A Eulogy for RadioShack

That's certainly an interesting read... and one I can't really argue with the anecdata of from my own experiences. So I'll add one:

After it was too late by that author's reckoning, the parent of Radio Shack tried another venture, a "big box" store called The Incredible Universe. When that failed and they wrote it off, it wiped out the entire profit of Radio Shack thousands of stores for that financial year.

I still think of it when I'm trying to understand the machinations of large companies.

And I, too hope that the folks I worked with at RS in the 20C found better jobs, especially the poor store managers.

I remember flipping through the Radio Shack catalogue as a kid in the late 70s, early 80s, and making my virtual xmas shopping list (I almost never got the things I actually wanted). radio-controlled cars, walkie-talkies, metal detectors, tape recorders, electronics kits.

I also remember being able to walk into a Radio Shack in my local mall and stroll over to the electronics section and pick out just the right resistor that I needed to complete my circuit project at home. I think I was 12 at the time.

I think Radio Shack could be reborn if it did a few things. Get rid of the cheap toys. Go back to just electronic parts, and today's technology--like having the Ardino and Rasberry always in stock--along with all the less know electronic kits. Try to keep the prices down. Keep all radios and cell phone stuff, but get rid of the advertisements(I don't like to walk into loud stores). I would also devote a small section of each store to used/recycled/surplus stuff. The workers shouldn't be required to wear ties.

I wonder how big the market is for Arduino/Raspberry Pi kits at a brick and mortar store when it's so easy (not to mention inexpensive) to buy them online at hobbyist sites like Adafruit.

Nice bashing of a company fighting for their life. Point being it's easy if you are awash in profitability to do the right things, hire the best people in management, pay for the top consultants. [1] And of course give people massages and free lunch and all sorts of benies. Or if you have been funded with funny money that gives you "runway" to burn through.

The highest quality people don't generally decide they want to join a sinking ship (let's say a store manager or district manager). The quality people are either happy elsewhere already (and not looking) or they take advantage (as a general rule) of the better opportunities either because they can or because they are smart enough to recognize those opportunities and pursue them. At my first company there were people that didn't even show up for interviews. Maybe they saw the facility and didn't like the way that it looked.

Separately, presumably if the author had a better opportunity he wouldn't have suffered for "three and a half years as a RadioShack employee".

[1] But even then if your basic model is not viable you aren't going to stand a big chance of making it. This isn't something like "People still buy cars Chrysler just can't make a car that people want".