You need to explain why it's better to buy a smartphone AND the cell plan, from Radio Rhack in dollars and cents. In other words, why it's cheaper or easier than the the big box stores who compete with you. The prices on computer components should be price matched also with BB,walmart target and other online stores also... ie: newegg, tigerdirect etc.
I'm a current employee and I saw on the web page we are getting Make: component kits 1 and 2 and more DIY books. Any chance on getting velleman style kits that Maker: Shed has?
a variety of arduinos, xbees, accelerometers, servos, piezoelectric sensors, thermocouples, more diverse PV cells, adjustable capacitors and inductors, Peltier TECs and TEGs.... so much more... just knock over the damn cell phone rack already and make room for this shit!
ARDUINO this is by far the best thing they could start selling and Pin headers or programing headers maybe just more microprocessors in general but a nicely priced arduino that i can go and pick up from the store and not order would be great
Offer an "Infinite Warehouse Buying Service option, where you source from all of your competitors - including international ones - to allow a customer to get all of the components on their pick list from one source. "If it can be got, we'll get it." Charge what it takes to make the service work. Use it as a way to build the brand as a national single-source supplier.
How about trying out a flagship store that has an in-house 3D prototype printer. I'm pretty sure you could do some fantastically interesting things with something like that. I think a 3D printer could also be designed to print circuit boards in odd shapes that could be thermo-formed to fit most anywhere.
Make it mandatory that all store managers and regional managers be active citizens in the electronic community, responsible for fostering programs for skill-building and technical education outreach. Sponsor hobbyist clubs at schools, universities and community centers. Stress the eco-friendly concept of repair. Teach the fundemental basics of how to solve any problem: knowing how something works and looking for the simplest failures first.
2) Free in-store pickup of catalog-orders if in-store merchandise is purchased.
3) QR codes on everything to link to web-based product comparisons, similar products, product reviews, instructional videos.
4) "Unleash the Geek!" program of weekly in-store demos of electronics basics, like (seriously!) how to best use different soldering irons and tools; how to test diodes, capacitors, transistors, etc.; best practices making speaker cables. Call it: "You get the idea!".
You abandoned us- my local stores used to have people who knew what they were doing. My brother called me because your employees did not know what an led segment display was, so he went to mouser.
1. You have lost the normal walk in consumer. (Period)
2. You should attack commercial markets; a) Start carrying a product line like CSC or Granger b) Your online store is sucks I am not going to use it until it runs like newegg. c) Have key LOCAL reps sell to datacenters and commerical projs
START SELLING SCIENCE FAIR KITS, but update them with atmel arduino's, wireless transceivers, maybe a small camera(SEE sparkfun), and something that lets you use USB with the arduino and such.
atmel microcontrollers and programmers(this follows along with arduino), at least 20 different chips from the CD4000 or 74??### logic chip series, may by carry a USB oscope 100MSPS or better. The other day i went to radioshack for a 10Amp 120V contact 12V coil relay, and some 5 and 15 amp small magnetic breakers NOT THERMAL. I got referred to another company on the other side of town, after the person asked if he could help. The store had the relay in stock, and no breakers.
Think along the lines of what us DIY folks love, and provide those products at a price cheaper then if we had to pay for the postage and buy them online.
3) Go to places like American Science and Surplus, and get inspired. Look at the customers there. They used to go to Radio Shack. I'm not saying that you should carry the same products, but you need to see what those people are into.
I'm the guy who used to be your best customer... so please listen.
Yes, you can compete with Digikey, Mouser, and other electronic stores.
1) Have your marketing people track websites like "hack-a-day", and start carrying products in response to that. Wouldn't it be cool if after reading an online hack, I could go to a radio shack and find the parts???
2) Why not sell a simple radio control circuit for hackers to play with? Or modules for motion detection?
1. Arduino AND Parallax (because Arduinos can only do so much)
2. A cooler selection of project boxes. If I'm buying something where the look and feel matter, I want to drive to a store to check it out even if I have to pay a little more. Bring in a bigger assortment of knobs, switches, lights, metal and plastic boxes of all sizes and sell us the Dremel cutting bits to modify them!
3. "Kits" no matter how old I get, I still want to mindlessly assemble a kit: amps, alarms, sensors. They're fun!
Stupid Radio Shack ... They have a bin for 7-Segment Displays ... but it's full of tiny overpriced solar panels instead ... after asking for help they wanted me to drive to another Radio Shack to get the part ... and worse they don't even carry a BCD-7Segment decoder chip anyway! For the last 20+ years Radio Shack has been almost useless ... I only stop in when I'm driving buy looking for something and almost never find it at Radio Shack. Then there's the staff ... useless but for cell phones
Get rid of the cell phones and the consumer electronics, and hire some people who know the difference between a transistor and a tire, and i might consider shopping there again. Your company lost my respect and business when you changed your stores to get rid of parts and bring in consumer crap. What happened to the Forrest Mims notebooks, and keeping the parts in stock to build the projects the notebooks contained? Bring in Arduino and stock components again!
@RadioShack Publish cool project plans and stock the parts to make them and they’ll make friends with a new crop of young hobbyists.
also host community workshops to teach entry level things to beginners and get some excitement built up. sure it will cost a little bit of money but you'll be expanding your customer base by a lot.
I went into my local RS to get some parts, bought an LM386 chip.
and they didn't have a chip socket for an 8-pin (4 per side) chip. didn't even have a spot for it on the shelf.
anywhere.
so, RS, maybe you could stock the little extras that are nice to have for some more common things? even a 555 has 8 pins, and those are used in a large amount of projects.
Lots of people have already arduino hardware, but perhaps hosting competitions and workshops around Arduino (or other hardware) as well? 'Monthly RadioShack Challenge', or '10 Easy Steps to Your Very Own Blinky Lights'? Competition and tutorials would encourage communities that spring up around other groups like Sparkfun and Adafruit.
Their business model revolves around their customers knowing how to do things that involve the products they sell. To further that they have learn to paint / tile / fix drywall classes that get people confident and more importantly ambitious and as a direct result they sell more product.
Radio Shack needs to take on that model and have 'make and take' arduino classes or similar basic electronic quick and dirty primers that get people making.
Most people have covered all the good points, Arduino boards, shields, kits. But these are bringing new things to Radio Shack. I could get one thing to Radio Shack it would be just simply lower prices on components. Your component prices are down right ridiculous. We are all familiar with what the real world prices on these are and you aren't even trying to be competitive.
One thing RadioShack does right is allowing us to search for components online and see if the item is in a store nearby. Many times this has kept me from ordering something online somewhere else or making a trip to a larger (but less convenient) competitor.
I go to RS for parts and repair items at a cheap price, or I used to. You never have what I need, and if you do it is much more costly than an online purchase. Get back to your roots...I do NOT got to RS for cell phones or toys.
In a nut: Get people excited to make things and stock the parts for them.
Bigger selection of small parts - wider range of capacitors, CCDs, LEDs, etc
Project plans (not just kid's kits, which are great)
Bigger selection of kit cases
Host and/or sponsor DIY contests.
I do buy some project parts from Radio Shack, but the selection is worse and prices higher than i can find online. Even so, i would buy more from Radio Shack if there were employees who know enough to find the right part for me.
Get ready for the future; DIY will be more about SW but basic HW will always be required. Software Defined Radio is a good example. I would love to see some SDR kits offered in RS stores. I'll never forget the excitement of completing my 1st cat's wisker detector and hearing a local AM station at age 11.
Please have one employee ready to take my money instead of pitching cell phones. I can't tell you how many times I have gone there and had to wait until I simply had no more time, while all employees were dealing with phones. I don't care that your people no nothing about electronics, but at least make it easy for me to spend money with you.
Check out Toolmonger's comments, they are your potential customers. You'll have to win some of them back, but it would be worth it. Until there is a Retro Radio Shack, with non-aggressive sales employees, and real components, most of us won't be back. I prefer to wait for mail shipping rather than deal with Radio Shack "customer service" and "product selection." But it doesn't have to be that way, you could be great again, get America's youth back into engineering and save the nation! Ok?
Ham radio guys know that Radio shack isn't the place anymore. When recently troubleshooting a setup, 1 old ham spat at the mention of buying Coax from Radio shack! You could try a warehouse type store in bigger city areas where the experiment wouldn't cost as much. In 1 corner, have a free maker lab, where folks could bring their projects & work on them, maybe use of an oscilloscope, power supply, soldering equipment, & an experienced DIY ENTHUSIAST! You may have to close 200 stores nationwide
I remember radio shack in the days, I was a young kid making my first electronics project and paying 2,99$ for a 20 pin socket that I could of pay 5 cent at a other electronic store! When you are 12 year old 2,99$ is alot! Since that day, I never when back and never will. There is no point since there is so many other great competitor!
The best you could do is discount for young kids and students!
