Parallax @ Radio Shack

Oper8r Al

I see that Radio Shack has a few sensors listed now that are just starting to show up as available in store here in the NE Ohio area and was wondering if anyone knew if they were going to start offering SX or propeller kits also.

Alan

Post Edited (Oper8r Al) : 11/29/2007 4:17:09 AM GMT

Ken Gracey

Hey Alan,

One of our goals is to get the Propeller products into the stores. This takes lots of time to plan with a company like RadioShack. A good idea can take three years to enact with them. I suggest you keep buying the Propeller parts from us. RadioShack won't be selling any of the SX parts.

Ken Gracey
Parallax, Inc.

Oper8r Al

Ken,

Thanks for the quick reply. I was just wondering because sometimes it is easier to spend cash than to try and explain to the wife the items on the credit/debit card. I would prefer to buy direct from parallax but just thought I would ask.

Alan

Bruce Bates

Alan -

The simple answer there is to take your cash either to your local bank, or to the local post office and purchase a money order. I can ASSURE you Parallax has no problem processing money orders of any size

In my own case, money orders drawn at my own bank cost me nothing, as they're deemed a customer convenience item for customers of the bank. FWIW I bank at Bank of America. That money order policy should be the same throughout the country. I use them all the time when I want to "hide" purchases from those who don't understand the NECESSITY of hobby purchases

Regards,

Bruce Bates

Post Edited (Bruce Bates) : 11/29/2007 5:07:57 AM GMT

parsko

I was in yesterday buying parts. Radio Shack, did indeed, have Parallax products in the bins! PIR, PING, and Accelerometer were the only packages I put my paws on. P-R-O-G-R-E-S (I'll leave off the last "S" for savings!)

I almost bought a PING to just play with it, but other project priorities required me to avoid the distraction! Next time!

"Hide purchases" This will amuse me all day long, thanks guys!!!

-Parsko

PS - I went to store #01-1223, in case you're keeping track.

parts-man73

Yaaa-hooo! I just queried online, and all 4 of the local Radio Shacks in my area have the Ping now. You know where I'm stopping on the way home tonight!

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Brian

uController.com - home of SpinStudio

PropNIC - Add ethernet ability to your Propeller!

SD card Adapter

Oldbitcollector (Jeff)

> "Hide purchases"

Been considering a alternative address for my packages. Had three sample packages arrive, and
have been accused of spending money on my hobby. (Yes I like cash purchases too! Thanks Radio Shack!)

Remember boys, don't accept those Radio Shack bags, and ditch the receipt! [noparse]:)[/noparse] he he!



@Alan: You aren't far from me.. You should drop in on our Propeller group in Orrville some month!

@Update: Yuppers, looks like everything is in stock near me too! Nicely done!


OBC

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Post Edited (Oldbitcollector) : 11/29/2007 11:36:31 PM GMT

Whelzorn

awesome! I'm going by a shack on my way home from school tomorrow, so I'm definitely stopping in to grab an accelerometer and maybe an RFID reader kit.
thanks parallax!

Oper8r Al

Bruce,

I usually do end up getting a money order when I am ordering necessary hobby purchases that my better half doesn't think are necessary. The only problem with that is that requires me to have patience waiting for the order to get to parallax and then back to me, and I need to work on having patience. As they say patience is a virtue but I want it NOW!.

@ Oldbitcollector· I'll send you and e-mail about the propeller group. Thanks for the offer.

Alan


Post Edited (Oper8r Al) : 11/30/2007 4:05:37 AM GMT

Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)

Patience? Virtue? How about, "Gratification delayed is gratification denied."

-Phil

Paul Baker

Bruce Bates said...
In my own case, money orders drawn at my own bank cost me nothing, as they're deemed a customer convenience item for customers of the bank. FWIW I bank at Bank of America. That money order policy should be the same throughout the country.

