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View Full Version : Even CEO Can't Figure Out How RadioShack Still In Business



ELVIS
01-23-2008, 03:49 AM
"There must be some sort of business model that enables this company to make money, but I'll be damned if I know what it is," Day said. "You wouldn't think that people still buy enough strobe lights and extension cords to support an entire nationwide chain, but I guess they must, or I wouldn't have this desk to sit behind all day."

http://www.theonion.com/content/files/images/RadioShack-CEO.jpg

The retail outlet boasts more than 6,000 locations in the United States, and is known best for its wall-sized displays of obscure-looking analog electronics components and its notoriously desperate, high-pressure sales staff. Nevertheless, it ranks as a Fortune 500 company, with gross revenues of over $4.5 billion and fiscal quarter earnings averaging tens of millions of dollars.

"Have you even been inside of a RadioShack recently?" Day asked. "Just walking into the place makes you feel vaguely depressed and alienated. Maybe our customers are at the mall anyway and don't feel like driving to Best Buy? I suppose that's possible, but still, it's just...weird."

http://www.theonion.com/content/files/images/RadioShack.article.jpg
A RadioShack store that somehow manages to bring in enough paying customers to turn a profit.

After taking over as CEO, Day ordered a comprehensive, top-down review of RadioShack's administrative operations, inventory and purchasing, suppliers, demographics, and marketing strategies. He has also diligently pored over weekly budget reports, met with investors, taken numerous conference calls with regional managers about "circulars or flyers or something," and even spent hours playing with the company's "baffling" 200-In-One electronics kit. Yet so far none of these things have helped Day understand the moribund company's apparent allure.

"Even the name 'RadioShack'—can you imagine two less appealing words placed next to one another?" Day said. "What is that, some kind of World War II terminology? Are ham radio operators still around, even? Aren't we in the digital age?"

"Well, our customers are out there somewhere, and thank God they are," Day added.

One of Day's theories about RadioShack's continued solvency involves wedding DJs, emergency cord replacement, and off-brand wireless telephones. Another theory entails countless RadioShack gift cards that sit unredeemed in their recipients' wallets. Day has even conjectured that the store is "still coasting on" an enormous fortune made from remote-control toy cars in the mid-1970s.


Day admitted, however, that none of these theories seems particularly plausible.

"I once went into a RadioShack location incognito in order to gauge customer service," Day said. "It was about as inviting as a visit to the DMV. For the life of me, I couldn't see anything I wanted to buy. Finally, I figured I'd pick up some Enercell AA batteries, though truthfully they're not appreciably cheaper than the name brands."

"I know one thing," Day continued. "If Sony and JVC start including gold-tipped cable cords with their products, we're screwed."

In the cover letter to his December 2006 report to investors, "Radio Shack: Still Here In The 21st Century," Day wrote that he had no reason to believe that the coming year would not be every bit as good as years past, provided that people kept on doing things much the same way they always had.

Despite this cheerful boosterism, Day admitted that nothing has changed during his tenure and he doesn't exactly know what he can do to improve the chain.

"I'd like to capitalize on the store's strong points, but I honestly don't know what they are," Day said. "Every location is full of bizarre adapters, random chargers, and old boom boxes, and some sales guy is constantly hovering over you. It's like walking into your grandpa's basement. You always expect to see something cool, but it never delivers."

Added Day: "I may never know the answer. No matter how many times I punch the sales figures into this crappy Tandy desk calculator, it just doesn't add up."



:elvis:

Panamark
01-23-2008, 05:40 AM
What a dickhead ??

Electronic stores with adaptors and cables to interconnect
different devices are freakin goldmines..

Sounds like they need a new CEO....
(One that is an electronics geek)

LoungeMachine
01-23-2008, 08:20 AM
It's a parody, Marky :D

You'd have to be in one, to get it.

It's hilarious.

:gulp:

ELVIS
01-23-2008, 08:34 AM
:D

Panamark
01-23-2008, 10:24 PM
Ok gotcha...

Hey I have met with CEO's before, and this didn't surprise
me at all, thats even scarier !! lol..

Nitro Express
01-24-2008, 02:01 AM
I needed a power cable for a computer hard drive and you would think Radio Shack would have one. Nope. You have to mail order from Tiger Direct or Mouser. I needed a 20 foot XLR cable. Radio Shack was open and gee, they shoud have one, nope. I did buy a nice HDD/CD recorder there and they carry the Power Squid surge protector.

Panamark
01-24-2008, 04:30 AM
Radioshack sucks then.....

The CEO is right !

