I may be wrong about a clearence store. I did some further research on the destination store and it appears to be one of our old distribution warehouses. I will attempt to find out if I can get info on what happens from there.
Jim
I worked for a large company once that had us clean up a lot of inventory then scrap all of those new parts for a tax write off.
I may be wrong about a clearence store. I did some further research on the destination store and it appears to be one of our old distribution warehouses.
Maybe it'll be like in Soylent Green -- follow the return trucks and see if they make food out of the clearance items.
Stopped at one of the bigger stores this afternoon around 5:30 and the employees were already pulling parts out of drawers, emptying shelves and clearing racks out. I had already cleaned this store out but I stopped just to see if I missed anything and to see if the 6V Solar Panels were on sale (no).
So it seems like this is the end.
Did anyone see analog meters on sale? A friend said he got one but all I found in my area was a digital multimeter for $10 (which I bought a few of because why not).
I went to 2 stores that the website said had Serial LCDs and they checked their system also but couldn't find them. I hit 2 stores today and scored 5 more so my shopping spree is done. The first store I went to today the girl at the counter had a list of parts that I guess she was removing and the guy at the last store told me I was lucky I got those today because tomorrow they would be boxed up tomorrow. He did tell me that some stores are faster than others but that everything would be gone in a week. Most of the good stuff is already gone but you might have better luck at the stores that are off the beaten path.
I wish they had made that "FUTtILE" so that it is actually something you can create on a seven segment display.
I think i have just found a use for the LCD panel I have lying around. I have never managed to drive it as it requires 50 connections, but a static display like that would be easy.
The font is 'LED', or one of its many variations. It's an okay Photoshop fake, but still fun. The text ever-so-slightly doesn't line up with the bezel.
So I just got back from RadioShack. Got me a ton of stuff for pretty cheap. $76 got me that 130 pc Electronic Playground, a fairly decent atomic wall clock, 2x 18-count batteries, transistors, regulator, pack of zip ties, rechargeable battery bay (8 slots), and a couple of things I'm forgetting I'm sure. All in all not bad, usually all of that would have been substantially more expensive so just about anything decent and had the blue 80% off sticker I bought (that's relevant). It still baffles me how RadioShack sells the Propeller QuickStart for $40+ and the Arduino boards are all $60. The TinkerIt kits were heavy reduced but still over-priced in my opinion. $30 for a few items on a breakout board, no thanks.
I did ask the manager why all the clearance items. She informed me it was to get back to the "core" of what RadioShack sells. My first thought was more radios, but I think she implied cellphones. So not too sure. She also said it was to make room for the upcoming holiday season.
So I just got back from RadioShack. Got me a ton of stuff for pretty cheap. $76 got me that 130 pc Electronic Playground, a fairly decent atomic wall clock, 2x 18-count batteries, transistors, regulator, pack of zip ties, rechargeable battery bay (8 slots), and a couple of things I'm forgetting I'm sure. All in all not bad, usually all of that would have been substantially more expensive so just about anything decent and had the blue 80% off sticker I bought (that's relevant). It still baffles me how RadioShack sells the Propeller QuickStart for $40+ and the Arduino boards are all $60. The TinkerIt kits were heavy reduced but still over-priced in my opinion. $30 for a few items on a breakout board, no thanks.
I did ask the manager why all the clearance items. She informed me it was to get back to the "core" of what RadioShack sells. My first thought was more radios, but I think she implied cellphones. So not too sure. She also said it was to make room for the upcoming holiday season.
Uh..is Radio Shack dumping the remaining components parts they will carry in the future?
I don't know if they were actually *pulling* all/some of parts or maybe just doing inventory. But they were going through the drawers.
It's weird because by the mid-2000's Rat Shack had gotten rid of all the hobbyist stuff, then when the Maker movement exploded they brought it back but just didn't advertise it. I had no idea they had all that stuff until I randomly walked into a store last spring! I've been told by a few managers that they're not getting rid of all of it, they're just getting rid of slow selling products and bringing in more components. I was also told by several other managers that they were getting back out of hobby stuff and focusing on their "core business" which is Cell Phones, expensive cables and batteries. Apparently they're going to stock a lot more sizes and weird batteries since places like Batteries Plus are hurting their sales.
