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Radio Shack 20% sale on Arduino — Parallax Forums

Radio Shack 20% sale on Arduino

Too_Many_ToolsToo_Many_Tools Posts: 765
edited 2013-07-01 06:57 in General Discussion
I just saw that Radio Shack is having a 20% sale on select Arduino processors.

Has Radio Shack had a similar sale on Parallax components in the past?
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Comments

  • RS_JimRS_Jim Posts: 1,766
    edited 2013-06-28 06:11
    Yes,
    And some of the Parallax products are on clearence.
    Jim
  • Too_Many_ToolsToo_Many_Tools Posts: 765
    edited 2013-06-29 13:08
    What Parallax products were on sale and what percentage were the prices off from full retail?

    One time deal or does it happen on a regular basis?

    I spoke with a RS employee who mentioned that the response to the 20% Arduino sale was very good.

    RS_Jim wrote: »
    Yes,
    And some of the Parallax products are on clearence.
    Jim
  • PublisonPublison Posts: 12,366
    edited 2013-06-29 13:15
    Too_Many_Tools wrote: »
    What Parallax products were on sale and what percentage were the prices off from full retail?

    That would depend on the store. If it is a corporate store, they may follow the corporate prices. If it is a franchise, they set their own prices and don't always follow corporate sales prices.
  • Too_Many_ToolsToo_Many_Tools Posts: 765
    edited 2013-06-29 13:30
    Publison wrote: »
    That would depend on the store. If it is a corporate store, they may follow the corporate prices. If it is a franchise, they set their own prices and don't always follow corporate sales prices.

    I spoke with corporate.

    The 20% Arduino sale response has been very good.
  • xanaduxanadu Posts: 3,347
    edited 2013-06-29 13:38
    Why would you think that Parallax products haven't been on sale?

    If you can't get out to the stores you should just use their web site or the phone. All stores are going to be different, they have online pricing as well. The store nearest you may accommodate your requests for items they don't have, or offer you deals other stores are honoring. I really suggest you go find out, and tell us what you find :)
  • ctwardellctwardell Posts: 1,716
    edited 2013-06-29 13:49
    Too_Many_Tools wrote: »
    What Parallax products were on sale and what percentage were the prices off from full retail?

    One time deal or does it happen on a regular basis?

    I spoke with a RS employee who mentioned that the response to the 20% Arduino sale was very good.

    Supposing someone could pull this info out of thin air, what good would it do?

    What products and prices have been available in the past doesn't guarantee anything about what products and prices will be available in the future.

    For some strange reason it feels like your on an easter egg hunt looking for a reason to sue somebody.

    C.W.
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    edited 2013-06-29 14:18
    ctwardell wrote: »
    For some strange reason it feels like your on an easter egg hunt looking for a reason to sue somebody.

    Agreed, it does seem like some of TMT's posts belabor moot points and are aimed mainly to "stir the pot". They have a different tone & manner from most other posts in this unusually friendly, supportive and helpful forum.

    Time to move on and get back to our numerous interesting Parallax projects.
  • Too_Many_ToolsToo_Many_Tools Posts: 765
    edited 2013-06-29 14:20
    I have asked...

    "Has Radio Shack had a similar sale on Parallax components in the past? "

    "What Parallax products were on sale and what percentage were the prices off from full retail?"

    "One time deal or does it happen on a regular basis?"

    All legitimate questions.

    If you have information that answers these specific questions I look forward to reading it.

    Thank you.
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2013-06-29 14:29
    TMT,
    One just has to wonder why you would want to know or care what price product X was for sale at vendor Y at some time in the past Z?
    You have to admit that is a trifle wierd.
  • Too_Many_ToolsToo_Many_Tools Posts: 765
    edited 2013-06-29 14:33
    FWIW..the same questions in respect to Arduino/RS posted on a couple of Arduino related sites have generated friendly informative responses with none of the negativity that has been shown here.

