Sprint Killed Off RadioShack?

FrgMstr

FrgMstr

Just Plain Mean
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I am sure that many of you will argue that RadioShack had a very large hand in its own doom, some of its creditors that got screwed in the bankruptcy are now pointing a finger directly at Sprint as playing a big part in the slow multi-year death. By the way, can I get your name and address while you are reading the article?

The lawsuit alleges that in 2016, Sprint used confidential information obtained from RadioShack to open 200 competing stores near RadioShack's best locations, sinking any comeback for the electronics chain. "Sprint’s action destroyed nearly 6,000 RadioShack jobs," said the lawsuit.
 
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It was nice when I could go there for parts to fix things or wire/cabling. After they ditched most of that for a small cupboard in the back and used the space for phones and replaced the knowledgeable staff for sales people, i was done.
 
You can't expect a chain like Radio Shack to survive in this day and age, they were like the Dollar Store Best Buy.......now, I say this while a pair of Optoma (I think that was their house brand) bookshelf speakers sit not too far away from me (they're about 10lbs each and they sound amazing), so while I miss them I'm more amazed they survived as long as they did.
 
Nobody is a job creator.. just WTF.
The only thing any company or executive is, it is a job-destructor.
No company 'creates' any more jobs than what they absolutely need, for the shortest amount of time possible.
So an expanding economy creates jobs, and companies actually make sure to destroy them as much as possible, you know 'cause money.
 
HeadRusch said:
You can't expect a chain like Radio Shack to survive in this day and age, they were like the Dollar Store Best Buy.......now, I say this while a pair of Optoma (I think that was their house brand) bookshelf speakers sit not too far away from me (they're about 10lbs each and they sound amazing), so while I miss them I'm more amazed they survived as long as they did.
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Those were good speakers. I had a pair some years ago. Replaced them but not sure who I gave them to after I was done, still were working great.
 
Darunion said:
It was nice when I could go there for parts to fix things or wire/cabling. After they ditched most of that for a small cupboard in the back and used the space for phones and replaced the knowledgeable staff for sales people, i was done.
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That was the problem. It was cool all those years ago when RS was a small company and could get by selling small electronics and gizmos. With the growth of RS and the dwinderin interest of the electronics hobby it was only a matter of time before they had to expand to other paths. That is where they failed because they got to late into the game and half assed it.
 
Darunion said:
It was nice when I could go there for parts to fix things or wire/cabling. After they ditched most of that for a small cupboard in the back and used the space for phones and replaced the knowledgeable staff for sales people, i was done.
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I agree, internet killed that part off to be fair, plus electronics gotten so small and complex, even for fairly DIY oriented people like me its just above me.
 
People are always building SOMETHING and tinkering, the problem is these chains tend to be inflexible. Shit the vaping store in town sees more traffic than the electronics store. The guy selling drones is busy as hell every single weekend while the guy with the guitar store is only open three days a week. The guy who fixes and sells cell phone parts always has someone in there.

You just have to adapt or you become Blockbuster.
 
"Sprint used confidential information obtained from RadioShack to open 200 competing stores near RadioShack's best locations"

This is like picking the top performing K-mart and Sears locations and then extrapolating those will be killer location to install new retail. What genius came up with this plan?
 
Yeah, Sprint opened a store up in the old Radio Shack locations here. I thought that was odd.
 
Darunion said:
It was nice when I could go there for parts to fix things or wire/cabling. After they ditched most of that for a small cupboard in the back and used the space for phones and replaced the knowledgeable staff for sales people, i was done.
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This right here.

Back in the day, I used to buy stuff from them quite frequently. Their Optimus line of products was very nice as well.

After they got rid of all the good stuff, and jacked up prices on the replacement junk they started carrying, it was all downhill from there.

The people at the top who decided to destroy the brand are the ones that are to blame... not a crap company like Sprint. I could have set up a rolling cart, dressed like a bum and competed with Radio Shack once they started going down the tubes.
 
