"RadioShack's days are numbered"

vvv · Post by **vvv** » Sat Aug 02, 2014 5:23 pm

Well, respectfully, fully half the sales guys at Rat Shack, and an even greater percentage of the sales weasels at Banjo Mart, are drones.

Snarl 12/8 · Post by **Snarl 12/8** » Sun Aug 03, 2014 12:43 pm

vvv wrote:Well, respectfully, fully half the sales guys at Rat Shack, and an even greater percentage of the sales weasels at Banjo Mart, are drones.

Y'know, the other half can be pretty fucking cool sometimes. I've been alienated to the point of never wanting to go back AND had my socks rocked by some great customer service at GC. Can't say I've had either experience at the "Zon."

Gregg Juke · Post by **Gregg Juke** » Sun Aug 03, 2014 5:20 pm

Yes, likewise for me. I've got a guy at GC that is a real pro; been in music/audio retail for quite a few years, was before that, and still currently is a pro live sound and installation guy. He knows his stuff, and he knows what I'm doing and what I need. And customer service? He has let me borrow (at his insistance) his own personal gear, and has been willing to deliver purchases or loaners when situations/emergencies have arisen that have called for that. Anything else I might need (lighting, guitar gear, amps) he's well versed in. That leaves drums and percussion, and I've got a guy in that department as well that is at least a graduate music student and works hard to know his stuff and stay competent. Finding the right staff in retail is a huge part of the equation.

GJ

vvv · Post by **vvv** » Sun Aug 03, 2014 8:46 pm

Huh.

I've nothing but stories of ignorance, mediocrity, and outright dooshiness re the banjo marts here in Chi.

Not one time since the mid '90's can I say I've had good service there, what is why I haven' talked to anyone in there in years, except to make a buy - I never ask for nor trust their advice following a bad experience with a ignorant, pushy sales creep ...

I guess I hold grudges.

(I had better luck at Sam Arse, until the closed - much better luck at MusicGoReachround, until they closed, also.)

I never really interacted with the RS people; I knew from the beginning they'd have no clue.

JGriffin · Post by **JGriffin** » Tue Aug 05, 2014 3:04 pm

vvv wrote:Huh.

I've nothing but stories of ignorance, mediocrity, and outright dooshiness re the banjo marts here in Chi.

Not one time since the mid '90's can I say I've had good service there, what is why I haven' talked to anyone in there in years, except to make a buy - I never ask for nor trust their advice following a bad experience with a ignorant, pushy sales creep ...

I guess I hold grudges. (I had better luck at Sam Arse, until the closed - much better luck at MusicGoReachround, until they closed, also.)

I never really interacted with the RS people; I knew from the beginning they'd have no clue.

Fortunately there's still a Sam Ash up in Buffalo Grove. Unfortunately the nearest MusicGoRound is in fucking Kenosha.

vvv · Post by **vvv** » Sat Oct 04, 2014 9:06 am

Ach!

Radio Shack has taken a step back from the brink.

norton · Post by **norton** » Mon Oct 06, 2014 8:08 am

I love radio shack.... Why?

Because when a diode rectifier goes down on a Friday at 7pm....I can (most of the time) get that emergency part and make the fix.

I would be sad to see them disappear....even if they carry very few parts and pieces....very few is better than none.

Gregg Juke · Post by **Gregg Juke** » Mon Oct 06, 2014 11:00 am

^^^^ Precisely my feelings (although I do no diode rectifier repairs before or after 7pm, I do go there for last minute adaptors and cables a LOT, which you can't do with the Internet)...

GJ

vvv · Post by **vvv** » Mon Oct 06, 2014 11:35 am

JGriffin_formerlyDWLB wrote:
Fortunately there's still a Sam Ash up in Buffalo Grove. Unfortunately the nearest MusicGoRound is in fucking Kenosha.

Just saw this.

For me, on the So. Side, Buffalo Grove might as well be Kenosha.

Randyman... · Post by **Randyman...** » Mon Oct 06, 2014 1:15 pm

Didn't read all of the responses, but I had an awful experience at Radio Shack just last week. Reminded me a lot of the stories I always hear around here about Guitar Center.

So, I'm building some DIY 500 series gear (DIYRE "Colour" modules), and I break a leg off of an 8-Pin DIN IC Socket. I went through the time and trouble to research the exact Radio Shack part # I needed and confirmed it showed in stock at the Radio Shack by my house (let the Interwebs do the walking). Printed out a pic of the part along with the part # and stock availability and hopped in the truck.