You're asking the DIY crowd for 3 products? Naw, see, we don't think like that. We'd hack your whole business model! Here's a free idea, not for love of Radio Shack, but because thinking up ideas is good for my creativity streak:
You want to keep your phone divisions, fine. Leave it to the malls. Lease a big space like an old empty supermarket, and stock it with parts. No TV's, no finished projects, no phone sales. Just components. LED's, switches, arduino. Quality wire, & maker employees:)
Don't forget test equipment: Frequency counters, signal generators, Ocilloscopes, and spectrum analyzers. They make inexpensive PC based solutions that would be perfect for electronic projects and cover the HF bands.
Also you might want to have more build it yourself robots, micro controllers to include stamp and the like, JTAG programmers, FPGA proto/developer kits, microprocessors like the z80 and yes the still make those. Computer connectors, SATA, USB, IDE, PCI headers etc, we need I/O !
And by wiring kits I mean the array of electronic experimentation kits they used to sell, I still have one of the 300 in 1 electronics learning labs, and the projects to this day still teach me valuable learning lessons and offer me a way of doing modular prototyping.
3. Books on electronic projects and electronic principles, I have several books from Forrest Mims III from when Radio Shack had a small library available for sale. You want more makers, teach them electronic principles and projects, thats how I got started.
Bottom line please please don't let radio shack become solely a cellphone store... The electronic pats and kits were what made Radio Shack unique; get rid of that stuff and people will shop elsewhere.
1. Wiring kits I had em as a kid and now I do SATCOM and IT management for the DoD Largely in part due to my parents buying me a wiring kit and getting me interested in electronics.
2. Ham radio gear, connectors, parts. Do some research on what hams are buying, the types of connectors they need for their radios, Anderson power poles/power connectors, etc. Currently the number of licensed ham radio operators is greater than ever with more young folks teens- 30's getting into the hobby.
Why all the negative comments, most RadioShacks have very knowledge employees and in my experience when they don't know something they take the time to look it up and find a solution, plus RS HAS to be more consumer electronics based, selling nothing but DIY stuff doesn't pay the lease ANYWHERE, if they didn't evolve they would've died out a long time ago, its one of those things where you can't blame the company for changing with the times, people don't buy ham radios like they did in the 70's
when I was a kid in the way old days, any trip on the bus into town was not complete without going in the radio shack to snoop around and dropping a buck towards the next project.
PCB printing would be cool, but even cooler... 3d printing. it's still kind of pricey to get started in 3d for the typical amateur, but wow - it's a pretty inexpensive thing for a store front operation. lots of kids out there who could drop 10 bucks to feed a burgeoning maker habit. classes and clinics.
Please show me arduinos, the best Android phones...not just phone service plans you want to sell me, but a curated, current collection of the best Android phones...gun tech, like laser sights...HTPC gear like Google TVs. That'll get me in the door. I spend a lot on tech.
Also, if you must keep the cell phones and generic radio controlled cars, keep those stores in the malls and call them "Consumer Electronics Shack" but have at least one store per area that is truly "Radio Shack" with the stuff you used to carry back in the day. That way you can go in and ask for ham radio parts and not be given a portable FM radio and directions to nearest Honey Baked Ham shop.
the 20 y/o cell phone salesman who is a professional txt msger and doesn't know what a voltage divider is. Compile basic starter kits with common standard resistor and capacitors, prototyping and bread boards, common transistors, fundamental IC's like 555's and op-amps, and small assortments of switches and LED's. AND RESTOCK YOUR MAGNET WIRE! Also, contact Forrest Mims III and have him write another , more up-to-date book for you guys!
The comments here have listed many good suggestions, and I do agree that RS has become much more of a consumer electronics store than a resource for raw components and such. There is still a RS in Nashville TN that is mostly way I lovingly remember RS to be. It is staffed by knowledgeable people that realize that when u ask for a 10k pot, they don't call the cops thinking your asking drugs. You can help create your market by sponsoring DIY electronics clinics, but you'll have to loose
your problem RS, is fundamental; That you enlisted youtube to crowdsource solutions shows inherent naivete of the DIY communities; You feature "Amy" who hardly sounds knowledgeable; That your solution is to find a solution in the comments section is laughable. You want a solution---fire your CMO. Sponsor DIY sites & forums. Create a DIY genius bar. But that would all take courage and foresight that your team of cell phone shillers lack.
your problem RS, is fundamental; That you enlisted youtube to crowdsource solutions shows inherent naivete of the DIY communities; You feature "Amy" who hardly sounds knowledgeable; That your solution is to find a solution in the comments section is laughable. You want a solution---fire your CMO. Sponsor DIY sites & forums. Create a DIY genius bar. But that would all take courage and foresight that your team of cell phone shillers lack.
#2: As others have said, you can't compete price-wise but you can be the place we go to when we run out of solder, and either fry our components, forget to order them, or lose them somewhere.
Make sure every location has the basic stuff, like soldering irons, solder, boards (both pcb & protos), & well stocked component drawers. A broader selection of capacitors & resistors would also be nice.
If every location had the stock that Amy's standing in front of, that would be a huge improvement.
I never consider Radio Shack anymore, because they're always 10x or more for simple accessories. I don't mind paying more for convenience, but some prices are way out of line.
3 Products?!? Are you stupid? The formula for being a successful vendor to hobbyists are all over the place. Just pick up the phone; call up someone like SparkFun and start stocking their stuff. It's all retail-ready.
Add another 20 square foot of real estate to your components section. Lose the overpriced cell phone crap, I'll stick to the sprint store where the employees either know what they're talking about or can compensate me for their failures. Put everything you read in everyone else's comments in said 20 square feet. Roll out nationwide and make me want to come to your store.
Before the Radio Shack near me in Fullerton closed I went there once looking for solder. They didn't have any tools or parts.
My $0.02... It is time Radio Shack saw the writing on the wall and realize that they only bring in the people who are misinformed and pay $60.00 for a Firewire cable.
A) Lower your prices. $60.00 for a FireWire cable is ridiculous when I can go to Fry's and get the same cable for $12.00.
B) Get rid of the cell phones. I don't like being sold a cell phone when I came in to buy a roll of electrical tape.
C) Loose the crap gadgets and go back to your roots. You wouldn't be asking this unless you realized it is the age of the DIYer again. Bring back everything that made Radio Shack, Radio Shack.
One person in each store or locality that IS a hobbyist/DIY person. Get an employee incentive program going so your employees want to be, and are a part of the community you want to connect with.
Seminars, or meetups of DIYers inside a RadioShack location
Forget adding handfuls new of components to all your existing stores. Set up a few new, branded DIY specialty stores carrying everything you need to build all the most popular modern projects: Arduino, RC, DIY synth, DIY audio, etc. Design and sell starter kits in these interest areas, for newbies. Convert a single store in each metro market to this new "DIY Shack" format. Use your weight Wal*Mart-style to get low price components for us. We'd praise your name forever instead of mocking it.
Well, "Radio" Shack, 1N34A germanium detector diodes would be a good start. I was shocked and bewildered to discover that RS doesn't carry the bare handful of components necessary to build a dangblasted *crystal radio* anymore. Since I started DIY, I learned to accept that RS doesn't have (and can't carry) *every*thing. But come ON, guys.
"you talked, we listened"... yeah, we've been complaining about this for years... maybe even a decade? Unfortunately the advice that would really bring DIYers back into the store would also probably be preceieved as devastating to your bottom line-- who knows, maybe it would in fact be devastating. Ditch the cell phones, and other junk-- focus on parts, tools and gadgets.
THREE PRODUCTS? You can't fix this with 3, 6, 50, even 100 new products. You need to hire some electrical engineers that are really into DIY and ask them what new products you should bring in. Radioshack currently sells next to nothing, 3 products ain't going to help. You see that rack of drawers behind you in the video? You need 20 of those filled with different things.
I recently went to RS looking for some wire. You know, standard 16 gauge insulated copper stranded wire, knowing without a doubt that RS would have any kind of wire I needed. WRONG. The only thing my local RS stocked (besides speaker wire) was 18 gauge insulated copper solid core wire that wouldn't work for my project. You can't even find a HAM radio at the shack anymore, and the selection of wire splices suck. I ended up finding exactly what I needed at Home Depot for a lot less $.
I'd love to see Radio Shack getting back to their roots offering components for the DIY schematic junkies, and showing love to the Amateur Radio community! I am a HAM radio enthusiast and I used to love purchasing parts at radio shack, from replacing blown diodes, resistors, transistors to even being able to order old tubes back in the old days. Course I would definitely love to see Radio Shack offering more to the HAM radio enthusiast / electronics hobbyist.
Winning marketing strategy - make Radio Shack as cool as Think Geek but with the already established physical locations. I should be able to go in there, buy an arduino kit, a couple of crazy ICs, motor controllers, motors, accelerometer module, etc and go home and build a robot then program it - using all Radio Shack-bought stuff. There are so many hobbyists at that level everywhere but you haven't developed the market. Think: Jameco's robot store, Think Geek and a good hobby shop.
I'm an RC heli and plane modeler and while I don't expect Radio Shack to be able to compete with the best hobby stores, I would like it if they would sell things like good, name-brand soldering tools, power supplies, etc at competitive and affordable prices. I also think it would be smart to specialize in having every connector, cable, adapter, wire type, etc known to man. That's always what I need when I go to a Radio Shack and I'm almost always let down when it's not available.
