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RADIO SHACK

C

ChiefOperator

This is more of a rant, probably worth a pass, but here we go. How many of you use Radio Shack for basic components? I can't believe the outrageous prices for some items.

I'm spoiled because my city has a high quality, independent electronics store that supplies most of the stations, both radio and TV. Good selection, good prices, and a sharp staff. I buy most, if not all, of my supplies there.

Sunday, I had to purchase a couple RJ45 and UR connectors for an urgent job. My electronics store was closed. I walked into Radio Shack only to find that a 5 pack of RJ45 connectors was almost $9!
I can buy the same at my electronics store for about $1 or $2. The UR connectors were just as expensive.

Not only were the prices obscene, but the selection was poor. I couldn't find some other very basic items.

Are you folks buying at this joke of a store? If so, have your experiences been better than mine?
 
Yah,A joke.I went to the Cell Shack about two months ago to look for those wires with alligator clips at both ends.I figure they were about $3.50 a bag.When I checked .They were about $7.99.I turned around and walked out.What a shame when the new generation of ceo's took over the chain.It went to the sheets.RS was a electronics palace back in the 70's and the early 1980's.Now i stay away from Cell shack.
 
What little they do stock anymore is made in Taiwan and of dubious quality. The employees are pretty much useless drones. THe prices are higher than anywhere else and they ALWAYS try to sell an extended warranty with your purchase.
 
Hey, an extended warranty on a bag of resistors can be useful! Especially when you're paying 10x what you'd pay at Mouser.
 
I stopped in to ol' Radio Snake to buy a USB cable. They were charging $25.99 for a 6' cable. I literally laughed out loud, explained to the manager why I was leaving, and ordered two of them online for $2.99 each.

Maybe I'll stop back for their "Going Out Of Business Sale".
 
And when I was checking out, I was behind a guy buying and activating his new cell phone--took forever. So, I was in a great mood as I paid for my overpriced items. And of course, the staff can't answer any questions, but they can always ask whether you wish to purchase batteries.

What a laugh, a far cry from the Radio Shack of years ago.
 
I stopped in to look for a frequency counter. Have several of them from past years. The guy on duty when asked said " "All we do is sell cellular phones and stock electronics these days."

Looking for an HDMI cable. Went to Wal mart. $60 for a pack of 2 6 foot cables. Big lots had them for $12.

RG 45 is available in bulk at Home Depot and Lowes.

Our town ahs no independent parts store. I stock up as much as I can through the internet and at Hamfests.
 
Be thankful you don't live in New Zealand.

Back in the 80s we had a chain of stores called David Reid Electronics. They had an awesome inventory, and all the parts were high quality Japanese sourced components. Switches from Miyama, knobs from Sato Parts, tools from Cooper, Goot and Xcelite etc.

In 1984, Dick Smith Electronics from Australia arrived here. For a while, both chains existed side by side in many towns and cities, although Dicks had a fairly small range compared to David Reid. Their products were reasonable quality though.

Not long after, Dicks bought out all of the David Reid stores, and turned them into Dick Smith outlets. Gradually over a period of time, the quality of the components started to fall. It was obvious they were moving away from quality componentry to cheap 'imitation' items sourced from china and Taiwan.

Over the last 10 years, Dick Smiths has slowly lowered their stock levels, gradually moving out of components altogether - now they just sell consumer electronics. TVs, computers, iPods and the like. If you want a connector or a switch, you're out of luck.

There is another chain of electronic stores here however called Jaycar. They are another Australian outfit that expanded their operations across the water to New Zealand. I think they arrived here in the 1990s. At least they still sell components, most of them reasonable quality - but much of their stuff is sourced from china and it's not really fit for commercial/broadcast use.

If you want to pay through the nose you can buy from RS Components - they generally have everything you'd need, but they are hideously expensive. The same goes for what was known as Farnell Components (now called Element 14).

Fortunately there is an alternative and that is Ebay. There is usually someone selling what I need on there. The prices are generally good, the service is pretty good, I can see what I am purchasing and in most cases it only takes 7 - 14 days for the parts to arrive.

I keep good stocks of basic parts, and order in the one-off items and the more obscure parts as I need them.

Redundancy is the key here - having a second, standby unit that can be pushed into service while the dead one is awaiting parts - and just hope the standby unit doesn't die in the meantime!

[Incidentally, we don't have Radio Shack here - they never managed to get this far south!]
 
Typically when I go to the Shack, they either don't have what I am looking for, or what they do have is about 3 or 4 times what it costs elsewhere. I don't even know why I waste my time with them anymore.
 
