Ok it is time for me to weigh in on this. Every retailer has clearance sales to move last years merchandise (obsolete fast in this inductry) and merchandise that just did not move like the buyers expected.
The television news story missed the point entirely! We have not gotten rid of DIY electronics in favor of cell phones, that is the stratagy of 5 years ago and that did not work. If you look closely, you will see that the parts drawers have gotten a face lift with new fronts and new products. The technology and educational kits sections have dumped some old poor sellers and added things like EL lighting and LED strips. New servos, stepper motors and more. Yes the Arduino stuff seems to get a better play, but that seems normal, we still have a lot of Parallax product, and I for one push it whenever I can. And, yes our prices are higher thatn what you can pay on line, very normal for brick and morter retail. You can return products that don't function as you envisioned much more redily than with on line purchases where you cease to exist when the money is paid.
As far as store design is concerned, the company is instituting a concept of design for the demographics of the neighborhood. The New NYC store is an example of this. The store is located near high end retailers like Sachs and Macys and other high end stores. Next the store has been redesigned to better showcase the products we do sell. The parts drawers are lower so that one could lay a set of plans on top while choosing the parts from the drawers below. The news stories fail to mention DIY and parts I am sure because that is not of interest to wall street, though it generates profit for the company.
This is the first time in about six years that the company has started moving forward in revamping the look of stores and trying to tailor merchandise selection to the population of the area. I have heard the rumor that the store I am in will get a remodel this year, time will tell. Needs it, it is over 30 years old!
New this year is an expansion in employee training to consumer electronics and I think DIY. I have completed the CE training as far as it is available and will complete the rest when the final exam is published. Our name badges will reflect our training status. Maybe we can get some associates that can speak more inteligently to things besides cell phones.
It isn't all RS's fault here.. (Or the CEO for that matter) I think a combination of factors come into play, including a generation of folks who would rather buy a gadget/toy instead of building it. It's part of the reason we lost our local hardware store. A generation of folks who are used to repairing an item instead of just replacing it are passing on.
Sorry, but that statement does fit observation. A whole generation is different than the previous generation? This generation is nearly identical to the previous generation, as always. Only the products available are different.
Radio shack started out as a supplier of parts and equipment for ham radio. It has traditionally been the only local place for electronic parts. While finished products like radios and cell phones may be in scope, the electronic parts is the only thing unique. It not the most profitable niche, but is solid nonetheless. As RS move from the electronic parts niche, they lose customers.
Many organizations sacrifice long term sustainability in favor of a better looking bottom line for one quarter. Typically this proves to have a negative impact overall. Many low margin parts sales or very few high margin finished goods sales? This decision is completely in the control of RS and its CEO.
I don't want high school dropouts pushing crappy phones and overpriced contracts. I want parts I can use for my project; Radio shack stopped providing them, I went elsewhere. When RS say they are switching from phones to back to parts, I give them a try. Then I buy my parts where I find them.
I read this post and got all excited. Decided to head for the closest Radio Shack today, which is 45 minutes away. I hadn't been there in about 2 weeks so figured I'd see if I could snatch up a good deal or 50.
I pulled in the parking lot and.... it was gone. The K-Mart right beside it was being hauled off in dump trucks and the Radio Shack looked like it had been in a tornado.
I guess they meant it when they said they were reducing inventory!
Radio Shack going under or getting out of the parts business will stink from my POV. I always find I need some part that I forgot with my online order and in 15 minutes I can have what I need.
OK, here's a stupid idea: If it goes under this year, lets do a kickstarter, and buy the stores and parts operations from the parent. We change the format and inventory to just parts. We buy is huge volume, and sell for just double the cost of the part and shipping for a one-off order.
We have benches and equipment set up, so folks that signed the waver and are checked on record for using the euqipment can come in and swap in the last part, and hang out and test. Soldering irons, O-scope, power supply, etc. Folks can walk in with a project, buy something, warm an iron while making the purchase, and solder it in, test it, and leave. Or hang out and buy more stuff.