I really think they just want to brand themselves as "The Shack" and cell nothing but cell phones. That's obviously a dumb move but I really think the executives have no clue what they're doing.
As for Tinkerkits, yes they are pretty useless at the price they're sold at. Though I will say those LCD kits are amazing if you can get for $15. It's got an onboard ATmega32U that can be directly programmed. Very nice for small or quick projects.
I really think they just want to brand themselves as "The Shack" and cell nothing but cell phones.
I wouldn't put it past them, though some variation of this is likely. The term "shack" has developed significant negative connotation -- a "shack" is where a bunch of bohemian guys hang out, leave their dirty socks, smoke doobies, and sometimes take their girlfriends for make-out parties. Both "Radio" and "Shack" are SOOO old fashioned they might as well rename it "Tube Town" and for artwork hang up a bunch of 40s cheesecake pinups. At least that would evoke some nostalgia.
Mobile phone have become a cut throat business, with dozens of stores in any given town, RS would have a tough time if that's all they did. They already sell tablets and laptops, though RS is probably not on most people's go-to list when they're in the market for one.
All this said, RS did make a valiant attempt to recapture some of their former glory with the maker trend. It just wasn't enough to turn the tide. They were a little too late, and they lacked the high octane energy that many of the other resources like Parallax, Makershed, Sparkfun, and Pololu have put into it. I suspect not everyone at the company bought into the maker market, and those that tried to make it work lacked the total resources it really requires.
I think you are correct...cell seems to be the "Core of RS" for the future.
One does need to remember that companies like Parallax, Makershed, Sparkfun, and Pololu do not have the overhead that RS has to bear...lower operating costs mean greater profits.
I too suspect that the overhyped return to their "do-it-yourself" beginning was crippled from the start with lack of commitment and resources within RS. I quit going to RS on a regularly basis around the time they reduced parts count and moved to the drawer storage...years later I can't say they carry much more than when they did then.
This current clearance purge reminds me of the Boebot/Vex robot clearances of a few years ago...after RS initially had professed its undying commitment to the robotic movement.
They seem to prefer product offerings where they think they can charge obscene prices for little content..over a hundred dollars for a Make kit containing a few cents worth of components...similar pricing for the Vex robotics kits of a few years ago.
Cell phones are/were similar...huge profit margins for little content...but in that market times are achanging and I suspect that is the root of RS current financial problems. As has been noted elsewhere, with the shrinking margins on cell phones RS seems to not have the next rising star to hitch its wagon to. Couple that with the intense competition from on line shopping from Amazon, I suspect that RS has a rocky road ahead for it.
I wouldn't put it past them, though some variation of this is likely. The term "shack" has developed significant negative connotation -- a "shack" is where a bunch of bohemian guys hang out, leave their dirty socks, smoke doobies, and sometimes take their girlfriends for make-out parties. Both "Radio" and "Shack" are SOOO old fashioned they might as well rename it "Tube Town" and for artwork hang up a bunch of 40s cheesecake pinups. At least that would evoke some nostalgia.
Mobile phone have become a cut throat business, with dozens of stores in any given town, RS would have a tough time if that's all they did. They already sell tablets and laptops, though RS is probably not on most people's go-to list when they're in the market for one.
All this said, RS did make a valiant attempt to recapture some of their former glory with the maker trend. It just wasn't enough to turn the tide. They were a little too late, and they lacked the high octane energy that many of the other resources like Parallax, Makershed, Sparkfun, and Pololu have put into it. I suspect not everyone at the company bought into the maker market, and those that tried to make it work lacked the total resources it really requires.
A question for those who have been chasing the RS clearance bargains...what do you consider was the best "value" item that has been clearanced?..and on what basis...price reduction, usefulness, rarity, etc.?
-- a "shack" is where a bunch of bohemian guys hang out, leave their dirty socks, smoke doobies, and sometimes take their girlfriends for make-out parties.
...sounds like off-campus housing from what I can remember....
Cell phones are/were similar...huge profit margins for little content...
Not sure there's been much profit margin on phone sales for a while now... I don't think retailers see much from the actual sale of the cell phone. Profit seems to be from the contracts in most cases. The retailer most likely receives some of the contract $s. If cell phone sales/contracts are Radio Shack's main intake, they sure have a lot of other inventory on-hand compared to cell phone stores (My Cellular stores, AT&T stores, Verizon stores, etc...). It's going to be difficult to defend keeping all that inventory unless it provides to the bottom line.