Radio Shack, Best Buy, etc... They are all crazy. I saw a friend who bought a 100 dollar 6 foot HDMI cable. I just shook my head in disbelief. He 'needed' it for 3D.

Hmmm. My TV does 3D great with my $4 12 Foot HDMI cable from monoprice.
 
Well, Radio Shaft has often been called "The 7-11 of Sound". It's a convenience store, just like the 7-11s were. So, just like you don't buy your groceries at the 7-11, you shouldn't consider RS to be your componant distributor. If they have something you need, prepare to pay convenience store prices. Really, they've always charged at least 5x more for parts than anywhere else. Now they have far fewer parts and charge 10x more, but the principle is the same.

Now, the $100 HDMI cable... well, that's just beyond silly.
I buy them online for about $3.00.
 
I missed the local small ma+pa electronics parts dealers in my area like Hatry electronics inc which it still alive in Hartford,Tron Town USA in Wallingford,Signal Center,ESC in North Haven CT.I remember the old Lafeyette in Hamden CT when my dad always brought me there.RS killed Lafeyette like Walmart and Home Depot did to the little Ma+Pa hardware stores.I agree on RS as a convenience store of electronics.
 
Too bad, RS. I buy most everything from Alllied...their catalog is over 1,200 pages, updated every year. Almost never out of stock. Their phone girls are efficient and somewhat knowlegable...all
I need is a phone.JBI
 
WPPCProductions said:
I missed the local small ma+pa electronics parts dealers in my area like Hatry electronics inc which it still alive in Hartford,Tron Town USA in Wallingford,Signal Center,ESC in North Haven CT.I remember the old Lafeyette in Hamden CT when my dad always brought me there.RS killed Lafeyette like Walmart and Home Depot did to the little Ma+Pa hardware stores.I agree on RS as a convenience store of electronics.
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I know I've been using Park Distributors in Bridgeport for years and I know a few fellow engineers who do likewise. They most always have the parts on hand and are pretty knowledgeable on things. On other occasions I end up ordering from Mouser.
 
Charlie Tandy would be ashamed of Radio Shack today. I worked in a "tech" store in the 80's, part time, and usually made decent commission (before they screwed with that) from knowing the parts wall. It was a vital part of the store and at the time priced decently. I always siad in later years R.S. modeled it's business plan after Sears, and that was a mistake!
 
How bout "Cell Phone Battery Check of the Month Club" Remeber the classic free RS battery of the month club.The Shack will test and check your cell phone batteries life.If it dying they will sell you a new one for a kings ransom.Hahaha.
 
I ran my first radio station on the Radio Shack/Tandy mixer :)

We had a Tandy store (as did much of the UK) until about 2000 - back in the early 90s, I'd visit frequently at the weekend in my capacity as a 14yr-old schoolkid making up little timer projects and audio amps etc. They were mostly about plastic hi-fi systems and radio-controlled models but they did a bit of disco/PA gear and common value discrete components plus a decent range of scanners including the Pro-41 which I bought in 1995 and still works to this day.

Eventually, and - like the other stories here - they gradually reduced the amount of electronic parts and went down the consumer hi-fi/TV route and in the end Carphone Warehouse bought them and most stores closed or become mobile phone shops. Luckily, we have a fairly good Maplin store in town and although there's a reasonable selection in store, the prices (as expected) aren't as competative as CPC/Farnell etc.

Thinking back, in around 1993, we did have a very small independant electronics store ran by a middle-aged couple - the shop was tiny and the counter surrounded the door so only about 3 people could be in at a time - but behind the counter were racks of micro-drawers and shelves of practically every capacitor/resistor/semiconductor available.
 
Went to the Shaft looking for a RJ-45 coupler... Discontinued. I went there next week for a UPS... Discontinued. I went there for bulk coax cable.... Discontinued. My trips to the Shaft without calling first have been.... Discontinued. Charlie Tandy has to spinning in his grave. They even took his name off his business. To be honest though, it might be less insulting considering how they run things now. Bernie Appel has to be just shaking his head in disbelief at his former employer. They are so screwed up it's amazing.
 
Amen,

the last few times I have been there I have walked out.

I recently had a customer looking for something (I can't recall exactly, it think it was an AGC fuse) at the hardware store. We did not have it so I suggested radio shack. Customer said he'd been there already.

There is a lot to be said of the convenience of being able to pick up something in real time, but it is no longer worth what they (over) charge.

Hopefully someone will fill this nich.

Rolf

ssivers said:
Typically when I go to the Shack, they either don't have what I am looking for, or what they do have is about 3 or 4 times what it costs elsewhere. I don't even know why I waste my time with them anymore.
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