STOCK MORE ICs. Really, there are only so many things we can do with resistors, capacitors, and the very odd selection of semiconductor products (i.e. parallax's Ping range finder, the accelerometer breakout, and the RFID reader, but you don't sell anything to interface them with). My top 3 would be AVR microcontrollers (Atmel's atmega or attiny series) in PDIP package, Schottky diodes, and a wider selection of transistors! FETs, MOSFETs, and TO220 power BJTs are still useful!
#1 product you could put in your stores: At least one person on each shift that knows what an opamp is. It's disappointing enough that you've slashed DIY components to between a couple drawers & eight linear feet of wall, but what's most dejecting is when I walk into a store and hear a greeting of "Can I help you?" my first thought is rightly "Probably not." Please...at least one person in the store should know what things are - even if they don't know what its for - & where its at.
I don't think it's possible... You'd have to loose the thousands of "Mall" locations, because lease and other overhead costs would be far too expensive to have a store large enough to stock enough of whatever the DIY'er would want. And I don't see RS leaving the local mall anytime soon... The day of the eclectic "local radio shack" is long gone. (No caps in RS was no accident BTW.)
Virtual stock... Could you have a large stock online at great prices.. a person could select from it and in a few days the items could be picked up from a local store with no shipping cost.
the girl in the vid, nothing personal, but as a brand manager of a company trying to appeal to the techy diy crowd you seem a little out of your element. maybe its time you bring a few people into the mix from the crowd you're appealing to. i would love to see radio shack become a usefull place again when i need a certain obscure part or connector or something similar.
Do you still have Forrest Mims' contact information? You may want to ask him for his input and advice. I think he knew what RadioShack customers wanted back in the day.
Radio Shack can't compete with Digikey, Mouser...etc. However, if they could offer a PCB 'printing' service that works in a similar way to drug store photo labs and stock a reasonable assortment of essential componentry, they would make a lot of friends in the maker/hacker/diy community.
Can you imagine being able to submit a CAD file to the Radio Shack website, then driving to your local store an hour or so later to pick up your custom PCB and components?
@JLConeallyinc You can do that with a B&W laser printer. First step is to develop your board print it, melt the toner on a blank PCB using a clothes iron, use hot water to remove the paper the plastic toner is left be hind and will protect the copper circuit traces, etch the board with etching solution, use acetone to remove the toner. Done.
@KF5EUT I've used the toner transfer method and the photo resist method but they both have their shortcomings (trace size, chemical spills, consistency, etc.). I could wrap my own induction coils or make my own capacitors too but at some point, building everything from scratch becomes impractical. I used the photo lab example b/c people used to develop their own photos but when the demand for a retail developer option was recognized, photo printing became easy. Would like to see the same w/PCB's
Not even our local "hobby electronics store" (Sparky's in Fresno, CA) has a suitable assortment of modern DIY components. Top of my list: Arduino and related accessories! Arduino is pretty much a do-it-all, easy to learn electronics microcontroller platform, cheap ($30-$40 to start), and has hundreds of accessories to do everything from controlling a dishwasher to calculating and displaying a car's fuel economy (search for "MPGuino"). You've GOT to bring Arduino to RadioShack!
@Volatus I hadn't though of this, but now that you mention it...it makes perfect sense. Arduino seems like it was made for RS; its exactly the kind of kit item I remember buying from RS when I was a kid.
@Volatus , I'm in Fresno as well and I was recently at a local store. They don't carry Arduino's, IMHO, because they have their own microcontroller project kit that they try to push. The reason I imagine is that open source is NOT a business model.
1.) I would like to see component sets -- an assortment of common resistor or capacitor values with like 5 pieces per value in a set for like $20. Sell them in a small, compartmentalized box that way I can have a component on hand when I decide to put something together. Then sell the individual valued components for when I run out of bits and pieces.
2.) uCs like arduino and accessories
3.) How about the cheap electronics like tablets that you can't get in most other stores in the US?
Yeah the biggest issue for me going to RadioShack is that I know 9 times out of 10 you guys won't carry the piece I need. Selection needs to be vast when dealing with DIY community. My local electronics shop stocks just about everything, and regularly buys used equipment from locals. This helps in huge ways by providing a source of electronic parts common to the area.
speakers, crossovers, mixers, more guitar stuff in the parts rack and knobs, more types of amp DIP chips and brushless motors and controllers for them, Verizon!
Have a larger selection even if that means free web to store or cheap home delivery, but have an inventory people want. On site PCB etching with the ability to bring schematics on site and drop them off for prototyping. How about carrying make magazine and having the components for a project monthly (Heck you and make could have a joint sponsored monthly project) and make sure the parts are on site for the impulse buyers. Have parts books onsite and allow people to order them onsite and have
@avengingwatcher them drop shipped via a kiosk. Train your employees to know what they are talking about, at least one of them, please, a beginner hobbyist should not know more than your employees.
1 - A 3d printer. Not for sale, but where I come in and give you a file (on a flashdrive) and you print out the object right there and sell it to me. Think about how much of a novelty this would be! Even non-DIYers would be amazed and want to use it.
2 - PCB etching kit
3 - LCDs that I can interface to on a breadboard.
I agree when i think RadioShack i think PCB components, however they never seem to have what i need. Most of their connectors are too large or small. I think it would be great if radio shack were to team up with a site like sparkfun, digikey, all electronics, or mouser so that they could stock the common components that we really need. Some items on my list that i would like to see would be, microprocessors (and programmers) Logic gates, flip flops, solid state relays, stepper motors,etc...
The Burning Man community on the west coast does MASSIVE DIY projects during the entire year in preparation for the Burning Man festival. You should stock your Western US urban stores, especially in San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, Portland, Seattle, and Reno with
Arduinos/AVR's definnetly. Also, a more knowledgable staff would help alot...most of the time if I go to radioshack the staff do not know what a component is - or simple circuit construction, etc. All they seem to want to do is sell me a phone or TV.
It's nice to know Radio Shack is still interested in what the diy'er wants... and I already have a cell phone!
I'm typically okay with retail mark-up. Not gouging, mark-up. When I wanted to get into micro controller programming, it turned my stomach to see that the BASIC stamp available at your stores rings in at $100!
I'm comfortable with the cost of your discrete component offerings... not to keen on the quality.
1-lower cost simple components, like led's and capacitors, they are usually sold by ones and twos what one could buy 20-30 of from other retailers.
2-dump the snap kits, and offer real kits, including real circuit theory and info.
3, more diy cords, you useto cary lots of rca /phono/pin end cords with tinned wires at the other end, now days if you sell them you sell them for 2x the price of a double ended cord. and often you don't have them at all anymore.
The layouts you use are very inefficient. Put cell phones under the counter.... not in the middle of the floor. Leave phones for Walmart. Focus on techinical stuff. Digital TV equipment like hdhomerun would be nice to see also.
My last purchase at RadioShack was about three years ago when I needed a capacitor and didn't want to wait for a shipment from Digikey. The clerks at the store had no idea what a capacitor was or where in the store it would be, so I had to find it myself. After I did and I went to go pay for my <$1 part, I got hassled by a very aggressive and persistent sales pitch for a cellphone. Train your clerks, dump the upselling, and you might get this former customer back.
Arduinos, Motors, Sensors and more components. I remember when Radio Shack was Radio Shack. You used to be the place I went when I needed something for my electronics tinkering. Unfortunately you are nothing more than a cellphone and crapgadget store.
I would love to see you get back to what made you a place I loved to shop!!
Also get rid of your cellphone section.. its taking up valuable space. I don't buy phones from a DIY electronic store. you should browse sparkfun, mouser, Digikey and adafruit pages aswell as Hamradio.com for the things you should be selling your current inventory isn't the way to go your components are almost nil when i do to in on the very very rare occasion the store is EMPTY there is a reason why... you started as a DIY store and your trying to be bestbuy with a far more limited selection
First i would like to say that i don't shop at radio shack for a reason.. you seem to be making a step in the right direction with asking what you need to do...
1. Arduino and similar board like the newer chipkit and their breakout boards
2. tighter tolerance components like 1/2-1% tolerance also it was mentioned higher temp capacitors in short better quality components
3. Ham radios and related equipment
a large amount of your sales would come from ham radio, makers and hacker spaces
how bout having pcb boards and etching solution in the same store. I have to go to one location to buy the pcb boards and another location to buy the solution neither store carries both....Better yet how about employee's that actually knows what diy means Instead of walking in to the store and asking if they have a dip switch and they look at me like i insulted their mother and offer to sale me a cell phone plan.....just saying Radio Shack Used to be the maker brand now what happened to that.
Please sell connectors, batteries, chargers and similar products for electric RC planes. In recent years electric RC planes have seen a boom in sales because batteries have advanced a lot. Shack has non of that business.
We need things like motor and servo screws, binding plugs, USB cables that connect RC remotes to PC for programing, EPO foam friendly glues and adhesives. magnets and a lot more.
