Radio Shack to start selling games

Author: Joe Martin
Published: 19th September 2007
Comments (15) Stumble
Radio Shack to start selling games

Radio Shack HQ - but can Master Chief find a home for himself here or not?

Radio Shack is a store I've never had much of an experience with and so far I've managed to stay out of the forum discussion about the retail chain. You see, as a poor student my previous PC tinkerings were limited by my budget. Since then I've graduated to Team Bit-tech and I've not needed to buy any bits or bobs for a long time. Life is sweet.

Still, my interest in Radio Shack my undergo a bit of a resurgence soon as it turns out that the electronics store will soon start selling computer and video games too.
The move, which is mentioned in a recent article at GameSpot, has been questioned by analysts and punters alike who fail to see how the chain can compete with companies like GameStop in the US and Game in the UK.

The move has apparently been carefully timed to coincide with the launch of Halo 3, which frankly seems a bit stupid. Everybody who wants that game has already pre-ordered it or will be picking it up from their dedicated gaming store of choice.

How extensive the offering of games is going to be hasn't been clarified either - will it be just the top ten games of the month, or can we expect to see a serious selection of old and new titles littering the shelves?

Either way, we remain dubious of how successful the move will be - the competition is just too damn fierce. Still, we may be wrong (it happens), so why not let us know what you think by dropping your thoughts in the forums?
Quote Darkedge 19th September 2007, 10:58
are there any Radio Shacks still left in England? I thought they closed down as there were expensive and rubbish..
Quote Stickeh 19th September 2007, 11:08
How can it compete with Game? if it were bloody cheaper!

I only buy from GAME if i get a storevoucher / card, because it reduces the price to a more bearable amount!
Quote CardJoe 19th September 2007, 11:20
Quote:
Originally Posted by Darkedge
are there any Radio Shacks still left in England? I thought they closed down as there were expensive and rubbish..

There definitely used to be one in Lancaster until last year. I used to pass by on my way to University.
Quote naokaji 19th September 2007, 11:30
Radio shack... wait.. soemthing comes to my mind...
customer walks into Radioshack, asks for bioshock, whats that? the employee there asks... a game the customer answers... what is a game? the employee answers... the customer curses the shop and goes to buy it somewhere else...
Quote CardJoe 19th September 2007, 11:37
Quote:
Originally Posted by naokaji
Radio shack... wait.. soemthing comes to my mind...
customer walks into Radioshack, asks for bioshock, whats that? the employee there asks... a game the customer answers... what is a game? the employee answers... the customer curses the shop and goes to buy it somewhere else...

Could be worse. A friend of mine had to physically stop me from slapping an employee at Gamestation once. ******* said he'd never heard of Steam. When his manager came in an said the same, I nearly lost it at them both. :(
Quote naokaji 19th September 2007, 11:59
Quote:
Originally Posted by CardJoe
Could be worse. A friend of mine had to physically stop me from slapping an employee at Gamestation once. ******* said he'd never heard of Steam. When his manager came in an said the same, I nearly lost it at them both. :(

omg.... and i thought my horror vision was bad.... but your post proofed that life can be even worse.
Quote Tulatin 19th September 2007, 12:29
Erm, on this side of the pond, The Source by Circuit City (it's just radio shack with shitty in-house products, and rebadging) sells games out the wazoo, and it did too while it was still called RadioShack. Coincidence?
Quote p3n 19th September 2007, 12:49
"my interest in Radio Shack my undergo"

Grammar Police!
Quote HugoB 19th September 2007, 13:21
My view of Radio Shack is tainted by Dilbert. I also assume all Americans buy anything electronics (read transistors, capacitors, PCB) there, I don't know why.
Quote ScwB 19th September 2007, 17:50
The Radioshacks in my area (western Canada) have been selling games for years. In fact, I can't remember a time when they didn't sell games. Odd that they have games here but not elsewhere.
Quote pendragon 19th September 2007, 18:28
i only buy random electronic bits there.. like switches, etc - that are hard to find anywhere else where i live... i doubt too, that they'll be low enought to compete.. we shall see
Quote mattthegamer463 19th September 2007, 20:53
I still use Radio Shack for bit and pieces I need for circuits, but I hate it every time. $2.50 for a run of the mill green LED? RIP! Its often cheaper than ordering a single thing on the internet and paying for the shipping.

BTW Radioshack has had a small selection of PC games for as long as I can remember here in Canada.
Quote supermonkey 19th September 2007, 21:09
Quote:
Originally Posted by Archangel
My view of Radio Shack is tainted by Dilbert. I also assume all Americans buy anything electronics (read transistors, capacitors, PCB) there, I don't know why.
Be careful with assumptions. There are a few Radio Shacks around here, but if you need a specific component, your best bet is either Fry's or the local mom and pop shop just down the road (if you haven't already found it on-line). From what I understand, most of the Radio Shacks have moved away from electrical components and moved toward electrical gadgets. They just can't compete with on-line shops.

The last time I went into a Radio Shack, they only had one small cabinet with a dozen or so random LEDs and switches, and only a handful of other diodes. The rest of the shop was filled with radios, RC cars, Compaq computers and a random assortment of other similar toys.

-monkey
Quote Malfoleo 20th September 2007, 05:27
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tulatin
Erm, on this side of the pond, The Source by Circuit City (it's just radio shack with shitty in-house products, and rebadging) sells games out the wazoo, and it did too while it was still called RadioShack. Coincidence?

See, thats the thing: Radioshack in canada was never Radioshack.

Circuit City leased the name and opened it's own version of the store, which sold small eletronic devices, games, toys, and the ocasional small electronic part (LED's, cables, solder, ect). Couple years back Radioshack wanted to move up north, so they revoked the lease (or it ran out, don't remember), which caused CC to re-brand all their stores, and now you can see in various places true Radioshacks along side their Source kin. Although Radioshack is doing so poorly up here that every store I've seen of theirs open, has closed within three months due to lack of business. Go figure.

Long story short: the Source by CC != Radioshack.
Quote Fly 24th September 2007, 13:02
RadioShack products were sold through Tandy electronics in the UK. Tandy were rapidly going down the pan due to poor stock availability and abysmal Stock management. The Carphone Warehouse offered them a last hour help package which involved them selling all their stock, shops and staff to them. TCW then went on to cherrypick the best staff and locations to convert them to TCW shops, then sold all the stock off from the shops that were left over and eventually closed them down. Textbook takeover, and ruthlessly executed.

All that is left is Maplin for retail electronics, and frankly they are moving rapidly towards selling cheap toys at christmas and cheap imported far east merchandise at falsely discounted prices; just like Tandy did.
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