long time. Every big US city probably has an independent place that has at least 10-20X the stuff that Radio Shack does now.

I don't blame RS for changing, most electronic parts cost only pennies and people building stuff come in with a short list of a few parts they need. If RS sold the parts for even just 2X their actual cost, they still wouldn't make enough profit to keep the lights on.

DIY electronics isn't a big market to begin with, and its getting even smaller as time goes on, I'd bet. 50 years ago you would never throw out a stereo, it was all discrete components and could be fixed no matter what part broke. If you didn't want it, someone else would grab it out of your trash.... Now you have digital-TV and digital-radio tuners on a single IC.

Nowadays you get people throwing away dual-core laptop computers because they're ~8 yrs old and the battery died, it won't run at all without a functioning battery in it and there's nowhere else to get new batteries that will fit it.....

What I like about Radioshack is that you get what you need that day (if you're lucky enough for them to carry it), and you don't have to pay shipping. Other than that, the place sucks. They get mad at you if you ask any questions about components, and there is literally ALWAYS, every single time I go in there, a different old person complaining about their phone. I'd still hate to see the place go under though, as I learned pretty much everything I know about electronics from that book "Getting Started in Electronics" they sell there, and I probably wouldn't be into electronics if not for Radioshack.

The markup on ANYTHING is ridiculous,and almost any product that they make is stupidly cheaply made,but costs waaaay too much.

Went there to pick up some PL-259 connectors...they sell the pl-259s,but no reducers for coax,so they do me no good. And they want like,$10 for a single one. Don't even get me started on the coax they stock,it's fucking terrible,I think the shield is around maybe 6 strands total.

And I know where I need to go to find things,but the staff always bugs me. Then they don't know when I actually tell them what I am there for...and then they follow me around and stand there looking over my shoulder,or back if I am going through the parts. I know some places push anti-shrink measures,but holy shit there is watching someone and then there is WATCHING someone. You really think I want to steal your fucking LEDs that cost $5 for 3? Or your capacitors you've marked up over %50000?

Completely useless store. I just order everything online from China,and save tons,because that's where they get it anyways. Might as well cut out the asshole middleman.

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>>308291
> mfw I have that book

>>308268
When I see >>308256
I still think people are becoming less /diy/ dependent. Its (hate me) like the fat guys on Wall-E. The iphone (and ipad) accomplish nearly all of those features. With a larger consumer-only media it seems that its becoming a larger and larger American majority over time. I'd def. say that engineers benefit from the open-sourceness from the internet, but ultimately I'd say it hurts the competency of the average person. (average person = american)

>>308211
>I'm paying a price for convenience
What's more convenient than having parts shipped directly to your door in two days flat? Personally, I use Digikey for all my parts.

I read somewhere that Radioshack was carrying sparkfun product? Or at least they were asking for feedback. This would be great for Canada just for the fact that shipping can be a pain in the ass sometimes.
Not sure if it's the same throughout Canada but all Radioshacks have been rebranded as The Source. I guess this is to ween away from electronic components into cellphones and shit. My friend worked at one and he doesn't know much besides selling contracts and warranties. Any information they have about a product can be found out easily by reading the packaging. Too bad. There are literally no retail stores that carry electronic components within driving distance here.

Radioshack fag here. Ask me anything.

Also the company stays alive soley on cell phone sales. Less than 10% of sales but around 50-60% of the profit.

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1921 - RadioShack founded in the U.S.
1970 - RadioShack expanded into Canada, growing to 950 Canadian stores.
2004 - Circuit City decided to expand into Canada, so they bought the Canadian RadioShack chain, but not the rights to the brand name.
2005 - RadioShack sued Circuit City to stop using the "RadioShack" name. Circuit City renames Canadian RadioShack stores to "The Source By Circuit City".
2005 - RadioShack opened 25 "RadioShack" stores in Canada to compete with the former RadioShack stores that they sold to Circuit City.
2007 - Facing problems in the U.S., RadioShack pulled out of Canada closing "RadioShack" stores.
2009 - Facing problems in the U.S., Circuit City went bankrupt and Bell Canada (the phone company) bought Circuit City's former RadioShack stores. Instead of renaming the stores a second time in just four years, Bell keep the name (but phased out "by Circuit City").

>>308332
90% of electronic stores are cell phone stores. Most Canadian shopping malls have *exactly* 8 stores and kiosks selling cell phones (though, those 8 stores are owned by only 5 companies): Bell World, The Source (owned by Bell), Rogers, Fido (owned by Rogers), Telus, Koodo (owned by Telus), Mobilicity, and Wind.

It is nice knowing that there is a national chain of stores that do carry basic circuit components. Although at a high markup and in inconsistent quantities.

The only thing I like about it is that if I need to buy something today, I know I can get it (like another soldering board if I need it now). But that's it, everything else I will buy online.

It's too bad there isn't any emphasis placed on their circuit components section, the employees that work there don't know anything about it (not blaming them, blaming their company for not taking initiatives to train them). RS is a cellphone kiosk, their employees are there to sell cell phones. It would be nice if they focused attention on hobby electronics, but it's a niche market and corporate probably said fuck all.