We hire only retired geezers like us that can actually work out the correct value for a resistor in a given circuit.
I wonder how they decide what products to drop.
I went to RS yesterday to get some "F" coax connector weather boots. It is discontinued but I managed to find some at a different RS.
Found them on eBay, but didn't need 100 of them
I went to my local Radio Shack and picked up an Arduino proto shield kit ($7), a pro-line soldering iron ($21) and spare tip ($4). The spare tip is so I'll have at least one replacement if it uses a nonstandard tip size. They didn't have any Parallax stuff on sale, otherwise I would have bought something.
Yes - K8055RS. And that's exactly what I got it for - some of my stuff uses a computer web-screen interface to control a microcontroller, which controls other stuff. I've often thought it would be more efficient to just use the computer to do the control functions directly, since one has to be present anyway. This seems like a good possibility.
I have no clue how to write DLLs, though... :-) Is it written in C++, or?
Yes - K8055RS. And that's exactly what I got it for - some of my stuff uses a computer web-screen interface to control a microcontroller, which controls other stuff. I've often thought it would be more efficient to just use the computer to do the control functions directly, since one has to be present anyway. This seems like a good possibility.
I have no clue how to write DLLs, though... :-) Is it written in C++, or?
It comes with a DLL which is not compatible with Visual Basic, so I wrote a wrapper DLL in VB6...
The attached zip file also has a a .vbs and .hta (HTML application) file which use my DLL.
Just save the DLL in Windows\System32 and use regsvr32 to register it.
That's very kind of you, thanks! It'll probably be a week or two before I have time to build the 8055 (I have live projects installing tomorrow, and a few things backed up right behind it) - but this will really help me figure a few things out and maybe make something useful with direct USB control!
Thanks for posting your DLL for the K8055RS board.
I bought one of these boards on clearance at RS, I have not assembled the kit yet.
Can you please explain what you mean by "use regsvr32 to register it"?
Thanks for posting your DLL for the K8055RS board.
I bought one of these boards on clearance at RS, I have not assembled the kit yet.
Can you please explain what you mean by "use regsvr32 to register it"?
Thanks,
Zappman
Most DLL and OCX (ActiveX) files need to be registered when added to a Windows operating system. A setup program normally does this for you, but I didn't bother creating an install program for this.
Copy the K8055D.DLL (from the Velleman CD) and my USB8055.DLL into the C:Windows\System32 folder.
Then open a DOS command prompt and change to the C:\Windows\System32 folder.
Most DLL and OCX (ActiveX) files need to be registered when added to a Windows operating system. A setup program normally does this for you, but I didn't bother creating an install program for this.
Copy the K8055D.DLL (from the Velleman CD) and my USB8055.DLL into the C:Windows\System32 folder.
Then open a DOS command prompt and change to the C:\Windows\System32 folder.
Most DLL and OCX (ActiveX) files need to be registered when added to a Windows operating system. A setup program normally does this for you, but I didn't bother creating an install program for this.
Copy the K8055D.DLL (from the Velleman CD) and my USB8055.DLL into the C:Windows\System32 folder.
Then open a DOS command prompt and change to the C:\Windows\System32 folder.
The Shack's cleaning house, getting leaner and thinning the herd in order to become a "technology playground". Still no smoking deals in my local Shack.
In their frenzied panic to reduce SKU count from 4000 to 3000, I hope they don't lose their few remaining drawers full of components.
Indeed. And it looks like money was the first thing they swept out the door.
"The stock has fallen from $78.50 in December 1999 to about $3.25 currently. Its market capitalization is just $322 million—down from a peak of $16 billion in 1999."
