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Apple and RadioShack?

I work there...

I work for Radio Shack. Favorite job I've ever had...it's a great company to work for. They take care of their employees, and their customers.

To understand the reasoning behind the deal forged between Apple and Radio Shack is simple. We make no money off the HP iPods. The Gross Margin on those is actually nothing. It's negative. We lose money to sell the iPods when licensed through HP. The ONLY reason we carry them is to bring people into our stores and sale them accessories for the iPods.

For instance. My store is the only place to purchase, accessorize, or even touch and feel an iPod without having to drive to Chattanooga, TN. That makes it convenient for people to get them.

Now, with the new agreements, we will also be able to turn a Gross Margin profit on those items, as well as their accessories.

Apple did not like Radio Shack because their stores were, in fact, hideous. Radio Shack is changing in ways that you folks do not know. We are moving forward into a totally new segment of history with this very reputable as well as reliable company.

A whole new set of leadership, a whole new way of thinking, and a new breed of alliances will set us apart. Our CEO visited Cupertino 2 1/2 weeks ago, invited there by Steve Jobs himself. They spent 3 days discussing the values of the two companies and found that we both want exactly the same things...profitability, more brand recognition and exposure, and to appeal to our very loyal bases.

Apple is very exclusive about who it will market their products through. Consider Apples retail stores...they are very exclusively placed, usually in high-end malls. Their stores have a great amount of trained and intricately instructed staff. They take care of the customers.

This is just what Radio Shack does. We care for the customers and take great care of their needs, answer their questions, and see that they get what is best for their needs. Apple will sell through us because we can not only meet but provide the same high standards that Apple itself exudes.
 
Sounds nice, hope it works out. They needed some changes. Maybe it'll be better and I won't have to avoid going in there except as a last resort.
 
This is great news. Apple wants to ensure that every American owns an iPod. In 4 years everyone will own one since they will be less than $100 bucks.

This will also make everyone happier since listening to music usually uplifits the spirits.
 
I agree about the HP price protection. I don't know why HP keeps coming back for more abuse :D Must be worth it to them all the same--they keep offering more iPod models. Anyway, it's all good for Apple.

And so is having more iPods in Radio Shack. Almost none of my family, in different cities, is near anyplace BUT a Radio Shack to get an iPod. I'm sure many people are in the same boat. Not everyone lives in a big town with a Target.
 
iMeowbot said:
I'd buy a Mac from Radio Shack but only if they got to rebrand them as TRS-80 :cool:
Click to expand...
The Trash-80 came out in 1977 so a Mac version introduced in 2005 might be called the TRS-2008.
 
The TRS-80 was like the bestest computer.ever. I remember many many fond childhood memories programming into it. And then saving the result of my work on a Radio Shack cassette tape. Don't be dissing it.
angry.gif
 
My first gut instinct on this was - ugghh, not Radio Shack! The stores around here are dull and ugly. I do hope we get the new updated stores soon. I don't want to bash the shack too hard as it is the ONLY place to go when you need electrical components to fix something yourself. The people are friendly the store and reputation, in my opinion, have been hurt over the years. Maybe this and some remodels will fix things.
 
huffyslayer said:
...we both want exactly the same things...profitability, more brand recognition and exposure, and to appeal to our very loyal bases.

Apple is very exclusive about who it will market their products through. Consider Apples retail stores...they are very exclusively placed, usually in high-end malls. Their stores have a great amount of trained and intricately instructed staff. They take care of the customers.

This is just what Radio Shack does. We care for the customers and take great care of their needs, answer their questions, and see that they get what is best for their needs. Apple will sell through us because we can not only meet but provide the same high standards that Apple itself exudes.
Click to expand...

You forgot to mention that my Aunt Flo and Uncle Hank, though very generous to all their nieces and nephews, likely would never darken the doors of an Apple store, or tackle that new fangled in-ter-net to make a purchase...heaven forbid...My uncle Hank, though, is known by name down at the local Radio Shack (or "The Source" to remain PC), and has been for 25 years. If Apple and Radio Shack working together means that there is a greater chance I might receive an iPod for my birthday...I'm all for it!

With RS selling Apple products...there is a whole new group of potential customers that would not have come across these products anywhere else.
 
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...

I've gotten a lot of audio and TV cables there in the past. I could see a video-capable Airport Express 2, iPod cables, etc., doing well there.
 
This is good news.

It will definitely increase Apple's exposure to many more communities -- most small communities have a Radio Shack store.

Personally, I like Radio Shack for many things.

Also, generally their customer service is very good.

While I wish that Apple would advertise more, this way at least RS will increase their exposure somewhat.

Sushi
 
huffyslayer said:
I work for Radio Shack. Favorite job I've ever had...it's a great company to work for. They take care of their employees, and their customers.
Click to expand...