MERRYKISSMASS2U
01-24-2008, 04:36 AM
Originally posted by Panamark
Radioshack sucks then.....

The CEO is right !

You are lucky you live where they don't have them.

They are overpriced and they don't have ANYTHING. They do have some parts for DIY stuff, but that's about it. Last time I went, they didn't even have a very standard computer part.

Panamark
01-24-2008, 05:03 AM
We used to have Radioshack, then they became "Tandy"
Tandy was ok....
But then "Tandy" was bought out by "Dick Smith"
which is a much better electronics chain..

My favourite though (In Oz) is a chain called "Jaycar"
I can buy capacitors, resistors, every cable conceivable
and even make my own circuit boards.. They even
stock 12AX7's tubes ! Fookin ace place..

So where do all the electronics component freaks shop
in the US ??

I know it aint Best Buy.. Im talking basic components,
I always thought Radioshack was the place....
Is there somewhere better ??

ELVIS
01-24-2008, 06:57 PM
Back in the late 70's - early 80's, Radio Shack had everything...

VAN HLN CA
01-24-2008, 08:43 PM
What a typical Cooter. I will go out of my way just to not go in those doors.
Fry's is same but 100 times larger with things you want to buy but same sales freaks and inept customer service. I had to go through Main office one time for a clusterfuck return and the accounting gal flat out said "I can not believe this place even stays in business from disorganization to horrible service and employee disregard". When the economy is this fucked up retailers should do everything they can to Up Customer Service and Appeal, guess that makes too much sense.

Hummarstra
01-25-2008, 10:35 AM
The Onion?

LoungeMachine
01-25-2008, 10:44 AM
Originally posted by Hummarstra
The Onion?

probably.

ELVIS forgot to give credit where credit was due.

I mean we sure as hell know HE didn't write it. :D

WACF
01-25-2008, 11:44 AM
Originally posted by ELVIS
Back in the late 70's - early 80's, Radio Shack had everything...

Pretty much they were the go to place....I always found what I needed at RS back then.

Nitro Express
01-29-2008, 02:07 AM
Originally posted by ELVIS
Back in the late 70's - early 80's, Radio Shack had everything...

Yup. They mostly sold electronics parts and assembly equipment. It's where all the ham radio guys like my dad would pick up the spare parts they needed. Ed Van Halen actually bought his first Ohmite Variac at Radio Shack in the 70's. Try that now. They now have become a seller a shit remote control toys and Power Squid devices that you can flog your IT technitian with.

Romeo Delight
01-29-2008, 11:17 AM
I still have my 200-in-1 set:D

Panamark
01-29-2008, 08:59 PM
Originally posted by DavidFlamma
I still have my 200-in-1 set:D

Im am so jealous !!!

I loved those things, I had several, always number one
on my Christmas wish list. Great fun !! I was screwing around
with those from a very young age, I atually made a crystal
radio when I was 5 ! (With some help from my grandfather)
My career ended up in IT and electronics, so I guess it
showed from an early age with me...

I wonder if they still make em ??

bueno bob
01-30-2008, 10:48 AM
Honestly, I'm amazed Radio Shack is still is business, too. You walk in there and the first thing you notice is that you're the ONLY one in there...followed up by being tackled to the floor and pinned down by the one employee on staff and forced to buy something before you're released...

In all seriousness, Radio Shack doesn't have shit. The shit that it does have is overpriced, outdated, or simply crap. Short of batteries and cable, I can't think of anything a Radio Shack carries that I'd have any use for whatsoever. I would imagine the "People are in the mall anyway and don't want to drive to Best Buy" bit is probably more accurate than not.

After Tandy sunk millions upon millions of dollars into the failed experiment that was Incredible Universe (which I actually slightly miss, truth be told), I figured Radio Shack would go tits up within no time, but it still seems to be eeking out a meager continued existance for itself...how is a mystery...I guess the DIYers must be keeping it afloat...?

Diamondjimi
01-30-2008, 08:43 PM
Radio Shack has the creepiest sales people working there. I remember back when I would pop in on a gig day and buy a handful of their shitty ass cheap 9v batteries for my fx pedals. The geeks would stalk you around the store. So one time I'd had enough and turned around and barked at the fucker that the only thing worth stealing in this fucking store is these cheap ass 99 cent throw away batteries that I buy every goddamn week. Fuckin annoying..

Oh ,and who can forget that they practically command your name and address ph. # before they process the sale. My favourite names I would give were Ed Van Halen , Dave Roth ,Ritchie Blackmore to name a few.

