Radio Shack is dead. Long live "The Shack"?...

[palmertech]

Radio Shack, struggling to sell anything to compete with megastores like BestBuy or Wal-Mart, needed a new strategy. They should return to what they started, and sell electrical components and repair parts and tools, right? WRONG, I guess. They think the best way to move forward is to rename themselves to "The Shack". I crap you not.

Why do they want to be "The Shack"?


Seriously, this is the worst idea they have ever had. They are going to stop selling electrical components, and focus more on HDTVs and Laptops. "The Shack" is the most worthless idea I have ever heard of in my life. If I want a laptop, I will go somewhere that sells laptops with a wide selection, probably online. If I want overpriced electrical parts in a short timeframe, I go to radioshack. Besides, "The Shack" sounds lame and run-down, not just vintage/offbeat like RadioShack. I would seriously be happier if they just called it RatShack.



Link to story: http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/02/radi ... the-shack/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Discuss.

[bicostp]

So they used to be an electronics store, then they became the cell phone store, then the poor man's Sharper Image, now they want to go toe-to-toe with Best Buy and Wal-Mart in the home entertainment market?!




EDIT:

I wish they would turn into a miniature version of Fry's.

They used to be. Years and years ago they carried all sorts of fun electronics gadgetry. Everything from build-it-yourself radio kits to kids' "electronics labs". (I probably still have the old 250-in-1 kit around somewhere. You know, the one with the spring terminals? )

Don't forget the Realistic stereo equipment and Tandy computers. Our old Realistic receiver from 1983 still works and sounds great.

[Harshboy]

Epic Fail

[palmertech]

So they used to be an electronics store, then they became the cell phone store, then the poor man's Sharper Image, now they want to go toe-to-toe with Best Buy and Wal-Mart in the home entertainment market?!

Pretty much a perfect analysis. Then again, the "Sharper Image" approach was obviously not working too well; I mean, there is a reason Sharper Image went bankrupt.

I wish they would turn into a miniature version of Fry's.

[snowpenguin]

I always used to call it CrapShack, but now...

[metalcookie]

"the shack" sounds like some sort of terrible restaurant chain none of us have ever heard of. i don't know why, it just does to me. so much for Radio Shack.

[Metallica Man X]

Wow, it does sound like a restaurant...first image that popped into my head when I read that name was an aged seafood joint near a dock

That's pretty sad tho...how they've progressed, er um, more like regressed, actually. They used to make some fine stuff there. My entire stereo system (amp, eq, speeks, ect) was made by Realistic--most of the equipment is 30 years old now and still cranks!

I remember a time when a trip to radio shack was a fun time...seeing walls filled with cool amps and awesome speakers....then going to the back area, and digging through the seemingly endless supply of random parts. Good times.

[Kurt_]

(I probably still have the old 250-in-1 kit around somewhere. You know, the one with the spring terminals? )

YES!

But really, back in the good days of radio shack, electronics were mostly through hole, and surface mount things were expensive or unheard of. You could build simple modern electronics with a kit, and it was great. There's just no way they can continue with that. Few people want a build your own transistor radio kit, and radio shack has no reasonable way to construct a "build your own cellphone" kit, or a "build your own mp3/video player" kit that is half as good as modern day low-end electronics.

[gamemasterAS]

Whats wrong with you guys?

I'm pumped.

[snowpenguin]

Uhhhhhhhhhh Why?

Whats wrong with you guys?

I'm pumped.

[stuntpenguin007]

sad... Maybe if we're lucky the last of the overpriced components will go on sale and become regular priced misc. components.

I don't want to revert to buying things online!!!

[banditpaw1]

So if the start karate the can be call Shack Fu like that crappy Snes game

[ghosstt]

Hmmm. Wierd. Is it really going to be a legit name change? (An actual business change) or just a nickname they will force onto people? They are building one about 240 seconds from my house and the signage all says Radio Shack. Are they really going to change it all once it's completed? What a waste.

[nevermind1534]

I heard they're redesigning



and selling this book:

[benheck]

Pretty lame. I also hear Pizza Hut is becoming "The Hut" (I shat you not), probably because pizza is "unhealthy" (but delicious!)

The Radio Shack I goto (West Town Mall, Madison WI) has a pretty good selection of parts, breadboards, even Basic Stamp robot kits, but it seems all they really do is sell cell phones to people who have never bought them before. I swear EVERY time I go in someone is buying a cell phone.

Technically a cell phone IS a Radio, so Radio Shack is (was?) fairly descriptive.