NIZMOZ said:
Yeah, Sprint opened a store up in the old Radio Shack locations here. I thought that was odd.
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That was part of one of the bankruptcy agreements. Sprint got access to some of what they thought were the better B&M locations. Anyone who expected an on the ropes phone company to be able to successfully revive a dying horse with 4 lame legs was on some really good mind altering drugs. Sprint may have put RS out of its misery but RS/Tandy management did most of the damage years ago.
 
Why do you want my address? To know how close to a Radio Shack I live?
 
When I was a kid, they had some great stuff. Their Tandy stuff was cool as a kid, but then I grew up a bit and saw how bad they could be. Their toys were awesome. I had one of those 250-in-1 electronic project kits that was awesome. When I got into my teens, they were a good source for electronic parts. Then, an Optimus car stereo and amp. Then... they went to selling cell phones, cell phone accessories, and a couple TV antennas and maybe a remote control car here or there. Just a shadow of it's former self. I guess they were trying to adapt to the market, but they left their bread and butter to rot.

I'd give you my address, Kyle, but I always just use yours when I need it for those spammy things anyway.
 
The real Radio Shack died a long time ago, all that was left was a body they kept propping up to pretend they were still in business. Eventually even that failed.
 
Radio Shack serviced all the carriers, did it not? And sold other electronic items. How would a Sprint store that sold phones for Sprint service cause Radio Shack to fail?
Out of all the people I know, I am the only one with Sprint service, everyone else has T-Mobile or Verizon.
 
My wife worked there for a bit in their death throes. Just horrific management and bizarre sales tactics. At one point they made the sales staff literally carry a pack of batteries in each hand around the store so they'd remember to hock batteries to every poor soul who walked in.

When they became a cell phone store instead of the local friendly hardware store for electronics they signed their death sentence. Sure cell phones might have kept them afloat for a decade but it wasn't a viable model.
 
radio shack used to be the place to get parts and also to get cool stuff in the 80's like hand held TVs
 
Pusher of Buttons said:
My wife worked there for a bit in their death throes. Just horrific management and bizarre sales tactics. At one point they made the sales staff literally carry a pack of batteries in each hand around the store so they'd remember to hock batteries to every poor soul who walked in.

When they became a cell phone store instead of the local friendly hardware store for electronics they signed their death sentence. Sure cell phones might have kept them afloat for a decade but it wasn't a viable model.
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It has been explained to me by friends who live "in the sticks" that RadioShack was one of the few chain stores that existed where no WalMart or Target would ever bother to set up shop. For some, Radio Shack was the only place within an hour or two's drive where they could find things like TV's and Radios and, in many cases, parts and wires and styluses and connectors, cheap generic battery-powered toys, fans, remote controls...you name it. But their cell phone business kept them alive for years, while some say it was their abandonment of their electronics-first image...truth is you can't fix a damned thing on your own anymore that isn't vintage, cell phones kept them afloat. Go find a small town anywhere, chances are the local electronics place or a Radio Shack was where the locals did a lot of that kind of shopping. Amazon was more a reason for their demise than any B&M store however.
 
HeadRusch said:
It has been explained to me by friends who live "in the sticks" that RadioShack was one of the few chain stores that existed where no WalMart or Target would ever bother to set up shop. For some, Radio Shack was the only place within an hour or two's drive where they could find things like TV's and Radios and, in many cases, parts and wires and styluses and connectors, cheap generic battery-powered toys, fans, remote controls...you name it. But their cell phone business kept them alive for years, while some say it was their abandonment of their electronics-first image...truth is you can't fix a damned thing on your own anymore that isn't vintage, cell phones kept them afloat. Go find a small town anywhere, chances are the local electronics place or a Radio Shack was where the locals did a lot of that kind of shopping. Amazon was more a reason for their demise than any B&M store however.
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That's very true....I recall a Radio Shack in Munising, MI up in the upper peninsula, population 2500 or so and more than as hour drive to any place with a department store.
 
I'm not going to rehash the huge posts I made in the last thread. Short story is RS has had ungodly terrible corporate management since low 90's and it just kept going downhill from there.

I seriously doubt anything Sprint could have done short of opening a store next door and giving phones away for free would have had any real impact. RS was already in death spiral mode.
 
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