[Coco] Another Radio Shack Article

[Allen Huffman]

On Jan 4, 2014, at 10:23 AM, Bill Loguidice <bill at armchairarcade.com> wrote:

> There would be no viable market for a new CoCo 3, particularly not at the
> $100 price point.

Never say no. People will pay more than that for a higher end Arduino and one add-on shield. :) Heck, looking at what I've spend on an Arduino and some Shields for it costs more than a (more capable) Raspberry Pi, yet people still buy Arduinos. Hobbyists seem to love paying more bucks per return for their toys.

> What Tandy could have done was gotten
> into the Rasberry Pi and similar product business, perhaps increasing
> margins a bit by having custom value-added bundles instead of selling the
> $35 base units (which would have been pitiful margins).

Yes, like this Radio Shack Raspberry Pi Starter Kit, for $129:

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=28925486

> They took a gamble on cell
> phones and had all their marketing and resources behind that.

And it made them number one... But much like so many other "number ones" in the past, it's hard to stay on top.

> On the other end, it's impossible to ignore the squeeze put on by
> everything retailers like Amazon.

Yes. Radio Shack needs to get back to being the "7-11 of Electronics." Even with lower cost alcohol at the grocery store, liquor stores still remain. Even with lower cost milk and eggs at a grocery store, convenience stores still sell them at jacked up prices.

"I need/want it now" is a very powerful desire.

Of course, once Amazon has drones flying around with 30 minute delivery, I guess all of this becomes buggy whips ;-)

> It may just be that there's not a place for a Radio Shack in the
> modern world.

A Radio Shack with highly paid and trained staff would probably work. Seems the top complaint about places like Best Buy, Wal-Mart, etc. is always the morons we encounter there. But ... how do you stop showrooming? Perhaps turn Radio Shack in to a show room -- get it now for more, or order it from their warehouse at Amazon prices and have it delivered home, or pick it up at the store during regular shipments (ever notice how Apple does this? They have stuff arriving pretty much every day.)

Maybe Radio Shack needs to look at the Apple Store. All their prices are retail and way higher than Amazon, etc. yet those stores have people lined up.

.02
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Allen Huffman - PO Box 22031 - Clive IA 50325 - 515-999-0227 (vmail/TXT only)
Sub-Etha Software - http://www.subethasoftware.com - Established 1990!
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