JP1 Remotes

Stephen Weller wrote:I've learned to deal with the Shack rats by walking in with a post-it note bearing the RS part number(s) I want (and perhaps a few obsolete ones as well). That keeps the rat busy while I browse. Usually by the time I'm done window shopping, I can walk over and get what I came for before they've figured out which end they're supposed to think with.

That's excellent Steve, we should pass that advice onto everyone.

I worked for RS in the early 70s for about 3 months. I remember two things:

1-I was there when the first 4 function calculators were introduced @ $119.99. I think they were immediately put on sale for $99.99 and never were actually sold at $119.99.

2-RS had a battery a month club. You could get a free battery every month with the free club card that had to be punched each time yo ugot a battery. If you had several cards and visited often you could get buy on free batteries. (I know I did for a long time)

I wonder if it is any coincidence that here in the UK, RadioShack (aka Tandy) has replaced all their stores I know of with Carphone Warehouse stores - Saves asking if you need a cellphone!

I remember those free batteries!

There's a funny chapter in Mike Nelson's hilarious book, Mind over Matters called "Portal to Hell: The Radio Shack Experience." He asks why anyone in his right mind would want to give his address to a smelly guy at Radio Shack.

Worth a trip to the library, or just grab a copy a Borders and read the chapter while you enjoy a beverage at the espresso bar.

I hate going to Radical Shock.

Unfortunately the few decent electronics parts stores that actually have the stuff I need are at least a 30min drive away.

Here's what happened the last three times I went to RS.

1. Went in looking for a 10amp Push Button Circuit Breaker - Got a Confused stare - 10 mins later they figured out they didn't have one

2. Went in looking for a 12 pin 0.093" Molex Style Power Connectors - Got a Confused stare - Looked for them myself, and told them they were sold out and needed to order some.

3. Went in looking for some white 22 gauge wire for security contacts (proceed to tell story how I'm replacing my windows and can't use old contacts and some of the wires are too short to go where I want the new contacts I need to splice in some WHITE wire.) - Guy trys to sell me new contacts, which I tell him I ordered on the web for 1/5 the cost he was trying to sell them to me for and I just want some white wire. Proceed to tell hem I've got green, red, blue, black and just about every colored wire in 22 gauge but not white. The guy finally gets the point and tells me he's out.

It use to be that you could go to just about any Rat Shack and find the majority of the things you needed (like the things I listed) and go away happy, but now they're too into selling people crap that they'd be better off buying at Best Buy or Circuit City (CC, actually more anoying sells tactics than RS)

As for the Name and Phone# bit, whenever asked, I always tell them that I don't have one - This tends to piss my wife off if she's with me. If they persist I give them the name of the current president (1600 Penn Ave if Address is requested) and pick up the nearest RS Business Card and give them their own phone number.

Funny Thread BTW,
TAZ

I went to RS last night to get some db25m and a TI Link cable. Of course when the sales dweeb approached me, even though I was digging thru the connectors, he wanted to know if I didn't need a satelite system or a cell phone. I said no, I need some connectors. They had no db25m of course. I think they stock about 3 of those once a month.

Frankly, I was stunned I made it out the door without being offered batteries.

I went to Radio Shack yesterday to get some batteries for my watches and they tried to sell me a remote.

Actually, after buying the batteries I was looking at the remotes (hard to walk by for some reason) and he did try to sell me one. I told him I already have all the good ones and he said maybe I didn't realize how nice the Kameleons were and I should consider one. I just kind of giggled and left.

I had to go to the Shack last weekend to get some new tips for my soldering iron (I wore the old ones out!!!) and I decided to test the dweeb a little. There was a 15-2133 Kameleon sitting on a display on the counter, so I asked him if he knew that you could update these from your computer, and he said yes he did. So I asked him if he knew how to do it, and he said "I don't know exactly, but it's all described in the manual" HA HA HA!!!

The Robman wrote:I've heard that one many times also and love it, it replaced the previous one, which was "You've got questions, we've got blank stares"

Here in NYC I find that I have to flag down a RS clerk when I need something. Long gone are the days when you can count on them to be knowledgeable. Back in Houston, bout 20 years ago--closer to Tandy home territory you could still find that but no more....Sometimes with luck you can nab someone at Corp headquarters in Ft. Worth who really has answers.

