No wonder Amazon ...
 

.... is causing the brick and mortar stores to close their doors.

I needed a HDMI coupler to extend a HDMI cable. Went on Amazon and they
had several, some for under $2. I opted for one that was a little more
expensive at $3.45 because it had gold plated contacts. Submitted the
order and it will be here in two days.

Then, I happened to be out running an errand and stopped in at a Best
Buy, deciding that since the couplers are so cheap, I'll pick one up
there so I could finish the project I am working on today rather than
having to wait for two days.

Found the coupler but the package had no price on it. Took it up to the
register thinking it was probably 5 or 6 bucks, tops.

Girl scans it and the price was $29.09.

I told her that must be a mistake, so she manually entered the number on
the package. Yup. $29.09.

Told her I changed my mind. I'll wait until Wednesday. That's absurd.

No wonder Amazon ...
 

Mr. Luddite wrote:

... is causing the brick and mortar stores to close their doors.

I needed a HDMI coupler to extend a HDMI cable. Went on Amazon and they
had several, some for under $2. I opted for one that was a little more
expensive at $3.45 because it had gold plated contacts. Submitted the
order and it will be here in two days.

Then, I happened to be out running an errand and stopped in at a Best
Buy, deciding that since the couplers are so cheap, I'll pick one up
there so I could finish the project I am working on today rather than
having to wait for two days.

Found the coupler but the package had no price on it. Took it up to the
register thinking it was probably 5 or 6 bucks, tops.

Girl scans it and the price was $29.09.

I told her that must be a mistake, so she manually entered the number on
the package. Yup. $29.09.

Told her I changed my mind. I'll wait until Wednesday. That's absurd.




Or the are like Sears. A few years ago, I needed a 3/4 drive breaker bar
to change the water pump on my diesel. $45 at Sears, but sign up email
and order online for pickup. $21 and Sears is only a couple miles from me
in the shopping center. I think that is the last purchase there. So
last week, get an email that I have $20 free cash to spend on home
fashions. So wife and I buy $20 of towels for the fire victims. 2 days
later I get an email I got $25 of more free cash. Bigger selection this
time. I have been looking at metric ratcheting box end wrenches. So go
online for store pickup. They bring to car. $79 set, on sale, $50 off.
So for $5.45 with tax I get a really nice set. No wonder they are
bankrupt.

No wonder Amazon ...
 

On Mon, 16 Oct 2017 20:04:39 -0400, "Mr. Luddite"
wrote:


... is causing the brick and mortar stores to close their doors.

I needed a HDMI coupler to extend a HDMI cable. Went on Amazon and they
had several, some for under $2. I opted for one that was a little more
expensive at $3.45 because it had gold plated contacts. Submitted the
order and it will be here in two days.

Then, I happened to be out running an errand and stopped in at a Best
Buy, deciding that since the couplers are so cheap, I'll pick one up
there so I could finish the project I am working on today rather than
having to wait for two days.

Found the coupler but the package had no price on it. Took it up to the
register thinking it was probably 5 or 6 bucks, tops.

Girl scans it and the price was $29.09.

I told her that must be a mistake, so she manually entered the number on
the package. Yup. $29.09.

Told her I changed my mind. I'll wait until Wednesday. That's absurd.


Those electronics stores are all living on life support. Ebay has
become the new Radio Shack except much better, even when Radio Shack
actually sold electronics parts.
If you want small lots of components (anything from resistors to ICs)
check out Ebay. They are buying this stuff in big lots and breaking it
up into small lots. Since most of this stuff will ship with a 1st
class stamp, shipping is free and fast.

No wonder Amazon ...
 

On Tue, 17 Oct 2017 03:10:14 -0000 (UTC), Bill
wrote:

Mr. Luddite wrote:

... is causing the brick and mortar stores to close their doors.

I needed a HDMI coupler to extend a HDMI cable. Went on Amazon and they
had several, some for under $2. I opted for one that was a little more
expensive at $3.45 because it had gold plated contacts. Submitted the
order and it will be here in two days.

Then, I happened to be out running an errand and stopped in at a Best
Buy, deciding that since the couplers are so cheap, I'll pick one up
there so I could finish the project I am working on today rather than
having to wait for two days.

Found the coupler but the package had no price on it. Took it up to the
register thinking it was probably 5 or 6 bucks, tops.

Girl scans it and the price was $29.09.

I told her that must be a mistake, so she manually entered the number on
the package. Yup. $29.09.

Told her I changed my mind. I'll wait until Wednesday. That's absurd.




Or the are like Sears. A few years ago, I needed a 3/4 drive breaker bar
to change the water pump on my diesel. $45 at Sears, but sign up email
and order online for pickup. $21 and Sears is only a couple miles from me
in the shopping center. I think that is the last purchase there. So
last week, get an email that I have $20 free cash to spend on home
fashions. So wife and I buy $20 of towels for the fire victims. 2 days
later I get an email I got $25 of more free cash. Bigger selection this
time. I have been looking at metric ratcheting box end wrenches. So go
online for store pickup. They bring to car. $79 set, on sale, $50 off.
So for $5.45 with tax I get a really nice set. No wonder they are
bankrupt.