Make sure your website has stock information for everything in the stores. If I'm working at home and need a part immediately, I'd check your website to see if it's down the street, and if I can't find the info there I'll probably go to Mouser instead. Also, why not mine the searches for parts on your website to see what people are looking for but not finding, and add a place for them to tell you what they want if a search fails?
I stopped going to Radio Shack when I started knowing more than the people who worked there. Why shop from a place when I can go online and buy it cheaper? The salespeople are your core assets and they need to be people that can help us do things.
There's a reason why I prefer to go to my local Ace Hardware store instead of Home Depot or Lowe's, even if it can be more expensive, the staff are way more knowledgeable and helpful and it feels more my speed and style. This is how Radio Shack used to be. Now the staff knows nothing about electronics and parts and mainly try to push cell phones. Have a good supply of audio parts, tools, adapters, micro-programers, PC parts, pinball/mame/arcade parts, more capacitors, etc.
Great to see you guys trying to get closer to your roots.
You should sell kits of 80 value 0805 SMD resistors, 32 value SMD capacitors and the like.
Also, sell the low end Hakko FX-888 and FX-961 soldering stations instead of the rebadged Madelltech units. And for goodness sake, stock an assortment of replacement tips!
I'd also suggest stocking SchmartBoard SMT to DIP adapters.
I don't know if anyone has commented about this yet but LOSE THE CELL PHONES!!!! Your employees are 20 year old kids distracted with their own cell phones and selling us cell phones. that's not what RS is supposed to be.
I asked your employee for a volume switch and got a blank stare and an "idk." Carry radio parts maybe?!!! PC parts? DIY solar power kits. Things that can help people in a down economy.
@GuatoRizzatto That's how employees make their money, from selling cell phones, otherwise, it's essentially a minimum wage job. It's also the primary money maker for the company. Whereas parts are not all the profitable. The company simply would not exist without cell phones, and such.
I'm sure this is a franchise-level issue, but some advice to the franchises might help:
"My" Radio Shack is closed at seven. I'm a techie with money, so I work until 5. I get home around 5:30. I have some dinner and start tinkering around 7:00. I realize I need something around 8:00 and think: "Radio Shack might ha--they're closed."
I basically have to skip work to give you my money. Hours open 9-5 are wasted on me.
That said: arduino, please. Niche I/O like small touchscreen monitors.
I stopped shopping at Radio Shack years ago, but it was more about the way I was treated and less about the shift in product selection. No matter what store I went in, I was frequently given third degree whenever I would buy something a regular consumer wouldn't. They would almost demand to know what it was being used for to make sure I wasn't buying it by mistake and I found it very disrespectful. I also found the constant up-sell attempts for extended warranties and batteries very annoying.
The last time I went to the local RS the asked if I needed help, I said I was looking for a PIR module; they responded, “is that a new IPhone add-on or something?” Then proceeded to ask me 7 times to buy batteries. Literally 7 times. I cursed the idiot, who by the way kept glancing at the TV that had some basketball game playing. I will never ever go back to a RS again. The manager didn’t even know what a transistor was...
Maybe if they sold ice cream, I might go back. Till then, f*ck RS........
Knowledgeable employees.
Bring back electronics learning kits, the good ones you use to have not the POS ones of today
Arduino's And Arduino Accessories
Microsoft Gadgeteer and accessories
realityfusion 3 days ago
You need to explain why it's better to buy a smartphone AND the cell plan, from Radio Rhack in dollars and cents. In other words, why it's cheaper or easier than the the big box stores who compete with you. The prices on computer components should be price matched also with BB,walmart target and other online stores also... ie: newegg, tigerdirect etc.
willi234 3 weeks ago
I'm a current employee and I saw on the web page we are getting Make: component kits 1 and 2 and more DIY books. Any chance on getting velleman style kits that Maker: Shed has?
ModernWasteland 1 month ago
More Maker Shed projects like the TV-b-gone
ModernWasteland 1 month ago
1. Competent employees.
2.At least have components and connectors in stock. Went in to my local store to find they did not have 1/4" replacement plug.
3.more DIY kits and Books.
grbanjo 1 month ago
Vacuum tubes. cant seem to find them anywhere.
fart1fart1 2 months ago
Bring back the narrator chips.
Oweng40000 3 months ago
Arduino would be awesome, but please never stop carrying those drawers, or vhs tapes.
MrTiaHemingway 4 months ago
Bring back Ralph, Brian and Cliff!
discovertree55 4 months ago
Bring back the RadioShack Answer Team!
discovertree55 4 months ago
laser diodes and 10 cent leds
casey03nick07 5 months ago
Pay Sale Associates more use to work there and the pay scale sucks
dATfAKA81G 6 months ago
Things I want to see radio shack sell...
a variety of arduinos, xbees, accelerometers, servos, piezoelectric sensors, thermocouples, more diverse PV cells, adjustable capacitors and inductors, Peltier TECs and TEGs.... so much more... just knock over the damn cell phone rack already and make room for this shit!
TaylorHolmes 7 months ago
Don't chase me out trying to sell me batteries and sub services.
sp00nix 7 months ago
more video converters
ThePresD 7 months ago
ARDUINO this is by far the best thing they could start selling and Pin headers or programing headers maybe just more microprocessors in general but a nicely priced arduino that i can go and pick up from the store and not order would be great
Roymond911 7 months ago
Offer an "Infinite Warehouse Buying Service option, where you source from all of your competitors - including international ones - to allow a customer to get all of the components on their pick list from one source. "If it can be got, we'll get it." Charge what it takes to make the service work. Use it as a way to build the brand as a national single-source supplier.
x8tmc8x 7 months ago
How about trying out a flagship store that has an in-house 3D prototype printer. I'm pretty sure you could do some fantastically interesting things with something like that. I think a 3D printer could also be designed to print circuit boards in odd shapes that could be thermo-formed to fit most anywhere.
x8tmc8x 7 months ago
Make it mandatory that all store managers and regional managers be active citizens in the electronic community, responsible for fostering programs for skill-building and technical education outreach. Sponsor hobbyist clubs at schools, universities and community centers. Stress the eco-friendly concept of repair. Teach the fundemental basics of how to solve any problem: knowing how something works and looking for the simplest failures first.
x8tmc8x 7 months ago
1) Indepth online catalog.
2) Free in-store pickup of catalog-orders if in-store merchandise is purchased.
3) QR codes on everything to link to web-based product comparisons, similar products, product reviews, instructional videos.
4) "Unleash the Geek!" program of weekly in-store demos of electronics basics, like (seriously!) how to best use different soldering irons and tools; how to test diodes, capacitors, transistors, etc.; best practices making speaker cables. Call it: "You get the idea!".
x8tmc8x 7 months ago
You abandoned us- my local stores used to have people who knew what they were doing. My brother called me because your employees did not know what an led segment display was, so he went to mouser.
1. You have lost the normal walk in consumer. (Period)
2. You should attack commercial markets; a) Start carrying a product line like CSC or Granger b) Your online store is sucks I am not going to use it until it runs like newegg. c) Have key LOCAL reps sell to datacenters and commerical projs
lukosrage 8 months ago
START SELLING SCIENCE FAIR KITS, but update them with atmel arduino's, wireless transceivers, maybe a small camera(SEE sparkfun), and something that lets you use USB with the arduino and such.
eadthem 8 months ago
atmel microcontrollers and programmers(this follows along with arduino), at least 20 different chips from the CD4000 or 74??### logic chip series, may by carry a USB oscope 100MSPS or better. The other day i went to radioshack for a 10Amp 120V contact 12V coil relay, and some 5 and 15 amp small magnetic breakers NOT THERMAL. I got referred to another company on the other side of town, after the person asked if he could help. The store had the relay in stock, and no breakers.
eadthem 8 months ago
Think along the lines of what us DIY folks love, and provide those products at a price cheaper then if we had to pay for the postage and buy them online.
3) Go to places like American Science and Surplus, and get inspired. Look at the customers there. They used to go to Radio Shack. I'm not saying that you should carry the same products, but you need to see what those people are into.
johnabbottnet 8 months ago
I'm the guy who used to be your best customer... so please listen.
Yes, you can compete with Digikey, Mouser, and other electronic stores.
1) Have your marketing people track websites like "hack-a-day", and start carrying products in response to that. Wouldn't it be cool if after reading an online hack, I could go to a radio shack and find the parts???
2) Why not sell a simple radio control circuit for hackers to play with? Or modules for motion detection?
johnabbottnet 8 months ago
I hate radio shack, the staff honestly only care about cell phones. I can never walk in and just look around without being shoved a cell phone
jermamevo 8 months ago
Toilet Paper and Donuts!
darksamiss 8 months ago
1. Arduino AND Parallax (because Arduinos can only do so much)
2. A cooler selection of project boxes. If I'm buying something where the look and feel matter, I want to drive to a store to check it out even if I have to pay a little more. Bring in a bigger assortment of knobs, switches, lights, metal and plastic boxes of all sizes and sell us the Dremel cutting bits to modify them!