Hopefully, there's still some profit in DIY, Holiday toy sales and entertainment electronics to keep "The Shack" afloat! Or maybe they just call themselves "RS Electronics" (Oh, there's already a British Electronics provider with that name). The "Phone Shack", "Cellular Shack", "Tandy-Phone", "Realistic Stores Inc." (bring that name back)? :cool:
Or maybe they just call themselves "RS Electronics" (Oh, there's already a British Electronics provider with that name). The "Phone Shack", "Cellular Shack", "Tandy-Phone", "Realistic Stores Inc." (bring that name back)?
How 'bout Incredible Universe. ... Er, they tried that one already.
You're right there's not much profit in the phones themselves, and the market is moving away from contracts -- T-Mobile no longer sells new phones with service contracts. They do make obscene profits on the extras. Next time you go to a phone store and buy a case that's 5X overpriced, listen carefully to the snickering behind you as you walk out...
A question for those who have been chasing the RS clearance bargains...what do you consider was the best "value" item that has been on clearance?..and on what basis...price reduction, usefulness, rarity, etc.?
Yesterday while I was shopping I actually went to two different RadioShacks. The first had absolutely nothing left on clearance, all got purchased. The second RadioShack had exactly the opposite. The best bang-for-your-buck deals seemed to be on SD cards, USB drives, batteries, zip-ties (I got a pack of a couple hundred for $1.29) as well as kits and other miscellaneous electronics. I found nothing in the way of components or hardware to be of any real value. As I said before, the TinkerIt kits were heavily discounted but still rather expensive for what the product actually is: some sensors on a cheapo breakout board. Mind you that the first store I went to did have a tinker kit but it was on clearance and twice as expensive ($49.99) compared to the second store, which also had it on clearance ($29.99). So perhaps if you don't find the deal you want at one store, go to another and see if it is cheaper.
I am thinking whomever snagged the XBee kits for $19.99 got the best deal. I did not get any but I got some $30.00 compass modules from Fry's for $4.99 because of the online add. I also got a $30.00 GPS from the shack for $10.00. I am going back to Fry's to see if they have any XBees that they will match prices on. They did not have any when I was there before.
I am thinking whomever snagged the XBee kits for $19.99 got the best deal. I did not get any but I got some $30.00 compass modules from Fry's for $4.99 because of the online add. I also got a $30.00 GPS from the shack for $10.00. I am going back to Fry's to see if they have any XBees that they will match prices on. They did not have any when I was there before.
Several retailers have been matching RS clearance prices.
LOL..it's not the first time I have seen RS as the place for the math challenged.
A few months ago the Arduino processor line was on sale for 20% off...the on line prices showed about a 11% reduction. I called the corporate line to point out the error...it was never fixed.
LOL..it's not the first time I have seen RS as the place for the math challenged.
A few months ago the Arduino processor line was on sale for 20% off...the on line prices showed about a 11% reduction. I called the corporate line to point out the error...it was never fixed.
I've never been able to have them price match..anything. Ever. In fact I was there a couple weeks ago when I bought the Propeller QuickStart. It was listed on Parallax for $26.99 I believe, however RadioShack sold it for $43.99. I asked if they would price match the manufacturer's price, and they blatantly said, "No." This seemed very idiotic considering it was in the Parallax packaging, the exact one on Parallax's website. RadioShack, while convenient, really fails at pricing. Sure they need profit, after all they are a business, but up-pricing by 100% to 200% is just ridiculous. Sometimes it's even higher than that. Fail imo.
The term "shack" has developed significant negative positive connotation -- a "shack" is where a bunch of bohemian guys hang out, leave their dirty socks, smoke doobies, and sometimes take their girlfriends for make-out parties.
I'm not seeing a problem with this?
Yeah I think they don't really know what they want to do at this point. The only decently run stores I've seen are privately owned ones. They're generally smaller stores, skip all the personal electronics (laptops, tablets, cell phones) and stick things like cables (stereo, computer, speaker wire, etc.), batteries, well stocked drawers of DIY stuff, bulbs, soldering irons, etc.