    Again if you have information in regards to my specific questions on the sale of Parallax products at Radio Shack, I look forward to reading it.

    erco wrote: »
    Agreed, it does seem like some of TMT's posts belabor moot points and are aimed mainly to "stir the pot". They have a different tone & manner from most other posts in this unusually friendly, supportive and helpful forum.

    Time to move on and get back to our numerous interesting Parallax projects.
  • mindrobotsmindrobots Posts: 6,506
    edited 2013-06-29 14:40
    All are legitimate questions to ask of Radio Shack's corporate marketing department. Unusual questions to ask on Parallax's forum. Anything you get from forum members is purely anecdotal. I may have bought a Parallax item on sale from Radio Shack, other Parallax items may or may not have been on sale at the same time. My Radio Shack may have been participating in a regional promotion or a corporate wide promotion. As a customer, I would not know (or care). Historical marketing programs and sales have little relevance on future retail marketing and promotion programs.

    As others have said, these aren't typical questions and the forum members or Parallax REALLY can't answer for what Radio Shack has done in the past or will do in the future with Parallax products or any other product lines they carry.

    What do you think you can do with this info? You said you are using Radio Shack as an emergency supplier? If it's an emergency and they have the product then buy it. If you take time to gather and analyze the RS sales data and trends to predict if an item will be on sale next week and wait, we'll then it's not an emergency so order from Parallax.
  • xanaduxanadu Posts: 3,347
    edited 2013-06-29 14:48
    Too_Many_Tools wrote: »
    FWIW..the same questions in respect to Arduino/RS posted on a couple of Arduino related sites have generated friendly informative responses with none of the negativity that has been shown here.
    .

    I just saw your other threads and a BUNCH of great responses! If I had read them first I would have kept my mouth shut lol.
  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    edited 2013-06-29 14:59
    Parallax has a long history of sharing information with its customers, mostly here, and mostly from people that know including the owners. If they haven't said anything, either they don't know any more than we do or maybe they've been asked not to share the information at this time for some reason and they're respectful and principled people.

    As mindrobots said, your questions are better answered by Radio Shack's marketing people. Parallax may be able to ask Radio Shack to feature their products more prominently and Parallax may have marketing suggestions for Radio Shack regarding Parallax's products, but what Radio Shack does in their stores is strictly their business or that of their franchisees.
  • Too_Many_ToolsToo_Many_Tools Posts: 765
    edited 2013-06-29 16:04
    Mike, I just asked some simple and straightforward questions as to whether Radio Shack has had similar Parallax sales to the current Arduino sale in the past...the best indicator as to whether they will in the future.

    Simple and straightforward questions.

    Other than for one response of "yes" (with no more expansion on that response) and now the "go ask Radio Shack" comments, the responses have been noninformative and negative in nature.

    That was not the response I saw on Arduino forums when I asked if Radio Shack has had similar sales of Arduino products in the past....responses were friendly and informative.

    However one wishes to spin the narrative, I am finding that this forum is not as friendly or open as it claims to be. One only needs to review previous discussions concerning the Arduino line versus the Parallax offerings to see the open hostility on this forum that some posters exhibit...and Parallax allows to occur.

    At the present moment I am reviewing several proposals for training groups of varying backgrounds within our company so a local source of components is important. The online support for those components is as important as this sucess of this effort will be the responsibility of the employee with minimal company support. While I acknowledge that Parallax is one of the better supported lines, my very brief exposure to the negativity here is causing me to seriously rethink whether I will have any my entry level employees use the Basic Stamp as their initial learning platform.

    I also note that the label "troll" has been used frequently here...that name calling has not been seen in other forum venues for Arduino and other microcontroller vendor forum sites I have visited. I have to ask myself why I would direct any employee attempting to learn the basics of microcontroller programming to a site where they are likely to be called names and verbally abused for asking simple and straightforward questions.

    As I mentioned earlier...I have asked several simple and straightforward questions in regards to the history of Parallax sales at Radio Shack...an authorized Parallax retailer...and I asked them here on the Parallax forum of Parallax users who would naturally be the customers of Radio Shack. The response has been surprising and quite revealing.