3. "Kits" no matter how old I get, I still want to mindlessly assemble a kit: amps, alarms, sensors. They're fun!
reprogrammingart 8 months ago
Stupid Radio Shack ... They have a bin for 7-Segment Displays ... but it's full of tiny overpriced solar panels instead ... after asking for help they wanted me to drive to another Radio Shack to get the part ... and worse they don't even carry a BCD-7Segment decoder chip anyway! For the last 20+ years Radio Shack has been almost useless ... I only stop in when I'm driving buy looking for something and almost never find it at Radio Shack. Then there's the staff ... useless but for cell phones
SolidWorksMagi 8 months ago
Get rid of the cell phones and the consumer electronics, and hire some people who know the difference between a transistor and a tire, and i might consider shopping there again. Your company lost my respect and business when you changed your stores to get rid of parts and bring in consumer crap. What happened to the Forrest Mims notebooks, and keeping the parts in stock to build the projects the notebooks contained? Bring in Arduino and stock components again!
iflyos 8 months ago 8
@RadioShack Publish cool project plans and stock the parts to make them and they’ll make friends with a new crop of young hobbyists.
also host community workshops to teach entry level things to beginners and get some excitement built up. sure it will cost a little bit of money but you'll be expanding your customer base by a lot.
multiplemes101 8 months ago
Unobtanium. Preferably in ingot form.
hellisbreakingloops 8 months ago
how about stocking some common parts as well?
I went into my local RS to get some parts, bought an LM386 chip.
and they didn't have a chip socket for an 8-pin (4 per side) chip. didn't even have a spot for it on the shelf.
anywhere.
so, RS, maybe you could stock the little extras that are nice to have for some more common things? even a 555 has 8 pins, and those are used in a large amount of projects.
thanks.
apt95 8 months ago
Lots of people have already arduino hardware, but perhaps hosting competitions and workshops around Arduino (or other hardware) as well? 'Monthly RadioShack Challenge', or '10 Easy Steps to Your Very Own Blinky Lights'? Competition and tutorials would encourage communities that spring up around other groups like Sparkfun and Adafruit.
TaguchiSama 8 months ago
You need to become more like Home Depot....
Their business model revolves around their customers knowing how to do things that involve the products they sell. To further that they have learn to paint / tile / fix drywall classes that get people confident and more importantly ambitious and as a direct result they sell more product.
Radio Shack needs to take on that model and have 'make and take' arduino classes or similar basic electronic quick and dirty primers that get people making.
kellysystemsrepair 8 months ago
Most people have covered all the good points, Arduino boards, shields, kits. But these are bringing new things to Radio Shack. I could get one thing to Radio Shack it would be just simply lower prices on components. Your component prices are down right ridiculous. We are all familiar with what the real world prices on these are and you aren't even trying to be competitive.
kellysystemsrepair 8 months ago 2
Rename the store: Maker Shack
1 - Cables & connectors for connection to circuit boards
2 - PCB board fabrication/etching
3 - FPGA and microprocessor boards & kits, with accessories
mackinmustang 8 months ago
One thing RadioShack does right is allowing us to search for components online and see if the item is in a store nearby. Many times this has kept me from ordering something online somewhere else or making a trip to a larger (but less convenient) competitor.
rrauenza 8 months ago
I go to RS for parts and repair items at a cheap price, or I used to. You never have what I need, and if you do it is much more costly than an online purchase. Get back to your roots...I do NOT got to RS for cell phones or toys.
screaminbluememe 8 months ago
1. Arduino boards
2. Arduino accessories
3. More DIY kits and how-to books, maybe some not-so-childish looking ones.
JasonLikesCake 8 months ago 6
In a nut: Get people excited to make things and stock the parts for them.
Bigger selection of small parts - wider range of capacitors, CCDs, LEDs, etc
Project plans (not just kid's kits, which are great)
Bigger selection of kit cases
Host and/or sponsor DIY contests.
I do buy some project parts from Radio Shack, but the selection is worse and prices higher than i can find online. Even so, i would buy more from Radio Shack if there were employees who know enough to find the right part for me.
ottovonbisquick 8 months ago 3
1. Teflon insulated wire
2. Quality components (Vishay resistors, Nichicon caps, etc)
3. Arduino kits!!!!
rlgreene100 8 months ago 2
Here's my wish list:
1. QSD based SDR RX and XCVR/QRP kits (ranging from $20 - $100)
2. "Getting Started with embedded Micro-controllers" series of SDKs. (PIC, PowerPC, ARM)
3. "Getting Started with FPGAs" (partner with XILINX and Altera to market a low end eval board with 10-20 low cost or free applications).
4. ***MOST IMPORTANT***
*Become the Amazon of DIY component/product sales !* I'm willing to pay a premium to pay online with my credit card and have it delivered to my door.
Go RS !
Ruby1918 8 months ago
Get ready for the future; DIY will be more about SW but basic HW will always be required. Software Defined Radio is a good example. I would love to see some SDR kits offered in RS stores. I'll never forget the excitement of completing my 1st cat's wisker detector and hearing a local AM station at age 11.
Ruby1918 8 months ago
Please have one employee ready to take my money instead of pitching cell phones. I can't tell you how many times I have gone there and had to wait until I simply had no more time, while all employees were dealing with phones. I don't care that your people no nothing about electronics, but at least make it easy for me to spend money with you.
Warshipmodelsunderwa 8 months ago
Check out Toolmonger's comments, they are your potential customers. You'll have to win some of them back, but it would be worth it. Until there is a Retro Radio Shack, with non-aggressive sales employees, and real components, most of us won't be back. I prefer to wait for mail shipping rather than deal with Radio Shack "customer service" and "product selection." But it doesn't have to be that way, you could be great again, get America's youth back into engineering and save the nation! Ok?
qolque 8 months ago
Ham radio guys know that Radio shack isn't the place anymore. When recently troubleshooting a setup, 1 old ham spat at the mention of buying Coax from Radio shack! You could try a warehouse type store in bigger city areas where the experiment wouldn't cost as much. In 1 corner, have a free maker lab, where folks could bring their projects & work on them, maybe use of an oscilloscope, power supply, soldering equipment, & an experienced DIY ENTHUSIAST! You may have to close 200 stores nationwide
qolque 8 months ago
I remember radio shack in the days, I was a young kid making my first electronics project and paying 2,99$ for a 20 pin socket that I could of pay 5 cent at a other electronic store! When you are 12 year old 2,99$ is alot! Since that day, I never when back and never will. There is no point since there is so many other great competitor!
The best you could do is discount for young kids and students!
JeromeDemers 8 months ago
You're asking the DIY crowd for 3 products? Naw, see, we don't think like that. We'd hack your whole business model! Here's a free idea, not for love of Radio Shack, but because thinking up ideas is good for my creativity streak:
You want to keep your phone divisions, fine. Leave it to the malls. Lease a big space like an old empty supermarket, and stock it with parts. No TV's, no finished projects, no phone sales. Just components. LED's, switches, arduino. Quality wire, & maker employees:)
qolque 8 months ago
Don't forget test equipment: Frequency counters, signal generators, Ocilloscopes, and spectrum analyzers. They make inexpensive PC based solutions that would be perfect for electronic projects and cover the HF bands.
KF5EUT 8 months ago
Also you might want to have more build it yourself robots, micro controllers to include stamp and the like, JTAG programmers, FPGA proto/developer kits, microprocessors like the z80 and yes the still make those. Computer connectors, SATA, USB, IDE, PCI headers etc, we need I/O !
KF5EUT 8 months ago
And by wiring kits I mean the array of electronic experimentation kits they used to sell, I still have one of the 300 in 1 electronics learning labs, and the projects to this day still teach me valuable learning lessons and offer me a way of doing modular prototyping.
KF5EUT 8 months ago
3. Books on electronic projects and electronic principles, I have several books from Forrest Mims III from when Radio Shack had a small library available for sale. You want more makers, teach them electronic principles and projects, thats how I got started.
Bottom line please please don't let radio shack become solely a cellphone store... The electronic pats and kits were what made Radio Shack unique; get rid of that stuff and people will shop elsewhere.
KF5EUT 8 months ago
1. Wiring kits I had em as a kid and now I do SATCOM and IT management for the DoD Largely in part due to my parents buying me a wiring kit and getting me interested in electronics.
2. Ham radio gear, connectors, parts. Do some research on what hams are buying, the types of connectors they need for their radios, Anderson power poles/power connectors, etc. Currently the number of licensed ham radio operators is greater than ever with more young folks teens- 30's getting into the hobby.
KF5EUT 8 months ago
She needs help with her opening wave.
bmomjian 8 months ago
Haha Troll video.
rocker9455 8 months ago
3 products?
1: Spy Video TRAKR™
2:MakerBot Industries' CupCake CNC
3:Sharism.CC's 本 NanoNote pocket computer
DrAltaica 8 months ago
Why all the negative comments, most RadioShacks have very knowledge employees and in my experience when they don't know something they take the time to look it up and find a solution, plus RS HAS to be more consumer electronics based, selling nothing but DIY stuff doesn't pay the lease ANYWHERE, if they didn't evolve they would've died out a long time ago, its one of those things where you can't blame the company for changing with the times, people don't buy ham radios like they did in the 70's
aejaneczek 9 months ago
Be Monoprice but nationwide, where all types of cables can be purchased by walking in and not through online.
fullerseminarian 9 months ago
when I was a kid in the way old days, any trip on the bus into town was not complete without going in the radio shack to snoop around and dropping a buck towards the next project.