In Canada Radio Shack has changed their name to The Source.

Same shit different name.........

Nickdfresh
08-30-2014, 11:52 AM
I just shopped there for the first time in years :D

Kristy
08-30-2014, 11:58 AM
'Da Shack is still good for some things:

cadaverdog
08-30-2014, 04:37 PM
So where do all the electronics component freaks shop
in the US ??

I know it aint Best Buy.. Im talking basic components,
I always thought Radioshack was the place....
Is there somewhere better ??
I imagine most people here in So Cal buy components like hard drives and such on line. They have one owner electronics stores in most of the strip malls but half the time they're not open or you have to special order everything. If you're going to special order electronics you can usually find them cheaper on line yourself anyway.

FORD
08-30-2014, 05:13 PM
I used to go to Radio Shack at least once a month. Some times more often than that, depending on how many parts I needed for whatever project.

Can't remember the last time I was in one, though when ever it was, it seemed like they were turning into just another cell phone store. Mostly because I avoid malls in general whenever possible. Though I think there's still one with an outside entrance in a strip mall here, should I need them. Fact is I can probably get parts cheaper from Newegg or Amazon. Or E-bay, where shit is really cheap, provided you're willing to wait a month for it to be shipped from China.

If there were still a local electronics store, I'd rather buy from them than online, but when it's "chain store in a mall" vs "online" then online usually wins.... especially if it's free shipping.

cadaverdog
08-30-2014, 05:27 PM
Radio Shack used to sell decent quality speakers. I guess they still do. I think everyone I knew when I was a teenager had a pair of the ones with the the covers sort of like these but regular box speakers.
12078
I replaced the speakers in mine with 8" Lafayette dual cones which were much better quality. I still had a pair about 10 years ago but I gave them away because I wasn't using them. I had a pair of the newer Optimus speakers that look like small P A speakers in my garage but my ex has them and won't give them back.
I replaced that sideways image but I can't delete it. Is there a way?

FORD
08-30-2014, 05:39 PM
That's weird.... I click the edit button on your post and I see the "corrected" attachment, number 12078. There's no code there for the original attachment, number 12077. So it's kinda hard to delete something that isn't there. Even though it visibly is. :confused13:

cadaverdog
08-30-2014, 05:52 PM
That's weird.... I click the edit button on your post and I see the "corrected" attachment, number 12078. There's no code there for the original attachment, number 12077. So it's kinda hard to delete something that isn't there. Even though it visibly is. :confused13:
I've had the same thing happen at another site too. Once you post an image it's impossible to delete because nothing's there when you try to edit the post.

Nickdfresh
08-30-2014, 07:03 PM
To my surprise, they actually had a decent gauge aux cable adapter for my weird Sony Sports headphones that came with an ext. cable because the cable out of the headphones is just ridiculously short, but this is the third one. Hopefully, this lasts being banged around the gym on the cardio machines a little better. But yeah, there was one guy in there before me and after that I was the only one in there :D

twonabomber
08-30-2014, 08:52 PM
Stopped in the local RS a couple times this year. Needed some mono 1/8" plugs and jacks...$8? Could have had them a lot cheaper and the next day from Parts Express but I wanted to get that project done so I bought 'em.

I remember getting the catalogs every year, and stopping in the old store to play the Tandy Color Computer while ma was grocery shopping. I hated the sticks on that computer...ended up with a C64. RS used to be the last place in town to get blank Beta tapes, too.

There's a guy named Dave that's been working there since the early 90's. Saw him the last time I was in there and thought he was old in the 90's, he's gotta be close to 80 now.

FORD
08-30-2014, 11:15 PM
Stopped in the local RS a couple times this year. Needed some mono 1/8" plugs and jacks...$8? Could have had them a lot cheaper and the next day from Parts Express but I wanted to get that project done so I bought 'em.

I remember getting the catalogs every year, and stopping in the old store to play the Tandy Color Computer while ma was grocery shopping. I hated the sticks on that computer...ended up with a C64. RS used to be the last place in town to get blank Beta tapes, too.

There's a guy named Dave that's been working there since the early 90's. Saw him the last time I was in there and thought he was old in the 90's, he's gotta be close to 80 now.

Would that be the original Trash-80 with the rubber chiclet keyboard? :biggrin:

http://www.esacademic.com/pictures/eswiki/84/TRS-80_Color_Computer_1.jpg

twonabomber
08-31-2014, 07:00 AM
Yup. With those horrible little controllers. They used to have some Boulder Dash or Miner 2049'er type game on it all the time.