2013...Do or die for these four ???

[DFB]

It's Do or Die for Sears, Best Buy, J.C. Penney and RadioShack - WSJ.com

 

[johnk]

If they fall to the wayside a bigger entity will pop up in there place...

 

[mikehaugen]

I can't say I am surprised about radioshack, I haven't gone there for years. They have changed a lot, not even sure if the sell electronic "parts" anymore. Used to be kind of a cool niche... where else could you go any buy small resistors or capacitors. It seems electronics is somewhat of a dying hobby. People love electronics more than ever, but most would rather go buy a iPad or something than tinker with an oscilloscope.

come to think of it... does anyone in these newer generations have ANY hobbies that doesn't involve texting or social media?

 

[creekbend]

If they fall to the wayside a bigger entity will pop up in there place...

Yes, a definite possibility. Just a thought? Do you have any guesses or clues as to what Companies will be large enough to take over the reins if these Companies go under?

 

[Lou66]

Yes, a definite possibility. Just a thought? Do you have any guesses or clues as to what Companies will be large enough to take over the reins if these Companies go under?

Just off the top of my head I would say,,

Sears = Wal-Mart, Home depot, Lowes, Dillard
Best Buy =Office max, Wal-Mart
J. C. Penny =Target, Kohl, Wal-Mart, Dillard
Radio Shack= Office Max , Target

J. C. Penny's maybe the only one that may stay in business,, they have made a lot of changes in the past few months,, but Target and Kohl is coming up fast.. I would add one more to the list.. that is Dillard..Lou

 

[johnk]

If you notice the square footage of giant stores keeps doubling and more diversity in the products they sell. Pretty soon one big store will be opened and all the little ones will be gone. It will be a monopoly just as the government keeps getting bigger and bigger. Price fixing will be more than likely and if you wan the productyou'll have to pay.... I'm talking 25 years from now so save this post for reference...

 

[DFB]

At one time JC Penny, Sears, and RadioShack all had business models that always offered large customer catalogs. I'm really surprised with all the online ordering people do this hasn't made a comeback to some extent considering the high cost of doing business as a brick and mortar store. Seem the more succcesful retailers like Cabelas and LL Bean and still do it well with paper catalogs. Even TSC has a free one. I just got a new Gemplers in the mail today. Always lots to look at.

Cheapo selected sales flyers are about the only type of out of store/in your face advertising you get to see from the others and something like the Sears/Craftsman virtual online catalog just isnt the same. Last time I sought out a Radio Shack catalog the "saleskid" told me they had a store copy only and that was it! Perusing Radio Shack's online inventory was just sad. I had the neatest little Radio Shack brand clamshell cased digital multi meter from them. No such luck replacing that I can see.

Oh as for Best Buy I never liked their sales style anyhow.

 

[homedad]

AMAZON.COM

 

[Tollster]

I too shop online more, I avoid the hassle, gain my own knowledge on the product, and have it delivered, ALWAYS less than any retail store. I do from time to time shop in the local stores owner owned, more so for customer service than price, but then again I have my price limits on my purchases, typically 10% over online is fine, anything else, I shop elsewhere.

 

[kenmac]

all of my Christmas shopping this year was with online . Mostly Amazon . Never left the house

 

[300UGUY]

If they fall to the wayside a bigger entity will pop up in there place...

Until the anti trust activities of the government was stopped in the 1980's, the government resrticted the growth of companies like wallmart. Derugulation made companies like Sears into big, fat targets.

 

[300UGUY]

I can't say I am surprised about radioshack, I haven't gone there for years. They have changed a lot, not even sure if the sell electronic "parts" anymore. Used to be kind of a cool niche... where else could you go any buy small resistors or capacitors. It seems electronics is somewhat of a dying hobby. People love electronics more than ever, but most would rather go buy a iPad or something than tinker with an oscilloscope.

come to think of it... does anyone in these newer generations have ANY hobbies that doesn't involve texting or social media?