I picked up a Arduino Motor Shield regular price $34.95 for $9.95 even the salesman that waited on me said that was an excellent deal. He also said they are only clearing out what are the slow moving products. Like Loopy said the best way to buy from Radio Shack is to wait 6 months to a year after they do a big push on electronic components because by then they price them at up to 75% off to get them out the door. No wonder Radio Shack is slowly going out of business.
Radio Shack has a fraction of the electronic components they had a few years ago and what they still have is highly overpriced. Who is their core customer? The Radio Shack I knew as a kid is nothing like it is today.
I stopped in at four Edmonton stores since this was posted and didn't find any parts on sale. None of them had much in the way of parts at all, mostly empty hooks. I did see a small (1.75" x 2.75") prototyping board for $4.99 that I could have used but I can buy a better quality 2" x 4" board elsewhere for $1.99. No wonder they're getting out of the parts biz.
I was shopping yesterday (Target, Hi-Health, and The Shack.)
Many blue-tagged (Clearance) items throughout the store, but only a couple of things in the drawers.
Other than the Arduino motor boards and wireless SD boards, the only DIY item tagged was a PMB-648 for $20. So, I grabbed that and a $5 24ft. 1/4-in extension cable (for my Nova-40 headphones.)
There's a "24-in" Toshiba 1080p for $100, the merits of which I mulled for a bit, deciding that I need more.
Comments
The television news story missed the point entirely! We have not gotten rid of DIY electronics in favor of cell phones, that is the stratagy of 5 years ago and that did not work. If you look closely, you will see that the parts drawers have gotten a face lift with new fronts and new products. The technology and educational kits sections have dumped some old poor sellers and added things like EL lighting and LED strips. New servos, stepper motors and more. Yes the Arduino stuff seems to get a better play, but that seems normal, we still have a lot of Parallax product, and I for one push it whenever I can. And, yes our prices are higher thatn what you can pay on line, very normal for brick and morter retail. You can return products that don't function as you envisioned much more redily than with on line purchases where you cease to exist when the money is paid.
As far as store design is concerned, the company is instituting a concept of design for the demographics of the neighborhood. The New NYC store is an example of this. The store is located near high end retailers like Sachs and Macys and other high end stores. Next the store has been redesigned to better showcase the products we do sell. The parts drawers are lower so that one could lay a set of plans on top while choosing the parts from the drawers below. The news stories fail to mention DIY and parts I am sure because that is not of interest to wall street, though it generates profit for the company.
This is the first time in about six years that the company has started moving forward in revamping the look of stores and trying to tailor merchandise selection to the population of the area. I have heard the rumor that the store I am in will get a remodel this year, time will tell. Needs it, it is over 30 years old!
New this year is an expansion in employee training to consumer electronics and I think DIY. I have completed the CE training as far as it is available and will complete the rest when the final exam is published. Our name badges will reflect our training status. Maybe we can get some associates that can speak more inteligently to things besides cell phones.
Jim
Jim
Sorry, but that statement does fit observation. A whole generation is different than the previous generation? This generation is nearly identical to the previous generation, as always. Only the products available are different.
Radio shack started out as a supplier of parts and equipment for ham radio. It has traditionally been the only local place for electronic parts. While finished products like radios and cell phones may be in scope, the electronic parts is the only thing unique. It not the most profitable niche, but is solid nonetheless. As RS move from the electronic parts niche, they lose customers.
Many organizations sacrifice long term sustainability in favor of a better looking bottom line for one quarter. Typically this proves to have a negative impact overall. Many low margin parts sales or very few high margin finished goods sales? This decision is completely in the control of RS and its CEO.
I don't want high school dropouts pushing crappy phones and overpriced contracts. I want parts I can use for my project; Radio shack stopped providing them, I went elsewhere. When RS say they are switching from phones to back to parts, I give them a try. Then I buy my parts where I find them.
In fact I just saw one in Ensenada, Mexico. Unfortunately I was the only nerd in the group. Everyone else was more interested in tacos.