The ironic thing is that they used to be the king of mail order and
just about the time when internet sales were starting to gain a little
traction, they went solid brick and mortar abandoning ther catalog
operation. (90s)
It s a classic case of losing your imagination and not looking at
where the world is headed. With their infrastructure, experience and
their product line they had the opportunity to dominate the online
marketplace.

No wonder Amazon ...
 

On 10/16/2017 11:10 PM, Bill wrote:
Mr. Luddite wrote:

... is causing the brick and mortar stores to close their doors.

I needed a HDMI coupler to extend a HDMI cable. Went on Amazon and they
had several, some for under $2. I opted for one that was a little more
expensive at $3.45 because it had gold plated contacts. Submitted the
order and it will be here in two days.

Then, I happened to be out running an errand and stopped in at a Best
Buy, deciding that since the couplers are so cheap, I'll pick one up
there so I could finish the project I am working on today rather than
having to wait for two days.

Found the coupler but the package had no price on it. Took it up to the
register thinking it was probably 5 or 6 bucks, tops.

Girl scans it and the price was $29.09.

I told her that must be a mistake, so she manually entered the number on
the package. Yup. $29.09.

Told her I changed my mind. I'll wait until Wednesday. That's absurd.




Or the are like Sears. A few years ago, I needed a 3/4 drive breaker bar
to change the water pump on my diesel. $45 at Sears, but sign up email
and order online for pickup. $21 and Sears is only a couple miles from me
in the shopping center. I think that is the last purchase there. So
last week, get an email that I have $20 free cash to spend on home
fashions. So wife and I buy $20 of towels for the fire victims. 2 days
later I get an email I got $25 of more free cash. Bigger selection this
time. I have been looking at metric ratcheting box end wrenches. So go
online for store pickup. They bring to car. $79 set, on sale, $50 off.
So for $5.45 with tax I get a really nice set. No wonder they are
bankrupt.


We used to have two or three Sears stores around here. They have all
closed.

No wonder Amazon ...
 

On 10/17/2017 12:21 AM, wrote:
On Tue, 17 Oct 2017 03:10:14 -0000 (UTC), Bill
wrote:

Mr. Luddite wrote:

... is causing the brick and mortar stores to close their doors.

I needed a HDMI coupler to extend a HDMI cable. Went on Amazon and they
had several, some for under $2. I opted for one that was a little more
expensive at $3.45 because it had gold plated contacts. Submitted the
order and it will be here in two days.

Then, I happened to be out running an errand and stopped in at a Best
Buy, deciding that since the couplers are so cheap, I'll pick one up
there so I could finish the project I am working on today rather than
having to wait for two days.

Found the coupler but the package had no price on it. Took it up to the
register thinking it was probably 5 or 6 bucks, tops.

Girl scans it and the price was $29.09.

I told her that must be a mistake, so she manually entered the number on
the package. Yup. $29.09.

Told her I changed my mind. I'll wait until Wednesday. That's absurd.




Or the are like Sears. A few years ago, I needed a 3/4 drive breaker bar
to change the water pump on my diesel. $45 at Sears, but sign up email
and order online for pickup. $21 and Sears is only a couple miles from me
in the shopping center. I think that is the last purchase there. So
last week, get an email that I have $20 free cash to spend on home
fashions. So wife and I buy $20 of towels for the fire victims. 2 days
later I get an email I got $25 of more free cash. Bigger selection this
time. I have been looking at metric ratcheting box end wrenches. So go
online for store pickup. They bring to car. $79 set, on sale, $50 off.
So for $5.45 with tax I get a really nice set. No wonder they are
bankrupt.

The ironic thing is that they used to be the king of mail order and
just about the time when internet sales were starting to gain a little
traction, they went solid brick and mortar abandoning ther catalog
operation. (90s)
It s a classic case of losing your imagination and not looking at
where the world is headed. With their infrastructure, experience and
their product line they had the opportunity to dominate the online
marketplace.



Yup. When I was a kid I'd spend hours going through that massive Sears
catalog.

No wonder Amazon ...
 

On 10/16/2017 11:55 PM, wrote:
On Mon, 16 Oct 2017 20:04:39 -0400, "Mr. Luddite"
wrote:


... is causing the brick and mortar stores to close their doors.

I needed a HDMI coupler to extend a HDMI cable. Went on Amazon and they
had several, some for under $2. I opted for one that was a little more
expensive at $3.45 because it had gold plated contacts. Submitted the
order and it will be here in two days.

Then, I happened to be out running an errand and stopped in at a Best
Buy, deciding that since the couplers are so cheap, I'll pick one up
there so I could finish the project I am working on today rather than
having to wait for two days.