What would you hook a scope up to on these devices? Most are very small intergrated circuts. There really isn't much possibility of repair. Most techs working on industrial technology are basically remote screwdrivers - they replace parts until it works.

I should say that I find RS irratating. Last time I went there, I had somebody ask me 3 times if I wanted a new cellphone. They don't carry much stuff anymore, and most techy guys get stuff off the net.

 

[mikehaugen]

What would you hook a scope up to on these devices? Most are very small intergrated circuts. There really isn't much possibility of repair. Most techs working on industrial technology are basically remote screwdrivers - they replace parts until it works.

I should say that I find RS irratating. Last time I went there, I had somebody ask me 3 times if I wanted a new cellphone. They don't carry much stuff anymore, and most techy guys get stuff off the net.

I wasn't referring to repair of these items. I was referring to the way the word "electronics" has changed a lot. In the past people into "electronics" were building radios and tinkering with robotics and the like. People that are into "electronics" now are people that have to have the newest gadget the day it comes out and they sit in lines overnight to be the first to get it. Radio Shack caters to the latter now, rather than the former. I guess I can't blame them if that's what the consumers are looking for.

As far as industrial techs go, I am one, and time is money. Our largest machine costs around $15,000 per hour of down time. Could I rebuild a VFD on the fly- no, but they wouldn't want me to anyway. They would rather give me $20k drive to change out in 30 minutes than play around trying to repair something for a couple hours, then send the old one out to get repaired.

 

[Thomas]

Kinda suprise Home Depot not on the list.

 

[Oaktree]

These companies' problems have been building for years. Sears has a big image problem...they seem to want to transition to being a more female-centered store like Kohls, but don't want to/can't leave the profitable tools/appliances/hardware behind. Not many women want to walk past the lawnmowers to get to the lingerie or shoe dept.
Radio Shack and Best Buy have a well-deserved bad rep for lousy customer service. Both also have product lines (stereo equipment, DVDs/CDs, etc.) that are losing popularity, but don't really know where to go from there.
Penneys...not that familiar with other than from what I understand their new business model of "everyday low prices" is meeting with resistance from their customer base.

Of course, as others have noted on-line shopping has put a dent in retail in general.

 

[keegs]

I buy allot of stuff at Sears...I'll be sorry to see them go.

 

[Eyecatcher]

Looking at Sears, especially their tool line. Quality has really suffered, along with warranty. Used to be, if you bought a Craftsman ratchet, if it ever failed, it wold be replaced immediately. Nowadays, a new one is crap, and when (not if) it fails they'll either give you a rebld that's no better than the first one, or try to give you a rbld kit. Craftsman power tools used to be about as good as money could buy. Today, I wouldn't bother to carry one home.

 

[keegs]

The sears washer and dryer, the dishwasher, refrig, oven, range hood all purchased after we did the addition to the house in 1999... all still work fine. I have a weed whacker I bought in 1996 that I still use. I bought an electric chain saw a few years ago ..best $100. I ever spent I think. Oh and the vacuum ...it's got some cracks in the housing after must be going on 15 years now but it still does the job..on our place in ME now.

I like sears because ther stufff is consistantly good. Not always the cheapest but in my experience ..good.

 

[Pops15]

I won't be a bit surprised when Sears and Best Buy go away. Sears has been on a downward spiral for a long time.
Best Buy seems to employ two types of people.....unknowledgeable and incredibly obnoxious.
Is there even a reason for Radio Shack to exist anymore?

Thomas, Why would Home Depot be on the list? We don't have a local HD but I've been to 5 or 6 of their stores in other areas. Equal quality to what the other box stores have but far better service.

 

[DFB]

"Best Buy seems to employ two types of people.....unknowledgeable and incredibly obnoxious"

ROTFLMAO!

I dunno about Home Depot...we have one where I live its seems there more employees in the store than customers