PCB printing would be cool, but even cooler... 3d printing. it's still kind of pricey to get started in 3d for the typical amateur, but wow - it's a pretty inexpensive thing for a store front operation. lots of kids out there who could drop 10 bucks to feed a burgeoning maker habit. classes and clinics.
arduino.
terryk88a 9 months ago
Please show me arduinos, the best Android phones...not just phone service plans you want to sell me, but a curated, current collection of the best Android phones...gun tech, like laser sights...HTPC gear like Google TVs. That'll get me in the door. I spend a lot on tech.
SlyBevel 9 months ago
The more Arduino related products you could stock, the better.
verdatum 9 months ago
I remember when you sold radios there. Want to sell amateur radios again.
srvvlhm 9 months ago
Also, if you must keep the cell phones and generic radio controlled cars, keep those stores in the malls and call them "Consumer Electronics Shack" but have at least one store per area that is truly "Radio Shack" with the stuff you used to carry back in the day. That way you can go in and ask for ham radio parts and not be given a portable FM radio and directions to nearest Honey Baked Ham shop.
djscurge 9 months ago
the 20 y/o cell phone salesman who is a professional txt msger and doesn't know what a voltage divider is. Compile basic starter kits with common standard resistor and capacitors, prototyping and bread boards, common transistors, fundamental IC's like 555's and op-amps, and small assortments of switches and LED's. AND RESTOCK YOUR MAGNET WIRE! Also, contact Forrest Mims III and have him write another , more up-to-date book for you guys!
djscurge 9 months ago
The comments here have listed many good suggestions, and I do agree that RS has become much more of a consumer electronics store than a resource for raw components and such. There is still a RS in Nashville TN that is mostly way I lovingly remember RS to be. It is staffed by knowledgeable people that realize that when u ask for a 10k pot, they don't call the cops thinking your asking drugs. You can help create your market by sponsoring DIY electronics clinics, but you'll have to loose
djscurge 9 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
your problem RS, is fundamental; That you enlisted youtube to crowdsource solutions shows inherent naivete of the DIY communities; You feature "Amy" who hardly sounds knowledgeable; That your solution is to find a solution in the comments section is laughable. You want a solution---fire your CMO. Sponsor DIY sites & forums. Create a DIY genius bar. But that would all take courage and foresight that your team of cell phone shillers lack.
singwilly 9 months ago
your problem RS, is fundamental; That you enlisted youtube to crowdsource solutions shows inherent naivete of the DIY communities; You feature "Amy" who hardly sounds knowledgeable; That your solution is to find a solution in the comments section is laughable. You want a solution---fire your CMO. Sponsor DIY sites & forums. Create a DIY genius bar. But that would all take courage and foresight that your team of cell phone shillers lack.
singwilly 9 months ago
IF you want to really get back in the game, start hiring highly paid electrical engineers to give real insight, for you and your customers.
penjo0in 9 months ago
#3: Beginners kits that are engaging, modifiable, and have re-usable components.
The new kits are pretty good, but there's still the issue of not being able to re-use some of the pieces without destroying it.
Perhaps an Arduino compatible robotics kit where nearly everything: battery holders, components, microcontrollers, breadboard, can be removed.
Maintain a blog with projects, and a one time present becomes a revenue stream if their parents purchase the extra parts from Radioshack.
AgentAlmost 9 months ago
The #1 thing you need are staff who aren't just trained to shill cellphones.
A decade and a half ago, when I was young and stupid, I'd go in with nothing but an idea, and would usually be given good advice.
Now that I have more experience, I'll go in with all the specs written down, then get a shrug or a finger pointing to the component cabinet.
In essence, make sure all of your staff at least knows enough to not direct me to a grocery store next time I walk in looking for a breadboard.
AgentAlmost 9 months ago
#2: As others have said, you can't compete price-wise but you can be the place we go to when we run out of solder, and either fry our components, forget to order them, or lose them somewhere.
Make sure every location has the basic stuff, like soldering irons, solder, boards (both pcb & protos), & well stocked component drawers. A broader selection of capacitors & resistors would also be nice.
If every location had the stock that Amy's standing in front of, that would be a huge improvement.
AgentAlmost 9 months ago
arduino's goodies, adafruit stuff! :D
repires 9 months ago
motors & sensors,
repires 9 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Arduino's Goodies!
repires 9 months ago
Arduino's Goodies!
repires 9 months ago
I never consider Radio Shack anymore, because they're always 10x or more for simple accessories. I don't mind paying more for convenience, but some prices are way out of line.
jeriellsworth 9 months ago
3 Products?!? Are you stupid? The formula for being a successful vendor to hobbyists are all over the place. Just pick up the phone; call up someone like SparkFun and start stocking their stuff. It's all retail-ready.
gork42 9 months ago
Add another 20 square foot of real estate to your components section. Lose the overpriced cell phone crap, I'll stick to the sprint store where the employees either know what they're talking about or can compensate me for their failures. Put everything you read in everyone else's comments in said 20 square feet. Roll out nationwide and make me want to come to your store.
amraam840 9 months ago
I just re-watched the video.
"The assortment we currently carry...."
Before the Radio Shack near me in Fullerton closed I went there once looking for solder. They didn't have any tools or parts.
My $0.02... It is time Radio Shack saw the writing on the wall and realize that they only bring in the people who are misinformed and pay $60.00 for a Firewire cable.
alopeke 9 months ago
A) Lower your prices. $60.00 for a FireWire cable is ridiculous when I can go to Fry's and get the same cable for $12.00.
B) Get rid of the cell phones. I don't like being sold a cell phone when I came in to buy a roll of electrical tape.
C) Loose the crap gadgets and go back to your roots. You wouldn't be asking this unless you realized it is the age of the DIYer again. Bring back everything that made Radio Shack, Radio Shack.
alopeke 9 months ago
One person in each store or locality that IS a hobbyist/DIY person. Get an employee incentive program going so your employees want to be, and are a part of the community you want to connect with.
Seminars, or meetups of DIYers inside a RadioShack location
Arduino and popular shields, wires, and manuals.
MrGalorin 9 months ago
Everything that RS USED to carry in the 70s. Lose all the cheap junk that no one wants and return to your DIYer roots.
zer0Nu11 9 months ago 2
Everything that RS USED to carry in the 70s.
zer0Nu11 9 months ago
How bout employees who know what we are asking for.
Put the DIY Stuff up front and hide the phones in the back somewhere......
snelldeful 9 months ago
Forget adding handfuls new of components to all your existing stores. Set up a few new, branded DIY specialty stores carrying everything you need to build all the most popular modern projects: Arduino, RC, DIY synth, DIY audio, etc. Design and sell starter kits in these interest areas, for newbies. Convert a single store in each metro market to this new "DIY Shack" format. Use your weight Wal*Mart-style to get low price components for us. We'd praise your name forever instead of mocking it.
TheAlphadial 9 months ago 4
Well, "Radio" Shack, 1N34A germanium detector diodes would be a good start. I was shocked and bewildered to discover that RS doesn't carry the bare handful of components necessary to build a dangblasted *crystal radio* anymore. Since I started DIY, I learned to accept that RS doesn't have (and can't carry) *every*thing. But come ON, guys.
TheAlphadial 9 months ago
"you talked, we listened"... yeah, we've been complaining about this for years... maybe even a decade? Unfortunately the advice that would really bring DIYers back into the store would also probably be preceieved as devastating to your bottom line-- who knows, maybe it would in fact be devastating. Ditch the cell phones, and other junk-- focus on parts, tools and gadgets.
mikesaltzman1 9 months ago 2
THREE PRODUCTS? You can't fix this with 3, 6, 50, even 100 new products. You need to hire some electrical engineers that are really into DIY and ask them what new products you should bring in. Radioshack currently sells next to nothing, 3 products ain't going to help. You see that rack of drawers behind you in the video? You need 20 of those filled with different things.
frost5000000 9 months ago
I recently went to RS looking for some wire. You know, standard 16 gauge insulated copper stranded wire, knowing without a doubt that RS would have any kind of wire I needed. WRONG. The only thing my local RS stocked (besides speaker wire) was 18 gauge insulated copper solid core wire that wouldn't work for my project. You can't even find a HAM radio at the shack anymore, and the selection of wire splices suck. I ended up finding exactly what I needed at Home Depot for a lot less $.
xmtsystems 9 months ago
Potentiometers, servos, and cows.