Anyway Rat Shack employees must be much hungrier in other parts of the nation than they are here in Gotham---where they often have the rap music playing so loud you can't converse with them anyway.

Thankfully we've got a choice here about which kind of Radio Shack to go to...The older stores are not company owned, but "RadioShack Authorized Dealers" (the name which appears on reciepts is "Vaughn Electronics" or some such), and that's where I usually go if I can.

The newer stores, out in the burbs and in the malls, do appear to be company owned. Different hours (open Sundays, typically), different selection, pushier (and stupider) sales drones. One of them tried to sell me batteries for a satellite dish I neither had nor wanted (for the remote, presumably) and thought of solder only as something that plumbers used. I didn't even bother to ask about I2C interface chips; that's what places like MCM, Mouser and Digi-Key are for, I guess.

I think this is the funniest thread I've EVER read in any forum (and I read ALOT of them)....

I am by no means an electronics wiz, but I'm smart enough to wade through this JP1 stuff...I went to the local RS recently, to simply browse for and buy some assorted adapters I needed (1/8" mini-plug to 1/4" TRS). The configuration was a little complicated so I had to stand there and look through the various incarnations of these adapters to visualize exactly what I needed.

This sounds simple but became near impossible from the unending and rambling promotions emanating from the crazed RS employee. His rant started from the moment I walked through the door and he followed me to the rack. All the while I was saying "no thanks, no thanks, no thanks."

My head was spinning by the time I got to the register...as I left this guy was still spewing the RS party-line.

Of course, I got home and found I had bought some adapters I didn't need. I'm usually one to return stuff (I work hard for the money), but I just couldn't stomach the thought of going back to that store. I ate my losses rather than face the imcompentency that that store served up....

Nowadays, I try my best to find what I need at BB, CC, or the internet.
I laugh my head off at those Howie Long and what's-her-face commercials.

Dan

Around here, most of the RS stores are associate stores that are part of a larger buisness, and carries lrger lines. I know my local associate store carries Panasonic and Toshiba TVs and stereos, model kits, and CDs.

The personnel there aren't deeply knowlegeble, but they have been running that store (in several locations), for 25 years or more, and do somewhat know me. I usually going in the really looking for something specific, sometimes to do price shopping.

Nice thread! I worked for RS about seven years ago (left when I got my current job). You've got questions, I've got answers:

1) Why batteries? They have the highest markup.

2) Why ask your name? There were "perks" for having 100% names and addresses. When someone refused to give his name, I just used my "John Smith" at "1313 Mockingbird Lane" to keep my 100% names and addresses.

3) When I worked there, it was for commission, so of course, I would go grab the gold-plated cables (usually the stereo 1/8" to RCA plugs for connecting portable CD players) or the lithium AA batteries (for remote controls ) first. And then there were "SPIFF's," which were flat amounts paid in addition to commission: cell phones, satellite systems, devalued (very discontinued) merchandise, etc. I guess a lot of employees now just work for a standard wage.

For the most part, I actually enjoyed working at RadioShack. I kept up on the discontinued/devalued merchandise; I got my 27" SONY Trinitron for under $200. If someone asked me a question I had no answer for, I wouldn't think twice about saying "I don't know the answer to that." I hate employees who try to BS their way into a sale. A thing a learned quick is to not nag the pieces/parts customers; those people may come and only spend $1.50 at a time, but in the end, they turn out to be the best customers.

montybass wrote:1) Why batteries? They have the highest markup.

Radio shack has some great concepts--like the whole idea of a local electronic/hobby supply outlet. Unfortunately they have notoriously low quality basic electronic components. No where is their substandard quality more easily demonstrated than their own batteries. They do OK distributing other manufacturers but once they acquire a company the Shack quality is usually quick to surfaces.

I DO have to give Kudos to The Shack for One Thing. And of course, this has nothing to do with their stores, but with their website where I don't have to interact with their employees! - One thing they do is put PDF files of their User Manuals online. More companies are starting to do this too which is nice to see. When doing research on new products, the User Manual has a lot better chance of giving me the correct answers I'm looking for than 'the dude behind the counter'.