I talked to the owner of one and he said they've had fantastic sales in the last few years. So whatever it is they're doing, it's something other stores might want to take a look at!
As for the best deals, I'd say the Panavises, Parallax LCDs ($10), Proto Shields ($5) and the Xbee Kits ($10). I got about 5 of the Xbee kits and at least 10 LCDs. Not sure how many of the Proto Shields I got.
Comments
Maybe it'll be like in Soylent Green -- follow the return trucks and see if they make food out of the clearance items.
"Soylent resistors are ... people!!"
Uh..is Radio Shack dumping the remaining components parts they will carry in the future?
Ohhh EmmmGeee this is priceless !
Good one. What font is that?
I think i have just found a use for the LCD panel I have lying around. I have never managed to drive it as it requires 50 connections, but a static display like that would be easy.
The font is 'LED', or one of its many variations. It's an okay Photoshop fake, but still fun. The text ever-so-slightly doesn't line up with the bezel.
I did ask the manager why all the clearance items. She informed me it was to get back to the "core" of what RadioShack sells. My first thought was more radios, but I think she implied cellphones. So not too sure. She also said it was to make room for the upcoming holiday season.
I agree on the lack of value in Tinkerkit....same goes for the Maker kits
Anyone else figure out yet what the "core of Radio Shack" will be? Will it include do-it-selfers?
I don't know if they were actually *pulling* all/some of parts or maybe just doing inventory. But they were going through the drawers.
It's weird because by the mid-2000's Rat Shack had gotten rid of all the hobbyist stuff, then when the Maker movement exploded they brought it back but just didn't advertise it. I had no idea they had all that stuff until I randomly walked into a store last spring! I've been told by a few managers that they're not getting rid of all of it, they're just getting rid of slow selling products and bringing in more components. I was also told by several other managers that they were getting back out of hobby stuff and focusing on their "core business" which is Cell Phones, expensive cables and batteries. Apparently they're going to stock a lot more sizes and weird batteries since places like Batteries Plus are hurting their sales.
I really think they just want to brand themselves as "The Shack" and cell nothing but cell phones. That's obviously a dumb move but I really think the executives have no clue what they're doing.
As for Tinkerkits, yes they are pretty useless at the price they're sold at. Though I will say those LCD kits are amazing if you can get for $15. It's got an onboard ATmega32U that can be directly programmed. Very nice for small or quick projects.
I wouldn't put it past them, though some variation of this is likely. The term "shack" has developed significant negative connotation -- a "shack" is where a bunch of bohemian guys hang out, leave their dirty socks, smoke doobies, and sometimes take their girlfriends for make-out parties. Both "Radio" and "Shack" are SOOO old fashioned they might as well rename it "Tube Town" and for artwork hang up a bunch of 40s cheesecake pinups. At least that would evoke some nostalgia.
Mobile phone have become a cut throat business, with dozens of stores in any given town, RS would have a tough time if that's all they did. They already sell tablets and laptops, though RS is probably not on most people's go-to list when they're in the market for one.
All this said, RS did make a valiant attempt to recapture some of their former glory with the maker trend. It just wasn't enough to turn the tide. They were a little too late, and they lacked the high octane energy that many of the other resources like Parallax, Makershed, Sparkfun, and Pololu have put into it. I suspect not everyone at the company bought into the maker market, and those that tried to make it work lacked the total resources it really requires.
One does need to remember that companies like Parallax, Makershed, Sparkfun, and Pololu do not have the overhead that RS has to bear...lower operating costs mean greater profits.
I too suspect that the overhyped return to their "do-it-yourself" beginning was crippled from the start with lack of commitment and resources within RS. I quit going to RS on a regularly basis around the time they reduced parts count and moved to the drawer storage...years later I can't say they carry much more than when they did then.
This current clearance purge reminds me of the Boebot/Vex robot clearances of a few years ago...after RS initially had professed its undying commitment to the robotic movement.
They seem to prefer product offerings where they think they can charge obscene prices for little content..over a hundred dollars for a Make kit containing a few cents worth of components...similar pricing for the Vex robotics kits of a few years ago.