I pulled in the parking lot and.... it was gone. The K-Mart right beside it was being hauled off in dump trucks and the Radio Shack looked like it had been in a tornado.
I guess they meant it when they said they were reducing inventory!
Looks like that is when it will be make or break time for The Shack...unless further funding or a buyer surfaces.
If anyone gives you a RS gift card for Christmas, I wouldn't hang on to it for long.....
We have benches and equipment set up, so folks that signed the waver and are checked on record for using the euqipment can come in and swap in the last part, and hang out and test. Soldering irons, O-scope, power supply, etc. Folks can walk in with a project, buy something, warm an iron while making the purchase, and solder it in, test it, and leave. Or hang out and buy more stuff.
We hire only retired geezers like us that can actually work out the correct value for a resistor in a given circuit.
Who can add to this idea, and make it not stupid?
I went to RS yesterday to get some "F" coax connector weather boots. It is discontinued but I managed to find some at a different RS.
Found them on eBay, but didn't need 100 of them
Are you talking about the K8055 board? I bought one in 2009 and wrote a DLL in VB6 so I could drive it using VB or vbscript.
It's pretty nice if you have an application where you want a PC to control/read external devices without a microcontroller in the middle.
I have no clue how to write DLLs, though... :-) Is it written in C++, or?
It comes with a DLL which is not compatible with Visual Basic, so I wrote a wrapper DLL in VB6...
The attached zip file also has a a .vbs and .hta (HTML application) file which use my DLL.
Just save the DLL in Windows\System32 and use regsvr32 to register it.
Thanks for posting your DLL for the K8055RS board.
I bought one of these boards on clearance at RS, I have not assembled the kit yet.
Can you please explain what you mean by "use regsvr32 to register it"?
Thanks,
Zappman
Most DLL and OCX (ActiveX) files need to be registered when added to a Windows operating system. A setup program normally does this for you, but I didn't bother creating an install program for this.
Copy the K8055D.DLL (from the Velleman CD) and my USB8055.DLL into the C:Windows\System32 folder.
Then open a DOS command prompt and change to the C:\Windows\System32 folder.
Enter regsvr32 USB8055.DLL to register the DLL.
You can Google regsvr32 for more info.
Oh no, I'm having COM flashbacks again.
Here is a note for anyone else trying to install Ron's DLL.
When you "open the DOS command prompt" IE: "cmd.exe" you must run it as an administrator or the DLL will not install correctly.
Now all I need to do is assemble the K8055RS board.
In their frenzied panic to reduce SKU count from 4000 to 3000, I hope they don't lose their few remaining drawers full of components.
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/radioshack-is-cleaning-up-its-stores-in-bid-to-revive-sales-155954358.html
Indeed. And it looks like money was the first thing they swept out the door.
"The stock has fallen from $78.50 in December 1999 to about $3.25 currently. Its market capitalization is just $322 million—down from a peak of $16 billion in 1999."
Jim
First, the acquire a big inventory in an attempt to remake their image and boost their sales.
Then, they don't seem able to educate their retailers in how to sell or what to stock.
Finally, they capitualate and mark down wonderfully useful items in an attempt to start another remake process.
Thanks Jim! I grabbed the Parallax Serial LCD http://www.parallax.com/product/27977 for $9.97 and a RS 1.5W 9V Solar panel for $4.97
EDIT: went to another RS and bought two more LCDs - too cheap to pass up. Didn't know that you could play music notes on the piezo...
Many blue-tagged (Clearance) items throughout the store, but only a couple of things in the drawers.
Other than the Arduino motor boards and wireless SD boards, the only DIY item tagged was a PMB-648 for $20. So, I grabbed that and a $5 24ft. 1/4-in extension cable (for my Nova-40 headphones.)
There's a "24-in" Toshiba 1080p for $100, the merits of which I mulled for a bit, deciding that I need more.
Umm...yumm... ummm..... mmmm....