    As a mod for this forum, I ask that you work to make this site a welcoming and informative resource for Parallax customers...of all levels of sophistication.

    Thanks


    Mike Green wrote: »
    Parallax has a long history of sharing information with its customers, mostly here, and mostly from people that know including the owners. If they haven't said anything, either they don't know any more than we do or maybe they've been asked not to share the information at this time for some reason and they're respectful and principled people.

    As mindrobots said, your questions are better answered by Radio Shack's marketing people. Parallax may be able to ask Radio Shack to feature their products more prominently and Parallax may have marketing suggestions for Radio Shack regarding Parallax's products, but what Radio Shack does in their stores is strictly their business or that of their franchisees.
  • dgatelydgately Posts: 1,630
    edited 2013-06-29 16:23
    I think you'll find that the Parallax staff is very helpful and open to questions... You can always email them, in fact use the forum's private messaging to get a direct response.

    Your questions seemed a bit like asking "What price did you pay for strawberries at your local Safeway?" and the answers depended on locality, season, access to fresh fruit delivery, etc... So, folks on the forum were a bit perplexed.

    My local Radio Shack stores (I live just outside Silicon Valley) all have had sale/clearance prices on Parallax, SparkFun and Arduino products at one time or another. I don't remember a specific %-off sale for Parallax products at any of them (Radio Shack's are almost like Starbuck in this part of the country. There's one in almost every strip mall). I did recently pick-up the HMC588CL Compass for $19.99 (regularly $29.99) at Radio Shack. At the same RS, the price of the QuickStart is $43 instead of $29.99.

    It's all a bit perplexing but probably more a Radio Shack policy/non-policy on pricing at individual stores rather than anything that Parallax would dictate...

    BTW: If your area has Frys Electronic Stores, you'll find another vexing array of products from store to store...

    dgately
  • KeithEKeithE Posts: 957
    edited 2013-06-29 16:26
    Just recently (in the last month or so?) there were some Basic Stamp boards on clearance in Radio Shack. I can't remember the exact model, but I think that it is still on sale at the Parallax store.

    Probably this one - http://www.parallax.com/StoreSearchResults/tabid/768/List/0/SortField/4/catpageindex/3/ProductID/789/Default.aspx?txtSearch=basic+stamp
  • PublisonPublison Posts: 12,366
    edited 2013-06-29 16:45
    Too_Many_Tools wrote: »
    Mike, I just asked some simple and straightforward questions as to whether Radio Shack has had similar Parallax sales to the current Arduino sale in the past...the best indicator as to whether they will in the future.

    Simple and straightforward questions.

    This is a support forum for the Parallax products concerning programming and hardware connection solutions. For the most part, we are not associated with Parallax and just try to lend a hand.

    You really need to call Parallax with your questions. We can't answer them here.
  • xanaduxanadu Posts: 3,347
    edited 2013-06-29 16:52
    Wow what a misunderstanding we have here... People do come here to "troll" and "stir the pot", etc all the time. That's all there is to it, you had a low post count, people are going to expect it sometimes. It's like a spam filter with a false positive, I think now that everyone has a better idea of why and what you're looking for you'll find the responses to not be as "negative".

    If my response was annoying feel free to let me know I really should be working right now anway.
  • ctwardellctwardell Posts: 1,716
    edited 2013-06-29 16:52
    Too_Many_Tools wrote: »
    Mike, I just asked some simple and straightforward questions as to whether Radio Shack has had similar Parallax sales to the current Arduino sale in the past...the best indicator as to whether they will in the future.

    TMT, you then follow up with very specific questions about what specific item, what specific percent off, etc, very few people keep track of such things, that is why you get the responses about asking Radio Shack.
    Too_Many_Tools wrote: »
    I have to ask myself why I would direct any employee attempting to learn the basics of microcontroller programming to a site where they are likely to be called names and verbally abused for asking simple and straightforward questions.

