[NJARC] Closing, A Store Near You

Sun Feb 19 23:38:58 EST 2006

Yep, with most kids today(not all, there are
exceptions- and I know there are a number in the club
already) if they have to fix it, or work on it
themselves, they are not interested. All they want is
obscene video games and music, so they can ignore
life, extreme sports, so they can pretend they have a
life, and disposable economy. Give them something, and
tell them they have to make it last, and they will
have no clue how to do so, and when it breaks cry for
another to be handed to them...

I am going to "abuse" my children when I have them-
they will learn things like responsability, and pride
in taking care of and fixing things, rather then
throwing them away. I busted a lot of toys when I was
a kid- but I learned how to fix them! And I will only
get them old, non-working radio sets. They can either
let them gather dust on a shelf, or they can fix them-
I'll let them work on the bench with my equiipment,
and hope they get the right ideas. Or I'll make sure I
get a cut of their therapist's take in later years(my
alternate retirement plan) Gameboys, playstations and
such will not make it into the house, and computers
will be for official use only. TV will be an earned
privledge, and rules will be enforced. (Gee, lets see
what really happens when the time comes! lol)

I say we should petition Radio Shack for a name
change- if they aren't going to live up to it, they
should have the decency to let the name die.(Maybe
"Expensive Crap Hut" would be a suggestion...)

Scott

--- Gerry Steffens <gsteffens at pitel.net> wrote:

