Radio Shack in store prices!?

xanadu

This is probably the first time I've ever complained about the price of something electronic my entire life. I'm sure many people in this forum, myself included understand why costs can pile on a product. I stopped by a Shack today to pickup a USB hub and a memory card reader. Reasonable price, Kodak brand seems pretty durable too. I don't mind paying extra to patronize a local brick and mortar store, at all, but this is too much. When you mess with LEDs and shrink wrap, you mess with me lool.

The first thing that caught my eye was this LED kit - http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=17057016&retainProdsInSession=1&znt_campaign=Category_CMS&znt_source=CAT&znt_medium=RSCOM&znt_content=CT2032233

They had that $30 kit above, for $59.99 +tax. When I saw it i was floored. That isn't high pricing, that is stupid pricing. I couldn't believe it, so when I went home I looked online and it was only $30. Whew... kinda.

They also had this - http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=16306856&locale=en_US for $59.99 +tax.

I continued to look around and most electronic components there were listed at double the price as on the RS website. Do you think it's a scam the employees are running? Not a lot of other stuff in the store seemed over priced, but I did pay a lot more attention to the candy aisle.

Has anyone else seen that LED kit, and some of the other kits there for twice the price RS lists online?

xanadu

Okay I called some other stores, apparently this particular RS I went to is scamming people with the wrong prices or somehow, someway managed to print the wrong price on the placards with the correct item number.

NWCCTV

Well, I am not so sure about that. I seen the same LED kit for $49.99 in the local RS. And, did you by chance look at what was in it?? For that amount I could get several hundred LED's on EBay. I think there were at most 50 in the kit. I started talking to one of the sales people there about Parallax products. Somehow he got the impression I was talking about computers and started rambling on about Packard Bell!!!! I did not say anything and just walked away after paying for my $6.00 (clearance) 6v Solar panel. I usually do not buy much from RS unless it is an emergency. However, I will say that their PanaVise is about $40.00 cheaper than what I have found on line!!!

Ken Gracey

xanadu, the RadioShack you are visiting must be one of the affiliates, not a company-owned store. These stores have control over their own prices. The approximately 5,500 company-owned stores have prices controlled by the RadioShack Corporation.

One way to tell if your store is an affiliate (or "dealer" as I've heard them called) is that these stores sell all kinds of stuff you wouldn't find in a major company-owned RadioShack. Stuff like toys, computer parts, office supplies, etc. In small towns across America they might even do things like rent DVDs or garden equipment.

Don't ask me how I know all of these things. I'll tell you anyway. Twice, I've been to the RadioShack supplier/affiliate/corporate store events in Dallas. In these three-day events you learn everything about RadioShack, inside and out, and you get to talk to the people across the country who raise families from a RadioShack dealer setup.

I should let you know that RadioShack is a company of high integrity. You might be wondering about that statement, but it's true. I've worked with 100+ distributors around the world and RadioShack has the highest integrity, honesty and follow-through of any large distributor. Part of this has to be a function of where they are located, in Texas. Texas grows some super people, often quite conservative and always very kind.

xanadu

That explains it, luckily this store is off the beaten path. I don't know who is running it but I'd like to assume they do not want people coming there for electronic components.

Thanks for the replies

RS_Jim

Xanadu,
You can always confirm an in store price on radioshack.com.
Jim

Publison

RS_Jim wrote: »

Xanadu,
You can always confirm an in store price on radioshack.com.
Jim

I think Ken mentioned the non corporate stores:

xanadu, the RadioShack you are visiting must be one of the affiliates, not a company-owned store. These stores have control over their own prices.

I too, have notice the price differences in my area between corporate and dealers.

xanadu

RS_Jim wrote: »

Xanadu,
You can always confirm an in store price on radioshack.com.
Jim

That's only good for the "real" Radio Shacks now lol. Luckily there are real Radio Shacks left. If you come across one of the stores that doesn't follow the online pricing, RUN FOR YOUR LIFE! hehe

electromanj

At least you have a Radio Shack! Ours recently closed down and became a women's clothing store. I used to take my daughter for Saturday morning trips to RS to get experimentor's kits, and it was nice to have at least one place to pick up an enclosure or a few resistors or LED's. It was also cool to walk in there and see a Propeller (QS) hanging on the pegboard! My only option now is the internet.....

I do however, understand the fact that a business has to make a profit or at least break even through the lean years.

Props to Parallax (pun) for establishing a partnership with their customers from the beginning, and increasing it more EVERY SINGLE YEAR! Rock solid partnership that has not waivered.

traVis.

localroger

It's really a shame that the independents have become scammy. I used to relish the chance encounter with an independent -- there aren't any left in New Orleans -- when I travelled to remote small towns. Often they'd have wonderful things not carried by RS, often including old stock RS stuff and ham radio stuff RS never bothered to carry. Can't say I ever saw a ripoff price in one of those stores. Corporate should have some control over independents as a condition of their franchise, and I'm very surprised that they allow such pricing variations on standard RS product.