I started doing DIY electronics I was like 14. (22 now)

A nearby RadioShack was were I got most of my stuff. Didn't realize how much they markup the prices until I found an online supplier(Jameco).

After having my stuff arrive less than 24 hours after ordering it, I rarely went to the ShitShack for anything.
Only went back on rare occasions for something I needed right then and knew they stocked it.

Back in olden days, Radio Shack had one thing going for them - while their prices were generally silly, if you needed something rather specific and rather unusual, they were your very, very best chance to get it right here and now.

These days, the internet will virtually vomit hundreds, if not thousands, of options for you to consider, with minimal waiting time often the case.

Radio Shack serves little to no purpose anymore other than to prey on mostly idiot consumers and the very occasional instant-gratification customer.

Oh well.

>>308407
I went there to get a $3 3.5mm connector for a project. Was very nice to not wait fucking 7 days for digikey and pay more due to shipping... But everything else from there is shit over priced..

Also

> What wireless provider do you have?
> Would you like to buy a phone?

Cocksucker kept asking me questions after i told him no.

If you live in california near the bay area, or are planning on visiting the bay area or central valley of california, contact jameco before you come and get a tour, their facility is pretty sweet! I think the tours are still free too.

I am lucky enough to live in a city where I have at least 3 good sources for electronic components, etc; two of which are locally owned. Since I can get next day shipping from digi-key, I rarely shop locally anyway.

Somehow, the stock prices of all the shipping companies don't yet seem to reflect the general transition to online shopping. Buy those stocks...

I usually go to ACE for small things that I need to get all at once, and I love it. But I've never needed to get electrical components from there (I know they have batteries but that's about it). Do they carry electrical items there too?

>>308444
I didn't know they gave tours. I'll ask next time I'm there. I typically go down there when I need stuff rather than having it shipped as it's not far from San Francisco where I live.

My former roommate was a radio shack employee when he was saving up cash for college.

Radio Shack cannot maintain their business model selling components. Even if they were charging 3$ a capacitor, the volume isn't there, because the market is too small. When he was running the counter at *the closest Radio Shack to the main Microsoft campus*, where you would expect a large tech-savvy clientele, he sold components once or twice a week - it was always less than $20 of components a week.

Radio Shack has been floundering and trying to find a way to reorient their business towards something that'll be more profitable. Cell phones, Monster Cables, and Satellite TV subscriptions have been a big part of that, along with selling larger, bigger ticket consumer electronics. So far, though, they haven't found a niche that's working for them. (see >>308215 )

A Radio Shack counter worker works for minimum wage, but gets a $50 bonus for every cell phone contract they originate (per line!), something like $100 for every satellite subscription they start, and so on (you can extrapolate for yourself how much money Radio Shack must get for setting up an account) . Individual employees are reviewed primarily on those metrics, as well as ticket average (the average subtotal of transactions processed by that employee). How well a counter worker does on those metrics determines their chances of getting/keeping a full-time schedule and benefits, as well as potential promotions.

Product training, like in all retail, is completely nonexistent. A new employee is hired on the basis of their friendliness and customer service credentials - they have to figure out what the fuck they're selling by, over time, reading the packaging of every product in the store.

>>308202 (OP)
>only retail chain that is /diy/ friendly
>only

Wow. Do you even Lowe's/Home Depot/shop anywhere/leave your house ever?

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>going to radio shack
>fucking ever

sigh i always get that shitty feeling when i go in there...the sheer dread of it...you know you need a specific item, but you know some fat black woman is gonna try to "help" you find it, and of course she has no idea what you're talking about (just a goddamn PL-259 female to BNC male adapter, forchristssake!), and she'll insist on looking it up in the computer, and then she'll take 5 minutes looking for it while you can spot it from a mile away but dont wanna be rude, and then the bitch tries to sell you a phone

fuck

at least they don't want your fucking address and phone number every goddamn time you buy something anymore

>>308899
>fat black woman
mine employs hipsters

i'm also surprised RS has survived this long. on what, shit RCA radios and cellphones?!

people just don't make as much shit as before, and there's a crap.ton of good specialty sites on the net:

allelectronics.com
jameco.com
digikey.com
sparkfun.com
ebay.com
....

also -- long ago you could build something like a simple AM radio, and it was satisfying. Wind coils and all that shit. today, who cares? esp. when you can buy a radio for $100 that has more tech in it than the NSA had in 1980. How can homebuilders keep up with that?

Then computers came along and sucked all the energy out of DIY electronics.

Now, we have nice stuff like Arduinos, decent sensors for cheap (see sparkfun.com) all packaged, BO-boarded, ready to go. Fuhhh, i process sensors with real differentiation/integration code, in a $30 arduino, that blows away anything i coulda done in 1980.

(i'm old.)

there's so much surplus around, now, than there was when R.S. was a real thing. Chinese are making good (and shit) stuff by the gigaton! Anything you want is out there now. it's fucking great.

So there's no way to make $$$$ off electronics hobbiests, really, for big fuckwad multinational pigs who are bad at taking advantage of the 'long tail' where us tech/science geeks now live.

Radio Shack: You have questions, we have blank stares.