> Visit our web site - See http://www.njarc.org
> _______________________________________________
> It has been alluded here but the cold, hard fact
> stands; those of us here
> are a vanishing breed of dinosaurs.  Examine the
> number of radio and related
> magazines that existed 40 years ago and compare to
> now; look at the trend.
> They didn't make it either.
> 
> As pointed out by others, to make a store viable
> would require huge numbers
> of us BA enthusiasts purchasing volumes of parts. 
> These numbers do not
> exist any longer.  I'll bet that the prices would
> need to be exorbitant
> besides to make a go of it.
> 
> Then let's consider another direction.  Just where
> would RS get the
> "knowledgeable" people?  I happen to be an
> electrical engineer but the
> curriculum for E schools is drastically different
> today.  These things are
> not taught any longer.  Heck, tech schools are the
> same, repair personnel
> follow logic diagrams to diagnose what is wrong and
> minimally throw out (no
> recycle) circuit boards.  That recycling is either
> break up for raw
> materials or else amounts to put the board on a
> computer diagnostic device
> and the computer says what module, and very seldom
> what components to
> replace.
> 
> And then there are automobiles with their diagnostic
> charts and codes.  But
> I digress.
> 
> Kind of makes me feel like the last Civil War
> veteran.  Yup!  I remember
> that.
> 
> Cheers, 
> 
> Gerry
> 
> 
> Collecting & Restoring since 1959
> Gerald Steffens P.E.
> Oronoco, MN
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: njarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> [mailto:njarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net]
> On Behalf Of Donald Koetsch
> Sent: Sunday, February 19, 2006 6:41 PM
> To: New Jersey Antique Radio Club
> Subject: Re: [NJARC] Closing, A Store Near You
> 
> Visit our web site - See http://www.njarc.org
> _______________________________________________
> I am one of those that have been forced to go online
> to get what I need. I
> work for a company that does alot of prototyping and
> quick turnarounds for
> the Ft Monmouth community. We needed the parts
> sometimes real fast. We had a
> nice local Radio Shack that had most of the parts we
> needed but started to
> cut back on inventory to get the high price wares in
> which forced use to go
> online and support those mail order shops and pay 4
> to 5 times the cost
> sometimes to overnight them. We weren't and aren't
> the only companies
> supporting the government in this area or across the
> states. Commercial
> companies needed the same support
> 
> It seems when Radio Shack did their re-image dance
> 5-8 years ago they may
> have asked some of there more frequent customers for
> some ideas. A local
> store with mail order capability (like the DigiKeys
> and Newark Electronics)
> with a firm and loyal customer database for the
> parts and test equipment
> that they had and still offer the high price items
> as secondary so they can
> go with flow as times change.
> 
> Just a little disappointed in them but saw it
> coming. Anyway I will miss the
> convenience and memories of those grab-bag days.
> 
> Don
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Peter Markavage" <manualman at juno.com>
> To: <njarc at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Sunday, February 19, 2006 3:51 PM
> Subject: Re: [NJARC] Closing, A Store Near You
> 
> 
> > Visit our web site - See http://www.njarc.org
> > _______________________________________________
> > As a former product and marketing person in the
> corporate world, I make
> > no apologies for my brethren in this field. It is
> sometimes difficult,
> > and sometimes even impossible, to equally balance
> return customer loyalty
> > to the bottom line.
> >
> > Many of the on-line small parts jobbers seem to
> holding their own very
> > well in this niche market.
> > Pete, wa2cwa
> >
> > On Sun, 19 Feb 2006 12:03:21 -0800 (PST) Scott
> Roberts
> > <ng19delta at yahoo.com> writes:
> > > Visit our web site - See http://www.njarc.org
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > If I go to RS for the small stuff, I will go
> there for
> > > the other stuff I want as well provided they
> have it
> > > at a price I am willing to pay, and under
> conditions I
> > > can manage. I almost bought a new computer at RS
> last
> > > the year before last- but they only would allow
> me
> > > $500 on the RS card. So I went to Circuit City,
> and
> > > got the whole thing plus a credit card line of
> $3k.
> > >
> > > They HAD a good, steady customer base, which
> would
> > > have kept them going for years, had they not
> gotten
> > > greedy, and expanded into the crap world. Look
> at Pep
> > > Boys- Used to be able to buy car parts for any
> car
> > > there. Nowadays, if it is older than 5 years, it
> is
> > > "Special Order" service items(oil, bulbs, etc)
> are
> > > pushed way to the backs of the stores, and you
> have to
> > > go through miles of garbage- illegal mini
> scooters,
> > > tin can exhausts(also illegal) junk, junk, junk,
> to
> > > get to the few real parts they have. And then
> they
> > > often don't even have them! And they wonder why
> I take
> > > my business elsewhere. I used to spend a lot of
> money
> > > there. Now they're lucky if I spend $6 for a
> > > headlight!
> > >
> > >  Loading a store with inventory which doesn't
> sell,
> > > then alienating your customers of years
> durations does
> > > not equate in good profits. Demeaning their
> purchases
> > > of repair items is useless: That is the reason
> both
> > > Radio Shack and Pep Boys were started: to offer
