RadioShack Gone bust?

[Pman]

Well like I said I doubt all of them around me are going to go under. When I don't need an item NOW I order from places like mcmelectronics and parts express although I'm never happy about how much they charge to ship. Main issue with them is you really need to order enough stuff to make the shipping cost worth it.
Honestly kind of tired of waiting on China shipping for things and the hassles when something goes wrong so i have been trying to buy from US sellers even though it may cost a few bucks more. When did it become acceptable to wait 3 months to get a refund or what you ordered when something goes wrong with that China purchase.
Why does stuff like what Starlight posted look so familiar lol. Have lots of that stuff and I bet I have an old RadioShack catalog here somewhere. Just found my old RadioShack automotive sound system book from 1992 Use to love getting those catalogs so i could actually have my wife pick up what I needed with the #. Also remember most of the other stuff someone posted but I'm almost 50 so.....

 

[Dr_Evil]

To be fair, most products aren't repairable anymore. Open up a TV now, all you have is an un-servicable LCD panel, and a motherboard with a bunch of tiny ICs. Not much you can repair.

It seems like it's the caps that go bad most of the time. I've repaired a couple of my monitors along with a TV where I worked before. Every single one had caps that went bad.

 

[Sigurthr]

I have fond memories of going to RS as a child with my grandfather, and seeing wall to wall of components and kits. It opened my eyes to the wonders of the electronics world.

That being said I've seen the death throes coming for a long time now. To this day I still go to my local RS, but only for two components; pad-per-hole protoboard and wire. What once was an entire store is now a single half-wall. What was affordable is now obscene price gouging.

What is worse is the change in the staff's expectations and attitudes;

A few years ago when I first moved here I had gone in to RS to pick up some spare parts, I can't remember what now, but it was probably some passives, solder, and protoboard - my standard fare. I remember asking the clerk where the comparators were, as they had been moved. The clerk didn't know what a comparator was, or what one looked like (through-hole DIP). He had asked what I needed it for and I told him that I was making the over-current protection for a RF amplifier. His response was "why make one when we have them here for $50!". Now, I knew they did not have RF amplifiers! So I told him to show me what they had; it was a motorcycle audio amplifier. I tried in vain to explain to him the difference between an audio amplifier and a radio amplifier, but it was no use. This kid had nothing but salesmanship drilled into his head, and he tried desperately to sell me anything and everything he erroneously thought was even remotely related to a comparator or an RF amp. When I had enough I grabbed all the parts I selected and went up to the register where another clerk was working. He said that he needed to delay the transaction while he got his manager, I said "sure". Manager came out and asked me what I needed all these parts for, to which I said "some repairs", as I didn't want to go through the whole "what's a comparator/RF-amp" song and dance. The manager then leaned in and spoke with a stern voice to me and said "you're not planning on making a bomb with these, are you?". I was shocked, and took a few seconds to exclaim "No!, what the hell!?". I then explained what I was making, and showed him my FCC radio license. He leaned back and said that they never see anyone buying the components, much less asking about specific ones, and that it was highly suspicious that I was buying several parts. He finished my transaction and I left with my stuff. Over the coming months they got to recognize me as I came in and stopped hassling me over components, but never stopped trying to push overpriced technology on me.

You'd probably love to hear about when I tried to tell them there are lithium batteries that aren't coil cells! That's a story for another time though.

The world has changed, and it really is a throw away society now. What's worse is that those with the knowledge, drive, and interests to pursue non-consumer electronics as a hobby are ostracised and alienated by the consumer-centric idiocracy.

Btw, someone brought up Heath(kit) earlier. My father LOVED building Heath kits, and I inherited many of his projects as I came to age. They had long been gone when it was my time to build such kits though. I remember reading recently that they were bought up again but that the buyer decided to not reopen production and sale of kits, a shame.

p.s. if anyone knows of a good source for pad-per-hole protoboard or 18-24ga solid & 14-20ga stranded wire in smaller amounts than 500ft spools I am in need of that info.

 

[crazyspaz]

I think it must be a standard question. They asked me that when I bought a single cap, a 12v regulator, and a battery holder. Some bomb thatd be, eh? Oh, and that tiny order cost something like 12$...

 

[Blarg King]

Never get any questions about what Im buying. I once bought a jug of acetone, a jug of methanol, some mason jars, and a zippo from a hardware store and they didnt even bat an eye.