Regards,

Bruce Bates

BoA tightened thier rules about a year and a half ago to which customers they choose to be convenient for, my family has a·large mutual fund with them and about a decade ago BoA offered us 2 prefered member checking accounts with all three accounts linked together (very convenient instantanious method of transfering funds back and forth between us). Along with it came free checks, stop orders, money orders and cashier's checks. But I went to obtain a sizable cashier's check a little over a year ago and they informed me I would have to purchase it explaining that only the principle account holder was eligible for the convience perks, but if I wanted to start a mutual fund myself (minimum 1K investment) I too could enjoy the "free" perks. Let's see: 1 order of checks per year, 1-2 cashier's checks per year, I would offset the investment when Im in my 80's.

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Paul Baker
Propeller Applications Engineer

Parallax, Inc.

parts-man73

Just received the newest Nuts & Volts in today's mail. There is a full page color ad on the back cover with a picture of a Radio Shack store's parts bins. Perfect timing as the stores received stock this week.

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Brian

uController.com - home of SpinStudio

PropNIC - Add ethernet ability to your Propeller!

SD card Adapter

Oper8r Al

I stopped by Radio Shack tonight while I was out and got a PIR Sensor. I noticed the info sheet with it had a URL for more info (http://www.parallax.com/rs) if anyone is interested. I figured that the sensors would be in their "component parts drawers" so that was where I went. I was surprised to find bins for five sensors. I checked online and they had only listed the ping, pir, and accelerometer, but they had a bin for the RFID reader(empty) and a coming soon bin for the TSL230. I figured that it would take some time for them to get everything in stock so I would ask when the RFID would be in stock. Went to pay and the one guy was busy trying to upgrade someone’s cell phone plan, so he called over the other guy. He rang up my stuff and I paid then asked him if he knew when the RFID readers would be in. All I got was a blank stare. I repeated myself two more times and he finally said to check back in a week. Got to love Radio Shack

Alan

Ken Gracey

Hah! The RFID readers are somewhere between their distribution/kitting center and the individual stores. We delivered them a week or two late due to yield problems, which are now behind us. I think we're all depending on customers magically finding these sensors, since you don't often find a lot of electronic component knowledge behind the counter. I'll be curious to see how this works out with the sensors in their stores.

The other product we sell through RadioShack is the BASIC Stamp Activity Kit, and it continues to do very well with RS customers.

The buyer of Parallax parts supported and defended his vision all the way up to ensure success with the plan. Let's hope it works out!

Ken Gracey
Parallax, Inc.

Oper8r Al

Just as an update, I was in my local Radio Shack yesterday and noticed that they do now have the RFID readers in stock. I also noticed the "hobbyist" section keeps getting smaller and smaller. I couldn't even find any experimenter boards or project cases on display. Plenty of cell phones, I-pods and remote controlled toys to pick from. Oh well, I guess I will just have to wait for the usps or ups to deliver the parts I need.

Al

Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)

Well, this is really amazing. I live in a small town that has a Radio Shack associate (not company-owned) store. It's quite small by shopping mall standards. On a whim, I picked one of the Parallax parts (PIR sensor), looked up the part number on the RS website, and called the local store to see if they carried them. Sure enough: they have two in stock. How's that for product reach?

-Phil

Oper8r Al

My Radio Shack had 2 Pir sensors in stock but I know that they do not have them now. I bought one and then purchased the other one soon after the first. I hope they restock, not that I need any more PIR's now but maybe it will show them there is a market for Parallax stuff.

Al

Superworms

i say we just go buy most of the parallax parts, and resell them so RS will hopefully restock the area

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Equipped with his 5 senses, man explores the world around and calls his adventure science
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-Edwin Hubble
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Mike Green

After all this talk about success finding Parallax products at Radio Shack, I was quite disappointed when I tried three very different Radio Shack stores in Minneapolis and its suburbs and found nothing. In one store, the help had no clue whatever about robotics or microcontrollers unless they were R/C toys.

Zoot

Are Radio Shacks franchises?

At the RS right down the block, they've got photos of Parallax products on the parts bin drawers and they have a number PIRs, PINGs, Memsics and Taos Color Sensors in stock. Plus WAM with the the included Stamp and Dev. board. Prices put 'em about comparable with online at Parallax (since you don't have to pay RS shipping on top of it, it's about the same).

I will say this, though -- the sensors are just in sealed packaging bags -- that might be OK for something solid like the Taos, but it seems like the Pings could get pretty beat up.

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When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro. -- HST

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