Radio Shack is closing (most of their stores)

[slowslow325]

My problem is, I'll be building a robot or something and I ordered a whole bunch of stuff that I needed off of one or two online websites all at once to keep the shipping down. Then after I get all the stuff and start putting it together, I'll realize that I forgot to put something small into my online cart. So, instead of paying the like 3 bucks for shipping and having to wait for it, I go to radioshack. I pull out the little drawers that have all the components in them and try to look for the component while having an employee watch over me like a hawk, but that's not even the worst part, they keep asking me questions about what I want so they can help me find it, however, I would find it just fine if they would just shut up. So after I look up and down for the product I realize that they don't have it. So I buy like 3 other products that I can combine together in a way that wastes my time and makes my project more messy to get the equivalent of the component I wanted. So after buying these products I will realize that I just paid way more than I would for just buying the component online and paying shipping -_-

[skate323k137]

the only thing i've gotten in recent years at a radio shack is a desoldering iron. best 10 or 15 bucks i've ever spent.

other than that, i'm really fortunate to have a store in town that stocks everything. i mean tons of guages and colors of stranded and solid wire, quick disconnects, LED's, awesome electronics tools, the works. They're likely to go out of business soon though, and i would cry. if that store wasn't there, my dreamcasts wouldn't have impulsively gotten blue and green power LED's.

to OP, i believe you that your wire sucks, the only hope is to strip a bit of it, touch the iron to one spot and the solder to another so it melts across the wire toward the iron. i assume you tried this, but if not, it's what I'd try in your shoes.

[Ziggy]

I had to go into Radio Shit today for some alligator clips, and I was actually surprised. It looks like they're starting to carry more parts again like they use to. I guess they finally figured out that they can't compete with big chains in the HDTV and cell phone market, so they should get back into small parts which is all they're useful for.

I saw a few minor things that I haven't seen in there in a while, but this section is what caught my eye...





Little SOIC to DIP adapters with pin headers! How wonderful! Of course, that 28, 16 and 8-pin SOIC adapter set was like 8 bucks. That's pretty step for what it is. For that amount of money I can get a 5-10 pack of any of those sizes off eBay. After all, that set of 3 is like 1 cent to manufacture. But, at least they have them. It be nice if I needed that in a pinch, instead of having to wait several days for it to come in the mail.

PS, sorry for the shitty cell phone pics.

edit: Oh, I didn't realize, those adapters are Schmart Boards. The pads are actually channels that the iron tip and slide in, so it makes soldering SMT stuff a lot easier. Especially for a novice. I know Schmart chargers more for these boards than generic boards, but still, steep price if you ask me.

[Wintermute1981]

Glad to see they are starting to carry more items in stock. Usually order everything I need in bulk from places like Digi-Key, but it is nice to be able to run down the block to get something when I need it in a pinch.

[CRTGAMER]

I have not had issues with Radio Shack, but a good point watching for cheaper product versus the original SKU years back. The cost cutting could be any retail store though. I usually shop at Frys or an independent local seller called Willies Electronics. Frys sometimes is out of stock due to the volume of customers and Best Buy does not support specialized electronic parts. Willies and Radio Shack fits the niche for the uncommon items such as a specific sized capacitor, pin connector or even a desolder wick.

[ExedExes]

Nice to see dead threads "RISE FROM YOUR GRAVE!"

But yeah, CellphoneShack. Don't even get me started on their selection on precision screwdrivers, which was what I was looking for back in the summer.

This is where I say, back in the 80s, I remember them having all sorts of stuff you could think of. They even had cool electronic toys, like this I got one Christmas!



Go to 1999, I find out they ask for a PHONE NUMBER AND ZIPCODE? Whiskey Tango Foxtrot?!?!?!

Then, my latest experience this past year.

Monoprice & Allied Electronics for what you need,

Radio Shack Catalogs to reminisce.

[prfsnl_gmr]

Nice to see dead threads "RISE FROM YOUR GRAVE!"

...

Go to 1999, I find out they ask for a PHONE NUMBER AND ZIPCODE? Whiskey Tango Foxtrot?!?!?!

The correct term is:

"WISE FROM YOUR GWAVE!"

"chick-chick-chick-chick-chick-chick-POW!!"

<RADIO SHACK THREAD appears in a puff of blue smoke>

Also...when I worked at Toys 'R Us as a teenager, I was supposed to ask customers for a full telephone number and zip coed. I would never provide the information to a retailer, and it was horrible asking other people to do it.

[skate323k137]

Went to RS the other day to get some RCA surface mount jacks and 220uF caps. Those were actually reasonably priced. RadioShacks RCA -> BNC adaptors were... well... laughably expensive. Like $8 each expensive. I got 8 of them from monoprice for $10 total to my door.

If I need anything more specific and don't want to wait for it (LED's, transistors, etc.), I'm lucky that I still have these guys across town http://www.epsmi.com/

[Ziggy]

Yeah, today once I noticed they had new stuff I was browsing a little. I happened to see a micro/mini USB adapter, which would be useful for me to own, but it was $15! It doesn't even do anything, it's just an adapter! $15 is outrageous.

[BoneSnapDeez]

Last time I went to Radio Shack I asked if they had any Tandy parts.

They said no.