ParkourNerd 9 months ago
I'd love to see Radio Shack getting back to their roots offering components for the DIY schematic junkies, and showing love to the Amateur Radio community! I am a HAM radio enthusiast and I used to love purchasing parts at radio shack, from replacing blown diodes, resistors, transistors to even being able to order old tubes back in the old days. Course I would definitely love to see Radio Shack offering more to the HAM radio enthusiast / electronics hobbyist.
qoaa 9 months ago
Winning marketing strategy - make Radio Shack as cool as Think Geek but with the already established physical locations. I should be able to go in there, buy an arduino kit, a couple of crazy ICs, motor controllers, motors, accelerometer module, etc and go home and build a robot then program it - using all Radio Shack-bought stuff. There are so many hobbyists at that level everywhere but you haven't developed the market. Think: Jameco's robot store, Think Geek and a good hobby shop.
rbgrn4real 9 months ago
I'm an RC heli and plane modeler and while I don't expect Radio Shack to be able to compete with the best hobby stores, I would like it if they would sell things like good, name-brand soldering tools, power supplies, etc at competitive and affordable prices. I also think it would be smart to specialize in having every connector, cable, adapter, wire type, etc known to man. That's always what I need when I go to a Radio Shack and I'm almost always let down when it's not available.
rbgrn4real 9 months ago
Arduino! I'm just getting into this sort of thing, and that would be my place to start.
blyargh 9 months ago 2
STOCK MORE ICs. Really, there are only so many things we can do with resistors, capacitors, and the very odd selection of semiconductor products (i.e. parallax's Ping range finder, the accelerometer breakout, and the RFID reader, but you don't sell anything to interface them with). My top 3 would be AVR microcontrollers (Atmel's atmega or attiny series) in PDIP package, Schottky diodes, and a wider selection of transistors! FETs, MOSFETs, and TO220 power BJTs are still useful!
S33PlusPlus 9 months ago
#1 product you could put in your stores: At least one person on each shift that knows what an opamp is. It's disappointing enough that you've slashed DIY components to between a couple drawers & eight linear feet of wall, but what's most dejecting is when I walk into a store and hear a greeting of "Can I help you?" my first thought is rightly "Probably not." Please...at least one person in the store should know what things are - even if they don't know what its for - & where its at.
afttube 9 months ago
I don't think it's possible... You'd have to loose the thousands of "Mall" locations, because lease and other overhead costs would be far too expensive to have a store large enough to stock enough of whatever the DIY'er would want. And I don't see RS leaving the local mall anytime soon... The day of the eclectic "local radio shack" is long gone. (No caps in RS was no accident BTW.)
LagunaNorthwest 9 months ago
Virtual stock... Could you have a large stock online at great prices.. a person could select from it and in a few days the items could be picked up from a local store with no shipping cost.
uwkster 9 months ago
@uwkster Amen.
afttube 9 months ago
the girl in the vid, nothing personal, but as a brand manager of a company trying to appeal to the techy diy crowd you seem a little out of your element. maybe its time you bring a few people into the mix from the crowd you're appealing to. i would love to see radio shack become a usefull place again when i need a certain obscure part or connector or something similar.
brownca2231 9 months ago
Hotter employees
EricRBTube 9 months ago
Do you still have Forrest Mims' contact information? You may want to ask him for his input and advice. I think he knew what RadioShack customers wanted back in the day.
jasinnj2000 9 months ago 3
Radio Shack can't compete with Digikey, Mouser...etc. However, if they could offer a PCB 'printing' service that works in a similar way to drug store photo labs and stock a reasonable assortment of essential componentry, they would make a lot of friends in the maker/hacker/diy community.
Can you imagine being able to submit a CAD file to the Radio Shack website, then driving to your local store an hour or so later to pick up your custom PCB and components?
This would be HUUUGE!
JLConeallyinc 9 months ago 33
@JLConeallyinc Don't think this would ever happen, but it would be huge and it would get me in the store a LOT more.
afttube 9 months ago
@JLConeallyinc You can do that with a B&W laser printer. First step is to develop your board print it, melt the toner on a blank PCB using a clothes iron, use hot water to remove the paper the plastic toner is left be hind and will protect the copper circuit traces, etch the board with etching solution, use acetone to remove the toner. Done.
KF5EUT 8 months ago
@KF5EUT I've used the toner transfer method and the photo resist method but they both have their shortcomings (trace size, chemical spills, consistency, etc.). I could wrap my own induction coils or make my own capacitors too but at some point, building everything from scratch becomes impractical. I used the photo lab example b/c people used to develop their own photos but when the demand for a retail developer option was recognized, photo printing became easy. Would like to see the same w/PCB's
JLConeallyinc 8 months ago
@JLConeallyinc This 1000x
CollinstheClown 8 months ago
Not even our local "hobby electronics store" (Sparky's in Fresno, CA) has a suitable assortment of modern DIY components. Top of my list: Arduino and related accessories! Arduino is pretty much a do-it-all, easy to learn electronics microcontroller platform, cheap ($30-$40 to start), and has hundreds of accessories to do everything from controlling a dishwasher to calculating and displaying a car's fuel economy (search for "MPGuino"). You've GOT to bring Arduino to RadioShack!
Volatus 9 months ago 17
@Volatus I hadn't though of this, but now that you mention it...it makes perfect sense. Arduino seems like it was made for RS; its exactly the kind of kit item I remember buying from RS when I was a kid.
afttube 9 months ago
@Volatus , I'm in Fresno as well and I was recently at a local store. They don't carry Arduino's, IMHO, because they have their own microcontroller project kit that they try to push. The reason I imagine is that open source is NOT a business model.
voidtraveler 6 months ago
1.) I would like to see component sets -- an assortment of common resistor or capacitor values with like 5 pieces per value in a set for like $20. Sell them in a small, compartmentalized box that way I can have a component on hand when I decide to put something together. Then sell the individual valued components for when I run out of bits and pieces.
2.) uCs like arduino and accessories
3.) How about the cheap electronics like tablets that you can't get in most other stores in the US?
alstonpike 9 months ago
Yeah the biggest issue for me going to RadioShack is that I know 9 times out of 10 you guys won't carry the piece I need. Selection needs to be vast when dealing with DIY community. My local electronics shop stocks just about everything, and regularly buys used equipment from locals. This helps in huge ways by providing a source of electronic parts common to the area.
djfaber 9 months ago
speakers, crossovers, mixers, more guitar stuff in the parts rack and knobs, more types of amp DIP chips and brushless motors and controllers for them, Verizon!
TheStellarReign 9 months ago
Have a larger selection even if that means free web to store or cheap home delivery, but have an inventory people want. On site PCB etching with the ability to bring schematics on site and drop them off for prototyping. How about carrying make magazine and having the components for a project monthly (Heck you and make could have a joint sponsored monthly project) and make sure the parts are on site for the impulse buyers. Have parts books onsite and allow people to order them onsite and have
avengingwatcher 9 months ago 3
@avengingwatcher them drop shipped via a kiosk. Train your employees to know what they are talking about, at least one of them, please, a beginner hobbyist should not know more than your employees.
avengingwatcher 9 months ago
1 - A 3d printer. Not for sale, but where I come in and give you a file (on a flashdrive) and you print out the object right there and sell it to me. Think about how much of a novelty this would be! Even non-DIYers would be amazed and want to use it.
2 - PCB etching kit
3 - LCDs that I can interface to on a breadboard.
wallacoloo 9 months ago 4
did she say dipshunts?
miloh 9 months ago
I agree when i think RadioShack i think PCB components, however they never seem to have what i need. Most of their connectors are too large or small. I think it would be great if radio shack were to team up with a site like sparkfun, digikey, all electronics, or mouser so that they could stock the common components that we really need. Some items on my list that i would like to see would be, microprocessors (and programmers) Logic gates, flip flops, solid state relays, stepper motors,etc...
FrozenKnight21 9 months ago
The Burning Man community on the west coast does MASSIVE DIY projects during the entire year in preparation for the Burning Man festival. You should stock your Western US urban stores, especially in San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, Portland, Seattle, and Reno with
1: LED electronic basics.
2: robotics
3: controllers.
2:
Madrox30 9 months ago
1 - less cellphone/gps/camera/... crap.
2 - more electronic components (MUCH MORE!)
3 - NOT OVERPRICED!
that's it, thank you :)
formatC2 9 months ago 2
1 - LESS mobile Phones
2 - larger range of basic components
3 - Sparkfun
tagno25 9 months ago 2
Arduinos/AVR's definnetly. Also, a more knowledgable staff would help alot...most of the time if I go to radioshack the staff do not know what a component is - or simple circuit construction, etc. All they seem to want to do is sell me a phone or TV.
dudefise 9 months ago
Good to hear; one word: Sparkfun.
albeedude 9 months ago
It's nice to know Radio Shack is still interested in what the diy'er wants... and I already have a cell phone!
I'm typically okay with retail mark-up. Not gouging, mark-up. When I wanted to get into micro controller programming, it turned my stomach to see that the BASIC stamp available at your stores rings in at $100!
I'm comfortable with the cost of your discrete component offerings... not to keen on the quality.
84dhudson 9 months ago
I would like:
Arduino at a respectable price.
Circuit kits and Theory for adults. I've got snapping buttons down pat :)
LCD Screens for projects.