    Ask some technical questions instead and you'll find you get very good help around here, most folks here are technical in nature and love to help people with technical problems, bean counter issues no so much.

    C.W.
  • PublisonPublison Posts: 12,366
    edited 2013-06-29 16:53
    Too_Many_Tools wrote: »

    At the present moment I am reviewing several proposals for training groups of varying backgrounds within our company so a local source of components is important. The online support for those components is as important as this sucess of this effort will be the responsibility of the employee with minimal company support. While I acknowledge that Parallax is one of the better supported lines, my very brief exposure to the negativity here is causing me to seriously rethink whether I will have any my entry level employees use the Basic Stamp as their initial learning platform.

    I

    Then I would implore you to call the Parallax education dept. This is what they do, and been doing it for over 15 years.

    http://www.parallax.com/Education/EducationHome/tabid/463/Default.aspx
  • Mike GMike G Posts: 2,702
    edited 2013-06-29 17:07
    My wife is out of town and I've been eyeballing a bag of potato chip. They're on sale for 1.99. That's a good deal right there. Do ya think I can get away with it?
  • TtailspinTtailspin Posts: 1,326
    edited 2013-06-29 18:38
    "Radio Shack 20% sale on Arduino" was a question? :)


    -Tommy
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    edited 2013-06-29 19:42
    @Mike G: Highly doubtful. What percentage off is the sale price?
  • WhitWhit Posts: 4,191
    edited 2013-06-29 20:04
    @ Mike G. - I say go for a bag of Propeller Chips!

    Get em straight from Parallax too...
  • Mike GMike G Posts: 2,702
    edited 2013-06-29 22:35
    Lay's chips are going for 3.49 so we're looking at about 43% off at Fry's Grocery store. I'm not sure about Safeway, I'm sure they'll be on sale soon.

    Whit, Potato chips - Propeller chips... Hilarious.
  • RDL2004RDL2004 Posts: 2,554
    edited 2013-06-29 22:45
    I bought a 9 oz. bag of Kroger brand "wavy" style potato chips today for only $1.88 with my Kroger card savings. They're pretty good.
  • Martin_HMartin_H Posts: 4,051
    edited 2013-06-30 06:28
    True confession time. I've never bought an official Arduino, as all my boards are freeduino clones that cost less than $20. So 20% off is still more than I've spent. My favorite is the NKC Electronics serial version which was cheap ($16), but they discontinued it. Most of the others are TTL serial bare bones models for around $13, so you can embed them in a project and forget about it.

    Some of the clones are better than the original too. Common improvements include a mini USB (it doesn't short out shields), a second row of headers spaced to fit perfboard, and an on/off switch. Frankly I don't know why some of these improvements aren't incorporated back into the original.
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2013-06-30 06:39
    Much like the original S100 bus or the IBM PC the Arduino came out warts and all. Very quickly an infrastructure builds on top of it. Going back to fix it would just break too many things and upset a lot of suppliers and customers.
  • prof_brainoprof_braino Posts: 4,313
    edited 2013-06-30 06:52
    Interesting offer. But it doesn't fill any need for this guy.

    I don't have any projects that are small enough to justify and Arduino, and still large enough to justify the (huge) effort to get it going. [huge compared to zero extra effort just to do it in propforth]. The one exception is my reprap prusa, which does have an arduino, and the only had to change three parameters. Of course it took days and days to get the softwarre tool chain working, but even that was a net saving; and I know the guys that wrote the code do fine work. But aside from that, I simply don't have time and space for another tool chain.
  • ajwardajward Posts: 1,130
    edited 2013-06-30 08:36
    The local 'Shack has had a "What's a Microcontroller" kit on sale for 20% off for some time now... =only= $79.99. Mind you this one is so old the plastic shell packaging is starting to turn translucent so it's hard to make out what's inside. They do have a couple of newer ones in the store, but they're pretty well hidden behind other products and are priced at $99.99! :-|
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