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Apple and RadioShack?

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Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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Appleinsider reports that according to industry sources, RadioShack and Apple have partnered for RadioShack to carry Apple's full line of iPod music players during the 4th quarter of the year in time for the holiday season.

RadioShack reportedly operates nearly 7000 stores. The decision to carry the iPod line will be made on a store-by-store basis, but many of the locations are expected to carry the popular MP3 player.

RadioShack already sells HP branded iPods, but this will expand the line to the entire iPod family. Of particular interest, the rumor site reports that if iPod sales do well at RadioShack, there are plans in place to open a pilot program to test sales of Apple's Macintosh line as well.
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2005/07/21/apple-and-radioshack/
Wow. I didn't realize that bit about the HP vs Apple price protection. This should be good news for anyone who doesn't already have an iPod or a nearby brick and mortar store to get one.

::edit:: Whoa. And the potential to sell Apple computers there, too?! Crazy.
 
Store By Store Basis

Radio Shack has made bids to carry Apple products in the past and has been denied because Steve Jobs felt that their stores were ugly and out of date. (He even used much stronger language) Radio Shack has started a new program to update thier look and feel, you may have seen some of these concept stores popping up in a neighborhood near you. These new stores are designed to very much like Apple's retail chain. The new stores will undoubtedly be the ones to carry the iPods, and as older stores update they will be able to carry them as well.

In my opinion Radio Shack has been a complete waste of time for the common consumer for too many years, it will be good to see them fix up thier image a bit. I'll bet that they want the Apple products partly because they will be a sexy addition to the look of thier new stores. Lets hope they do a better job with them than CompUSA has.
 
goof_ball said:
I associate Radio Shack with garbage. I gave this a negative rating.
Click to expand...

Harsh. I love Radio Shack. They are great when you need a wire or adapter for a TV/computer/phone/etc. They also sell resisters, caps, and much more. I wouldn't buy a computer there, but only because they don't sell Macs. Its not like RS makes their own stuff any way. For the most part they are just a reseller.
 
grapes911 said:
Harsh. I love Radio Shack. They are great when you need a wire or adapter for a TV/computer/phone/etc. They also sell resisters, caps, and much more. I wouldn't buy a computer there, but only because they don't sell Macs. Its not like RS makes their own stuff any way. For the most part they are just a reseller.
Click to expand...
They are good for random electrical stuff. Haha, an RS does make something w/ their own brand-- knock-off ionic breezes.:p
 
It's amazing to me that RadioShack has stuck with the same retail name all these years. Many businesses have changed names, sacrificing name recognition in order to keep up with the times or because of corporate mergers, but that shack for buying radio parts is still there. Which makes it ironic that the big news is that they are gong to be selling a small appliance for listening to music and spoken broadcasts!
 
This is going to be good for small towns. In Texas, if I go on a trip, most of the towns that I pass through only have a RadioShack for their tech needs, if that...
 
Bibulous said:
Thing is, the sales dude always are pissed when you don't want to give them your name, phone number, address, ss # and drivers licensee #.

Just want to pay cash for a $2 adapter, don't want to join the club or have anyone know I shop at radio shack.
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They stopped doing that in my area. Too many complaints (including mine) I guess. Of course, you could have fun making up a new name each time they ask you. :)
 
Bibulous said:
Thing is, the sales dude always are pissed when you don't want to give them your name, phone number, address, ss # and drivers licensee #.

Just want to pay cash for a $2 adapter, don't want to join the club or have anyone know I shop at radio shack.
Click to expand...

RS has stopped taking names aboiut a year ago. They only ask for zip code and if you don't want to give it just say so.

-Ex RS Employee
 
I can't think of a worse place to sell them, aside from Wal Mart, but what the hell, who cares in the end, it's another outlet for sales.
 
To me it seems that the quality of products sold at Radio Shack has gone down over the past few years. It's good for random wires and plugs and such, but I would never buy anything pricey there.

I haven't seen any of the new concept stores yet.
 
grapes911 said:
Harsh. I love Radio Shack. They are great when you need a wire or adapter for a TV/computer/phone/etc. They also sell resisters, caps, and much more.
Click to expand...

Nah, I agree. I don't associate Radioshack with anything good. Nothing they sell is decent. They always seem to sell crap brands and quality for everything they sell.

At least that's the way it is in Canada.


devilot76 said:
They are good for random electrical stuff. Haha, an RS does make something w/ their own brand-- knock-off ionic breezes.:p
Click to expand...
Yeah, it'll be like buying new iPods and maybe Macs at a garage sale.
 
goof_ball said:
I associate Radio Shack with garbage. I gave this a negative rating.
Click to expand...
Radio Shack seems to be a delicate balance. They have loads of crap, but also some good electronics. The iPod line will raise the store's overall merchandise quality by a lot
 
revjay said:
Being from Canada, goof_ball, you should know that there is no longer Radio Shack in the Great White North...It's now named "The Source" by Circuit City

But I agree with your premise...although I am currently working on a peecee that came from the former "Radio Shack."
Click to expand...

Yeah, it was almost a sad day. I was the last customer at the local RadioShack before they rebranded. The good news is that they are now owned by Circuit City, and we all know what Circuit City sells...
 
I never usually go into The Source (Radio Shack's new name up here in Canada) but maybe I'll have to now just for fun to gaze at the iPods... ;)
 
I go to Radio Shack to buy rheostats, resistors, capacitors and what not. Great place to shop, and I generally find the service to be decent and staff friendly. Their Optimus line of electronics suffers from poor marketing and poor design aesthetics, but their products are as good as you'll find from brand name electronics at the same price points.
 
I think this would be a good thing. Obviously, it would only be for lower-end Macs, but a few more sales would be a good thing. Furthermore, put all their strength behind the iPod would be a good thing. Some of the music players they advertise look awful.
 
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