I was on the way to pick up some phone-in food as well, and thought since I had done my legwork ahead of time, I should be in and out in 5 minutes. That's not an unreasonable expectation in my book.

I show the print-out to the ~20 year old Radio Shack clerk and he shows me to the semiconductor drawers, and says "It should be around here somewhere" and then just stands there. So I start sifting through the drawers and crap but can't find it. He doesn't really offer any further assistance (just stands there watching me search for the part myself), just that "The Item # is close to these, so it should be around here" (in the Semiconductor drawers).

I clarify it's not actually a semiconductor I'm looking for, but a passive IC Socket. He still claims it should be by the Semiconductors based only on Item # range. Another customer walks in and he immediately runs off to help him as I start scouring other areas for the item I need.

He comes back to me about 5 minutes later, and then takes the paper to his sales terminal, and confirms "it shows we have 2 in stock" (no shit, Sherlock, I told you that when I walked in the door!), and still just stands there (basically suggesting I'm going to have to locate it because he has done all he possibly can).

About 20 minutes into this adventure, I push further for help locating the item that has been confirmed to be in the store as my call-in food is getting cold. He goes in the back and asks for help. In the meanwhile as I scour EVERY ISLE OF THE STORE, I locate the item on a different isle, and indicate "I found it" as he was still in the back.

As he is ringing me up, I friendly state "I'll generally find what I'm looking for as long as it exists - I get this from my Mom". He seriously said "Yeah, Me too". I thought to myself: What did he say after just making me locate the item I researched for 20 minutes and confirmed was in-stock before I ever entered his store? Wow. I didn't even know what to say to that. Complete delusion going on there...

Basically, if I would not have found it myself, I would have walked out of the store without the part that was confirmed to be in-stock by me and the clerk!

The general "millennial" attitude completely turned me off. They truly believe they are doing great work when they aren't even being remotely helpful. Common Core working it's magic? Something going on here - a large portion of millennials seem to share this odd/misguided attitude that they are doing great work when they haven't done jack shit. Part of the "No one loses" mentality perhaps and over-parenting? It's plain messed up whatever is causing it...

I'd much rather fight through the Big-Box nature of Fry's (where I can generally find stuff much easier) than deal with Radio Shack even for a 99 cent part like an IC Socket, and Fry's is 3x-4x the drive from my house!

Good riddance. I'm glad they were around when I was a pup (built many a Realistic DIY Speaker using Radio Shack drivers and crossovers in my young days), but there are much better alternatives these days (Fry's; Local places like "EPO" in my area, online places like Parts Express and Mouser, even Amazon, etc).

vvv · Post by **vvv** » Mon Oct 06, 2014 1:23 pm

Should asked for fries with that - for which he mighta been qualified to give ya!

Gregg Juke · Post by **Gregg Juke** » Mon Oct 06, 2014 9:45 pm

Well, that's a problem in _every_ service area now-days. Everywhere. And yeah, it's probably too late, unfortunately. Have catastrophic long-term care insurance; these kids will be running what's left of the world when we are (really) old...

(And-- I know... "Get off my lawn!!!")

GJ

vvv · Post by **vvv** » Tue Oct 07, 2014 4:57 am

You should hear what they say about us!

"Check it out, this dude wanted me to find some little 'lectronics thingie what he coulda just ordered offa the 'zon when I was in the middle of tweeting my latest nekkid selfie. And then he didn't even tip me! And why do these old dudes keep talkin' about their lawn I ain't even ever seen?"

floid · Post by **floid** » Tue Oct 07, 2014 10:20 am

i went in rattling shack a couple weeks ago, inspired by this thread.
'got any etchant solution?'
blank stare
'should be by the copper clad boards.'
blank stare
'yep, here it is, right by the copper clad boards. heard you guys were going bankrupt.'
blank stare.
thing that gets me, is the job application primarily consists of an intelligence test.

Snarl 12/8 · Post by **Snarl 12/8** » Tue Oct 07, 2014 11:30 am

Jeez. I totally forgot that back in the day I applied for a job at Radio Shack. It was a really weird experience. I remember sitting in a really shitty back room for a long time staring at white boards that said weird shit about selling stuff on them. The training was very theoretical. There were posters up with inspirational messages about selling things. I think I walked out of there for lunch and just kept walking.

RadioShack Interview - Sales Associate:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ww3haN9_jTI

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