RadioShack and the north pointing belly

[jimilee]

Is this a thing to us?  I use them occasionally for the part I just can't wait on.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/102376507

[Leevibe]

WHAT?!?! RS is going to be selling phones?

I think they died a long time ago. The plug just hasn't been pulled.

[pryde]

Big chain retail collapse. Hearing the same demise about Guitar Center:

http://www.ericgarland.co/2015/02/03/end-guitar-center/

[bcalla]

I use RS in a pinch, but their selection sucks and their prices are stupid.  Even if they put components on clearance at 75% off they'll cost more than Smallbear.

I also try to avoid GC.  I really dislike the way they wal-marted the music business, putting a lot of local music shops under.  Supposedly, like RS, they have been on the brink for 3-4 years.  I walked out on my local GC in December (leaving a small pile of items on the counter) when they gave me a hard time about honoring their on-line sale price in the store.  They have a big sign outside that they match on-line competitors.  But not GC on-line?  Go figure.  They finally agreed to apply the on-line sale, but only on one item.  That's when I left.

[chuckbuick]

Made me think of this story from The Onion, 2007.

http://www.theonion.com/articles/even-ceo-cant-figure-out-how-radioshack-still-in-b,2190/

[pickdropper]

Big chain retail collapse. Hearing the same demise about Guitar Center:

http://www.ericgarland.co/2015/02/03/end-guitar-center/

For some reason, I feel like I am proof-reading a college kid's research paper when I read that article.  Even stranger, he seems to take partial credit for the downfall (the part where his "unexpectedly viral" post happened as GC was negotiating with their creditors). Man does that author have it out for GC.  I'm not a big fan of GC so I won't defend the corporation, but I prefer a bit more objectivity in financial articles.  There is an interesting part of the comments section where a former GC executive posts.  He may have been slanting things a bit (or not) but the author's responses come across as those of a petulant child.

But there is merit to some of it.  GC has been in massive debt for a long time now, being propped up by the larger guitar manufacturers like Fender and Gibson.  From what I understand, a lot of the big guitar companies have been hesitant to call in their debts as there was concern about what the effect would be on the entire industry if GC were to outright fail.  FMI isn't in the most healthy financial state themselves.  I am not sure about Gibson.

I wonder if this was part of the reason that Fender started selling direct.  Between that and Gibson's recent funky changes to their line and massive buy-in requirements, a lot of the independent dealers are starting to look at alternative brands.  From what I've been told, PRS is getting so many dealer requests they have to turn people away.  I heard it second hand from a PRS dealer so take that with a grain of salt.

[pryde]

Big chain retail collapse. Hearing the same demise about Guitar Center:

http://www.ericgarland.co/2015/02/03/end-guitar-center/

For some reason, I feel like I am proof-reading a college kid's research paper when I read that article.  Even stranger, he seems to take partial credit for the downfall (the part where his "unexpectedly viral" post happened as GC was negotiating with their creditors). Man does that author have it out for GC.  I'm not a big fan of GC so I won't defend the corporation, but I prefer a bit more objectivity in financial articles.  There is an interesting part of the comments section where a former GC executive posts.  He may have been slanting things a bit (or not) but the author's responses come across as those of a petulant child.

But there is merit to some of it.  GC has been in massive debt for a long time now, being propped up by the larger guitar manufacturers like Fender and Gibson.  From what I understand, a lot of the big guitar companies have been hesitant to call in their debts as there was concern about what the effect would be on the entire industry if GC were to outright fail.  FMI isn't in the most healthy financial state themselves.  I am not sure about Gibson.

I wonder if this was part of the reason that Fender started selling direct.  Between that and Gibson's recent funky changes to their line and massive buy-in requirements, a lot of the independent dealers are starting to look at alternative brands.  From what I've been told, PRS is getting so many dealer requests they have to turn people away.  I heard it second hand from a PRS dealer so take that with a grain of salt.

I agree Dave. I got the impression he had a bad experience once at GC then developed an unhealthy fixation 

Who knows for sure what will become of "the place where great musicians are born" 

[Justus]

I worked at RadioShack in college from fall 2002 until just after Christmas 2003.  I witnessed the downfall of the company firsthand.  There was SO much less emphasis on training associates to learn electronics and parts, and more emphasis on pushing cell phones and satellite dishes.  Not that it's the sales associate's fault.. selling cell phones is basically the only way you'd get paid a decent wage unless you worked in an extremely high traffic store.

[mremic01]

I see stuff like this at least once a year. But Radio Shack is still around. Every time I go in to pick up some FlCl, there's always a bunch of old people looking at cell phones and iPod peripherals. They seem to be doing ok.

[tcpoint]

Made me think of this story from The Onion, 2007.

http://www.theonion.com/articles/even-ceo-cant-figure-out-how-radioshack-still-in-b,2190/

That's a classic.  I've still laugh about that.

[GermanCdn]

Not surprised about RS (they've been rebranded up here a number of years ago, and it's still a ghost town).

As far as the GC thing goes, I'm pretty sure Mr. Garland's written the same article a few times now; one time he'll get it right.  That being said, in my limited experience at GC, I can't say I've been struck by it as anything more than the "Wal-mart of music stores".  Last few ones I've been in on my last trip to Denver were pretty disappointing, even the ones with Platinum rooms kinda sucked, and the one in Spokane is just painful to be in, as I think if you took the collective wealth of knowledge of everyone working in the store on their products, you might get one whole employee.

TLDR - once you get comfortable buying gear (or electronics equipment) sight unseen, the GC's and RS's of the world become pretty insignificant when you can get better selection and far better pricing from ebay, Reverb, etc, etc, etc.