I agree. I worked for Tandy (Radio Shack's parent company) way back in the old Computer City days when I was in college and they were great people to work for and they treated their customers well. I'm glad to see they're teaming up with Apple to carry iPods and perhaps even Macs. It's a win-win situation for both fine companies.
 
Cool. This will give Apple a lot more exposure to the masses. Radio Shack is a good store. I do regret that most of the stores are now mostly focused on consumer electronics and no longer carrying much in the way of parts. But that is the change in market, the buyers.
 
Having more sites to sell the iPod is good news.

I don't shop at Radio Shack all that often, but they do carry that often hard to find items.
 
When I was young, I spent so much x-mas money at radioshack! My first electronic projects came right out of their beginners books! Oh and their catalogue... I could leaf through their catalogue for hours/days! I haven't been in one for years, except to look for a turntable.
 
RS versus Circuit City

If Circuit City is a separate corporate entity, it looks unlikely that iPods and Macs will be marketed in every shopping center in Canada, which could have been possible if Radio Shack continued to exist here as it had in the ’70s.

I believe that one reason why people don’t buy Macs is that they never see them, but stocking Apple products at Radio Shack will bring iPods (and maybe eventually Macs) to every shopping center in the U.S., giving people a chance to touch a Mac for the first time as they stroll down the mall. I’ve been using Macs since 1986 and been buying them since the PowerBook 170 first came out, but I’ve rarely seen Apple products in Canada. Even in Tokyo, there were only two major stores that specialized in Macs during the 17 years that I lived there, and two chains that had Mac floors or corners.

I still remember how much I dreamed of owning a folding bright-red 8-track tape player with AM/FM radio from Radio Shack in 1977, but that dream never came true. Who would have thought at that time, though, that thin cassette tapes would soon become available and wipe out 8-track usage, or that CDs would soon afterwards do the same to cassette tapes.
 
Radio Shak

RS is convenient. That's about the only nice thing I can say about them. Sales associates (at my neighborhood shop) are pushy and unpleasant. Having them explain the merits of Apple would be a huge disapointment. BUT - many of my neighbors are curious about Apple, and not willing to drive 20 minutes to the Apple Store. I think many would buy one if it was more convenient.
So I am being fair - pros and cons here - but honestly, I would be bummed to see Apple associated with RS. My perception of Radio Shak is they are like 7-11, convenient, but you pay through the nose for that. LAN cable at Radio Shak - $21,,,, any where else $12 (same quality). It would be disapointing if folks began to see Apple as overpriced, like everything else at RS.
 
I like the current RS setup. They toned down all the Olympus products and brought in all this RCA-branded stuff. Granted, RCA is not high-end gear, but many folks out there don't have high-end wallets.

And like it or not, Apple is positioning themselves to go after the low-end dollar as well as the high. RS is a nice choice, I'd much see this than full-on Apple displays sitting broken, unclean, and neglected by ill-informed Circuit City / Best Buy staff.

RS owned by CC ? That is a dissapointment. I've always found RS sales people to be proud of thier efforts to help. Suckit City sales reps that I have known are mostly arrogant, ill-informed, customer careless, LAZY and useless.
 
Xiaopangzi said:
If Circuit City is a separate corporate entity, it looks unlikely that iPods and Macs will be marketed in every shopping center in Canada, which could have been possible if Radio Shack continued to exist here as it had in the ’70s.

I believe that one reason why people don’t buy Macs is that they never see them, but stocking Apple products at Radio Shack will bring iPods (and maybe eventually Macs) to every shopping center in the U.S., giving people a chance to touch a Mac for the first time as they stroll down the mall. I’ve been using Macs since 1986 and been buying them since the PowerBook 170 first came out, but I’ve rarely seen Apple products in Canada. Even in Tokyo, there were only two major stores that specialized in Macs during the 17 years that I lived there, and two chains that had Mac floors or corners.
Click to expand...

Sometime (about 1995) I worked representing Apple Products at Circuit City on weekends.

When I talked with the manager he placed my in the corner away from any possiability of influancing anyone to buy a Mac. frequently he told me not to talk with customers and for profit sake DO NOT convince anyone to buy a Macintosh over a PC. I still sold a bunch of Macs despite his hangups.

I have long been convinced becasue Macs in retail places are second class citizens they have been handicapped for years.

Even today Best Buy, the closest thing to me like a computer store at 50 miles away, has one Mac Mini hidden behind everything else in the worst place in the computer section. And all the sales people say are 'cute computer.' Yet the iPods are out in front.
 
huffyslayer said:
I work for Radio Shack. Favorite job I've ever had...it's a great company to work for. They take care of their employees, and their customers.
Click to expand...

huffy,

Thank you for your message. I hope that RS does well for Apple. RS is the only place within a 50 mile radius of my house where you can even touch an iPod. There is close to a dozen RS within that 50 mile radius.
 
This would put the local Mac resellers out of business should Radio Shack carry Macintosh computers.
 
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