Cell phones are/were similar...huge profit margins for little content...but in that market times are achanging and I suspect that is the root of RS current financial problems. As has been noted elsewhere, with the shrinking margins on cell phones RS seems to not have the next rising star to hitch its wagon to. Couple that with the intense competition from on line shopping from Amazon, I suspect that RS has a rocky road ahead for it.
Hey, you might be on to something, Gordon....
...sounds like off-campus housing from what I can remember....
I had one that I bought years ago, and was pleased with its features. Recently picked up 2 more for $8.99 each.
Not sure there's been much profit margin on phone sales for a while now... I don't think retailers see much from the actual sale of the cell phone. Profit seems to be from the contracts in most cases. The retailer most likely receives some of the contract $s. If cell phone sales/contracts are Radio Shack's main intake, they sure have a lot of other inventory on-hand compared to cell phone stores (My Cellular stores, AT&T stores, Verizon stores, etc...). It's going to be difficult to defend keeping all that inventory unless it provides to the bottom line.
Hopefully, there's still some profit in DIY, Holiday toy sales and entertainment electronics to keep "The Shack" afloat! Or maybe they just call themselves "RS Electronics" (Oh, there's already a British Electronics provider with that name). The "Phone Shack", "Cellular Shack", "Tandy-Phone", "Realistic Stores Inc." (bring that name back)? :cool:
dgately
I assume you meant "multimeter" rather than millimeter
yup! Spell Checked Again!
How 'bout Incredible Universe. ... Er, they tried that one already.
You're right there's not much profit in the phones themselves, and the market is moving away from contracts -- T-Mobile no longer sells new phones with service contracts. They do make obscene profits on the extras. Next time you go to a phone store and buy a case that's 5X overpriced, listen carefully to the snickering behind you as you walk out...
Yesterday while I was shopping I actually went to two different RadioShacks. The first had absolutely nothing left on clearance, all got purchased. The second RadioShack had exactly the opposite. The best bang-for-your-buck deals seemed to be on SD cards, USB drives, batteries, zip-ties (I got a pack of a couple hundred for $1.29) as well as kits and other miscellaneous electronics. I found nothing in the way of components or hardware to be of any real value. As I said before, the TinkerIt kits were heavily discounted but still rather expensive for what the product actually is: some sensors on a cheapo breakout board. Mind you that the first store I went to did have a tinker kit but it was on clearance and twice as expensive ($49.99) compared to the second store, which also had it on clearance ($29.99). So perhaps if you don't find the deal you want at one store, go to another and see if it is cheaper.
I agree..a screaming deal.
I also like the Weller soldering irons/Panavises that went cheap.
FWIW...anyone doing Arduino/Parallax stuff, this RS clearance was a real deal.
LOL..I forgot to mention the two Boebots I found...cost?...the salesman gave them to us for free.
Several retailers have been matching RS clearance prices.
A few months ago the Arduino processor line was on sale for 20% off...the on line prices showed about a 11% reduction. I called the corporate line to point out the error...it was never fixed.
I've never been able to have them price match..anything. Ever. In fact I was there a couple weeks ago when I bought the Propeller QuickStart. It was listed on Parallax for $26.99 I believe, however RadioShack sold it for $43.99. I asked if they would price match the manufacturer's price, and they blatantly said, "No." This seemed very idiotic considering it was in the Parallax packaging, the exact one on Parallax's website. RadioShack, while convenient, really fails at pricing. Sure they need profit, after all they are a business, but up-pricing by 100% to 200% is just ridiculous. Sometimes it's even higher than that. Fail imo.
I'm not seeing a problem with this?
Yeah I think they don't really know what they want to do at this point. The only decently run stores I've seen are privately owned ones. They're generally smaller stores, skip all the personal electronics (laptops, tablets, cell phones) and stick things like cables (stereo, computer, speaker wire, etc.), batteries, well stocked drawers of DIY stuff, bulbs, soldering irons, etc.
I talked to the owner of one and he said they've had fantastic sales in the last few years. So whatever it is they're doing, it's something other stores might want to take a look at!
As for the best deals, I'd say the Panavises, Parallax LCDs ($10), Proto Shields ($5) and the Xbee Kits ($10). I got about 5 of the Xbee kits and at least 10 LCDs. Not sure how many of the Proto Shields I got.