> > > customers repair parts, for specific items, at a
> > > reasonable cost, and very accessibly. Both did
> very
> > > well for many years. Then the crap started
> coming in,
> > > and had to be sold, and that's when their bottom
> line
> > > and profits suffered. Both used to be leaders,
> worthy
> > > of loyal customers- buth are now just losers for
> the
> > > most part. RS has a real niche market they can
> > > exploit- Wal Mart will never venture into the
> radio
> > > parts game: they have too much to deal with now,
> with
> > > everything in their stores but legal
> prostitution,
> > > driving other merchants out of business, so RS
> would
> > > thrive again in a repair based orientation.
> Marketing
> > > people are, for the most part(and in my
> opinion)in
> > > need of othere employment, perhaps as paving
> stones.
> > >
> > > RS and Pep Boys both need to get back to basics-
> > > reduce their store size, sell what they sell
> best-
> > > parts and some related items, and grow again.
> > >
> > > Scott
> > > (apologies to any marketing types in the group,
> but
> > > c'mon!)
> > >
> > > --- Peter Markavage <manualman at juno.com> wrote:
> > >
> > > > Visit our web site - See http://www.njarc.org
> > > >
> _______________________________________________
> > > > "loyal customers" ??
> > > > The ones that buy a connector, a roll of wire,
> > > > blister pack of resistors,
> > > > etc. once a month don't drive the bottom line
> > > > positively. Inventory space
> > > > to stock all this stuff, find space on the
> floor to
> > > > display it, etc. all
> > > > eat into the bottom line. Low cost, high
> margin
> > > > boxes, systems, service
> > > > contacts(generally free money), and "off the
> street
> > > > traffic" (mall
> > > > traffic)  are what drives the bottom line
> > > > positively. Any store that
> > > > sells electronic parts (resistors, capacitors,
> etc.)
> > > > at a mall store is
> > > > doomed to disaster in today's times.
> > > >
> > > > Pete, wa2cwa
> > > >
> > > > On Sun, 19 Feb 2006 11:51:22 -0500 michael s
> > > > christiansen
> > > > <kb2vrm at juno.com> writes:
> > > > > Visit our web site - See
> http://www.njarc.org
> > > > >
> _______________________________________________
> > > > > The bottom line is everything but if you
> drive
> > > > away your loyal
> > > > > customers
> > > > > in the name of "the bottom line" , then
> what's
> > > > left? Radio Shack-
> > > > > You
> > > > > have questions.... We have blank stares.
> > > > > On Sat, 18 Feb 2006 14:58:37 -0500 Peter
> Markavage
> > > >
> > > > > <manualman at juno.com>
> > > > > writes:
> > > > > > Visit our web site - See
> http://www.njarc.org
> > > > > >
> _______________________________________________
> > > > > > Retail stores like Radio Shack need to
> worry
> > > > about their bottom
> > > > > line
> > > > > > not
> > > > > > the customer's memories of days gone by.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Pete
> > > > > >
> > > > > > On Sat, 18 Feb 2006 14:41:18 -0500 Robert
> > > > Bennett
> > > > > > <dino66 at optonline.net>
> > > > > > writes:
> > > > > > > Visit our web site - See
> http://www.njarc.org
> > > > > > >
> > > >
> _______________________________________________
> > > > > > > I can remember the days of my childhood
> where
> > > > stores like Radio
> > > > >
> > > > > > > Shack, and others were so magical that
> you
> > > > could'nt wait to see
> > > > >
> > > > > > all
> > > > > > > the things in the store, check out the
> yearly
> > > > catalogue, and buy
> > > > >
> > > > > > the
> > > > > > > pieces you needed for your next project.
> I
> > > > loved the Radio Shack
> > > > >
> > > > > > > "Battery Club" card - remember them?
> After
> > > > reading the article
> > > > > > > myself, it's really no suprise they are
> in
> > > > finacial limbo. When
> > > > >
> > > > > > was
> > > > > > > the last time you went to Radio Shack
> and
> > > > while you were looking
> > > > >
> > > > > > for
> > > > > > > hopefully something of substance,and a
> college
> > > > kid tries to sell
> > > > >
> > > > > > you
> > > > > > > a cell phone? Heck, you can go to BJ's
> or
> > > > Costco and get a cell
> > > > >
> > > > > > > phone now. It's just another clear
> example of
> > > > a business trying
> > > > > to
> > > > > >
> > > > > > > keep up with an ongoing "global economy"
> that
> > > > is just running
> > > > > out
> > > > > > of
> > > > > > > steam. I"m no financial wizard but if I
> owned
> > > > stock in Radio
> > > > > > Shack,
> > > > > > > I'd be on the phone with the
> stockbroker, or
> > > > online taking the
> > > > > > money
> > > > > > > and run! They should change their slogan
> to:
> > > > You have questions -
> > > > >
> > > > > > We
> > > > > > > have empty storefronts!
> > _______________________________________________
> > NJARC mailing list
> > NJARC at mailman.qth.net
> > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/njarc
> >
> 
> _______________________________________________
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> NJARC at mailman.qth.net
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> 
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> 

"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things; the decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feelings that thinks nothing is worth war is much worse. A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing he cares about more than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature who has no chance of being free, unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself." John Stuart Mill, 'The Contest in America', Feb. 1862

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