21–30 of 72 posts
Radioshack needs to jump on the Maker movement, Right To Repair movement, and science education movement. Offer everything from 3d printing classes to how to fix classes. By educating the masses, you create demand for your products you're selling.
Radioshack needs to jump on the Maker movement, Right To Repair movement, and science education movement. Offer everything from 3d printing classes to how to fix classes. By educating the masses, you create demand for your products you're selling.
In fact, they used to be right in the center of that! RadioShack was the maker movement back when makers were really into amateur radio and CB. Then they branched out into home computers (TRS-80, Tandy PC clones, etc). Then someone had the bright idea to completely divest themselves of their computer lineup[0] and just sell mobile phone service plans and satellite TV subscriptions... which nobody bothered with, resulting in the company becoming a zombie.
Had RadioShack stayed with the original hobbyist user base they courted (and somehow remained profitable) they'd absolutely be selling microcontrollers, 3D printers, and PC parts. Actually, that's just a Micro Center. The only thing is that Micro Center doesn't fit in the tiny store footprints that most RadioShack locations had. So... I mean, Micro Center isn't in a lot of states, so if they wanted to literally just clone Micro Center but with the Radio Shack branding I feel like there's places they could do that.
[0] Tandy was sold to AST who was then bought up by Samsung and then shuttered when Asian stock markets collapsed in the mid-90s. 8-Bit Guy talks about it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hdazA-VUf0
It's a shame what happened to RadioShack. I liked them for hobby components. >Items will include “more end products than the stores have typically sold, focusing more on cellphone products, headphones, batteries and adapters, for instance.” I don't see this as a winning strategy. I can buy any of these items at a number of convenient locations, like Amazon, Target, Best Buy, and Walmart. Why would I choose RadioShack…
Radioshack needs to jump on the Maker movement, Right To Repair movement, and science education movement. Offer everything from 3d printing classes to how to fix classes. By educating the masses, you create demand for your products you're selling.
I don't think so, maybe they could do well with local stores though. It seems weird to me though...
In the 80s, small towns of even 5000 people might have a radio shack. And more than 1/2 the store was parts and electronic supplies.
I can't think of who would buy from them, even though I did. Was it local appliance repair people? What made them profitable back then, in such small towns??
It may be hard to compete with amazon and digikey, for that part of their business.
But back to your thing, maker and right to repair, I think they might be OK in higher density population areas?
I don't think the dust has settled, amazon is sort of flailing about, has endless issues, and 5 years from now, direct Chinese sellers at Amazon could vanish.
What then?
So much change, so fast.
It's a shame what happened to RadioShack. I liked them for hobby components. >Items will include “more end products than the stores have typically sold, focusing more on cellphone products, headphones, batteries and adapters, for instance.” I don't see this as a winning strategy. I can buy any of these items at a number of convenient locations, like Amazon, Target, Best Buy, and Walmart. Why would I choose RadioShack…
I think the best chance for RadioShack to make a comeback is to become the electronics store for small towns like the Dollar stores. If I live in the country why should I have to travel to the city to buy a laptop or a cell phone or even a big screen TV? The only success Sears had in the last thirty years were their small town stores which were franchised.
Probably some sound advice for the new owners hidden in there.
Radioshack needs to jump on the Maker movement, Right To Repair movement, and science education movement. Offer everything from 3d printing classes to how to fix classes. By educating the masses, you create demand for your products you're selling.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Everyone buys these things online or at Walmart. I think the best bet would be to try to remain small and capture the hobbyist market around electronics. Michaels already exists for art supplies, Home Depot can supply the screws but no one can really supply electronic components, PCBs, 3D printers etc.
> Everyone buys these things online or at Walmart. Most people need in-person, tech customer support--especially in small towns. Radio Shack could find a nice niche by being that. The problem is that while it could be profitable, it won't be a "growth industry". And that seems to be a gigantic problem given the MBA management mindset in the US.