84dhudson 9 months ago 2
1-lower cost simple components, like led's and capacitors, they are usually sold by ones and twos what one could buy 20-30 of from other retailers.
2-dump the snap kits, and offer real kits, including real circuit theory and info.
3, more diy cords, you useto cary lots of rca /phono/pin end cords with tinned wires at the other end, now days if you sell them you sell them for 2x the price of a double ended cord. and often you don't have them at all anymore.
killbox 9 months ago
There's no reason to charge $3 for an LED... that's rediculous
outleradam 9 months ago
The layouts you use are very inefficient. Put cell phones under the counter.... not in the middle of the floor. Leave phones for Walmart. Focus on techinical stuff. Digital TV equipment like hdhomerun would be nice to see also.
outleradam 9 months ago
Arduino shields/proto boards
outleradam 9 months ago
1. Micro usb breakouts
2. Circuit trace drawing pens/syringes
outleradam 9 months ago
1. Cheaper components
2. Larger packs of components (i.e. 1000 count assorted resistors)
3. Better trained staff who know the basics of electronics
wjz10595 9 months ago 2
My last purchase at RadioShack was about three years ago when I needed a capacitor and didn't want to wait for a shipment from Digikey. The clerks at the store had no idea what a capacitor was or where in the store it would be, so I had to find it myself. After I did and I went to go pay for my <$1 part, I got hassled by a very aggressive and persistent sales pitch for a cellphone. Train your clerks, dump the upselling, and you might get this former customer back.
quantamm 9 months ago 2
Arduinos. Shit for arduinos.
tapo 9 months ago 2
This has been flagged as spam show
1 - PCB etching kit
2 - Atmel prototype board
3 - Hakko Digital Soldering Station
amosx 9 months ago
Arduinos, Motors, Sensors and more components. I remember when Radio Shack was Radio Shack. You used to be the place I went when I needed something for my electronics tinkering. Unfortunately you are nothing more than a cellphone and crapgadget store.
I would love to see you get back to what made you a place I loved to shop!!
love2cad 9 months ago 2
I dont think it needs to be said again but arduinos and shields for them
jacobbiljo 9 months ago
1) Literature, 2) Kits, 3) Arduinos and things of that ilk.
Geofferic 9 months ago
1 - Ardunos
2 - CNC kits (3d printer / milling / laser cutter all-in-one)
3 - Motors & Sensors
alphaonelabs 9 months ago
radio shack was once Thee DIY Mecca
lets bring sexy back
1.kester .025 60/40 solder
2.pace soldering parts and irons
3.cap and resistor kits /packs
hacktheplanet90 9 months ago
Also get rid of your cellphone section.. its taking up valuable space. I don't buy phones from a DIY electronic store. you should browse sparkfun, mouser, Digikey and adafruit pages aswell as Hamradio.com for the things you should be selling your current inventory isn't the way to go your components are almost nil when i do to in on the very very rare occasion the store is EMPTY there is a reason why... you started as a DIY store and your trying to be bestbuy with a far more limited selection
kravron 9 months ago
Does not matter what you stock your prices are to high compared to other stores.how ever more selection of passive components to start
coil1002 9 months ago
First i would like to say that i don't shop at radio shack for a reason.. you seem to be making a step in the right direction with asking what you need to do...
1. Arduino and similar board like the newer chipkit and their breakout boards
2. tighter tolerance components like 1/2-1% tolerance also it was mentioned higher temp capacitors in short better quality components
3. Ham radios and related equipment
a large amount of your sales would come from ham radio, makers and hacker spaces
kravron 9 months ago
how bout having pcb boards and etching solution in the same store. I have to go to one location to buy the pcb boards and another location to buy the solution neither store carries both....Better yet how about employee's that actually knows what diy means Instead of walking in to the store and asking if they have a dip switch and they look at me like i insulted their mother and offer to sale me a cell phone plan.....just saying Radio Shack Used to be the maker brand now what happened to that.
civicbynature 9 months ago
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civicbynature 9 months ago
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civicbynature 9 months ago
1. Copper clad perfboards that fit the standoffs in the enclosures you sell
2. An assortment of 7400 series ICs
3. LCD displays (Character and Graphic)
Pincknec248 9 months ago
how bout not trying to sell me a @#$%ing phone every time I come in for new soldering tips?
dturner0413 9 months ago 3
Motors and associated controllers.
Gears, belts, transmissions for DIY projects.
Structural bits like metal plates, fiberglass, carbon fiber
nadieselgirl 9 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Please sell connectors, batteries, chargers and similar products for electric RC planes. In recent years electric RC planes have seen a boom in sales because batteries have advanced a lot. Shack has non of that business.
We need things like motor and servo screws, binding plugs, USB cables that connect RC remotes to PC for programing, EPO foam friendly glues and adhesives. magnets and a lot more.
RavalOnline 9 months ago
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RavalOnline 9 months ago
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shawnsjordan 9 months ago
Make sure your website has stock information for everything in the stores. If I'm working at home and need a part immediately, I'd check your website to see if it's down the street, and if I can't find the info there I'll probably go to Mouser instead. Also, why not mine the searches for parts on your website to see what people are looking for but not finding, and add a place for them to tell you what they want if a search fails?
shawnsjordan 9 months ago
I stopped going to Radio Shack when I started knowing more than the people who worked there. Why shop from a place when I can go online and buy it cheaper? The salespeople are your core assets and they need to be people that can help us do things.
scottsavarese 9 months ago 2
There's a reason why I prefer to go to my local Ace Hardware store instead of Home Depot or Lowe's, even if it can be more expensive, the staff are way more knowledgeable and helpful and it feels more my speed and style. This is how Radio Shack used to be. Now the staff knows nothing about electronics and parts and mainly try to push cell phones. Have a good supply of audio parts, tools, adapters, micro-programers, PC parts, pinball/mame/arcade parts, more capacitors, etc.
dan10things 9 months ago
Great to see you guys trying to get closer to your roots.
You should sell kits of 80 value 0805 SMD resistors, 32 value SMD capacitors and the like.
Also, sell the low end Hakko FX-888 and FX-961 soldering stations instead of the rebadged Madelltech units. And for goodness sake, stock an assortment of replacement tips!
I'd also suggest stocking SchmartBoard SMT to DIP adapters.
Thanks for caring!
InsurgentX 9 months ago
I don't know if anyone has commented about this yet but LOSE THE CELL PHONES!!!! Your employees are 20 year old kids distracted with their own cell phones and selling us cell phones. that's not what RS is supposed to be.
I asked your employee for a volume switch and got a blank stare and an "idk." Carry radio parts maybe?!!! PC parts? DIY solar power kits. Things that can help people in a down economy.
GuatoRizzatto 9 months ago 12
@GuatoRizzatto That's how employees make their money, from selling cell phones, otherwise, it's essentially a minimum wage job. It's also the primary money maker for the company. Whereas parts are not all the profitable. The company simply would not exist without cell phones, and such.
turdferguson9725 9 months ago
I'm sure this is a franchise-level issue, but some advice to the franchises might help:
"My" Radio Shack is closed at seven. I'm a techie with money, so I work until 5. I get home around 5:30. I have some dinner and start tinkering around 7:00. I realize I need something around 8:00 and think: "Radio Shack might ha--they're closed."
I basically have to skip work to give you my money. Hours open 9-5 are wasted on me.
That said: arduino, please. Niche I/O like small touchscreen monitors.
RelativelyComplete 9 months ago 3
1. ARDUINO 2. Better Soldering Irons and tips and 3. Amateur Radio products.
flashMXdesigner 9 months ago
I stopped shopping at Radio Shack years ago, but it was more about the way I was treated and less about the shift in product selection. No matter what store I went in, I was frequently given third degree whenever I would buy something a regular consumer wouldn't. They would almost demand to know what it was being used for to make sure I wasn't buying it by mistake and I found it very disrespectful. I also found the constant up-sell attempts for extended warranties and batteries very annoying.
iticory 9 months ago 2
1. Sell Arduino, 2. sell things Best Buy doesn't(cell phones, sat. tv, etc). 3. Sell DIY MAME cabinet parts + pinball machine electronics, 4. get involved with local hackerspaces & science fairs. 5. Stop selling obsolete merchandise(CB radios,police scanners, RS232 anything, etc) 6. vending machines for resistors, etc. 7. electronics-smart employees, 8. embrace MAKE magazine(heck, sell it!).
British1500 9 months ago 2
The last time I went to the local RS the asked if I needed help, I said I was looking for a PIR module; they responded, “is that a new IPhone add-on or something?” Then proceeded to ask me 7 times to buy batteries. Literally 7 times. I cursed the idiot, who by the way kept glancing at the TV that had some basketball game playing. I will never ever go back to a RS again. The manager didn’t even know what a transistor was...
Maybe if they sold ice cream, I might go back. Till then, f*ck RS........
kbcarte420 9 months ago
1) Get a distro deal with some company to bring in stuff for prototyping circuit boards - clad board, etchant, that sort of thing
2) Same thing with plastic/bakelite/enclosures and the like
3) Hackerpsace - a lot of areas do not have one
kakrofoon 9 months ago