Found the coupler but the package had no price on it. Took it up to the
register thinking it was probably 5 or 6 bucks, tops.

Girl scans it and the price was $29.09.

I told her that must be a mistake, so she manually entered the number on
the package. Yup. $29.09.

Told her I changed my mind. I'll wait until Wednesday. That's absurd.


Those electronics stores are all living on life support. Ebay has
become the new Radio Shack except much better, even when Radio Shack
actually sold electronics parts.
If you want small lots of components (anything from resistors to ICs)
check out Ebay. They are buying this stuff in big lots and breaking it
up into small lots. Since most of this stuff will ship with a 1st
class stamp, shipping is free and fast.



Before they finally closed their doors for good I occasionally visited
Radio Shack to pick up some electronic components for a guitar amp or
something I was repairing. The selection of components rated for vacuum
tube devices was pretty bare and what they had you could tell had been
there for a long time. Hard to even find a resistor in anything more
than an eighth watt.

No wonder Amazon ...
 

On 10/17/17 7:12 AM, Mr. Luddite wrote:
On 10/16/2017 11:55 PM, wrote:
On Mon, 16 Oct 2017 20:04:39 -0400, "Mr. Luddite"
wrote:


... is causing the brick and mortar stores to close their doors.

I needed a HDMI coupler to extend a HDMI cable.Â* Went on Amazon and they
had several, some for under $2.Â* I opted for one that was a little more
expensive at $3.45 because it had gold plated contacts.Â* Submitted the
order and it will be here in two days.

Then, I happened to be out running an errand and stopped in at a Best
Buy, deciding that since the couplers are so cheap, I'll pick one up
there so I could finish the project I am working on today rather than
having to wait for two days.

Found the coupler but the package had no price on it.Â* Took it up to the
register thinking it was probably 5 or 6 bucks, tops.

Girl scans it and the price was $29.09.

I told her that must be a mistake, so she manually entered the number on
the package.Â* Yup.Â* $29.09.

Told her I changed my mind.Â* I'll wait until Wednesday.Â* That's absurd.


Those electronics stores are all living on life support. Ebay has
become the new Radio Shack except much better, even when Radio Shack
actually sold electronics parts.
If you want small lots of components (anything from resistors to ICs)
check out Ebay. They are buying this stuff in big lots and breaking it
up into small lots. Since most of this stuff will ship with a 1st
class stamp, shipping is free and fast.



Before they finally closed their doors for good I occasionally visited
Radio Shack to pick up some electronic components for a guitar amp or
something I was repairing.Â* The selection of components rated for vacuum
tube devices was pretty bare and what they had you could tellÂ* had been
there for a long time.Â* Hard to even find a resistor in anything more
than an eighth watt.




What? The RS on Crown Street in New Haven is closed? :)
I used to get all my little electronics kits and parts there, out of the
bins.

No wonder Amazon ...
 

On Tue, 17 Oct 2017 00:21:22 -0400, wrote:

On Tue, 17 Oct 2017 03:10:14 -0000 (UTC), Bill
wrote:

Mr. Luddite wrote:

... is causing the brick and mortar stores to close their doors.

I needed a HDMI coupler to extend a HDMI cable. Went on Amazon and they
had several, some for under $2. I opted for one that was a little more
expensive at $3.45 because it had gold plated contacts. Submitted the
order and it will be here in two days.

Then, I happened to be out running an errand and stopped in at a Best
Buy, deciding that since the couplers are so cheap, I'll pick one up
there so I could finish the project I am working on today rather than
having to wait for two days.

Found the coupler but the package had no price on it. Took it up to the
register thinking it was probably 5 or 6 bucks, tops.

Girl scans it and the price was $29.09.

I told her that must be a mistake, so she manually entered the number on
the package. Yup. $29.09.

Told her I changed my mind. I'll wait until Wednesday. That's absurd.




Or the are like Sears. A few years ago, I needed a 3/4 drive breaker bar
to change the water pump on my diesel. $45 at Sears, but sign up email
and order online for pickup. $21 and Sears is only a couple miles from me
in the shopping center. I think that is the last purchase there. So
last week, get an email that I have $20 free cash to spend on home
fashions. So wife and I buy $20 of towels for the fire victims. 2 days
later I get an email I got $25 of more free cash. Bigger selection this
time. I have been looking at metric ratcheting box end wrenches. So go
online for store pickup. They bring to car. $79 set, on sale, $50 off.
So for $5.45 with tax I get a really nice set. No wonder they are
bankrupt.

The ironic thing is that they used to be the king of mail order and
just about the time when internet sales were starting to gain a little
traction, they went solid brick and mortar abandoning ther catalog
operation. (90s)
It s a classic case of losing your imagination and not looking at
where the world is headed. With their infrastructure, experience and
their product line they had the opportunity to dominate the online
marketplace.

Absolutely.

No wonder Amazon ...
 

On 10/17/2017 7:51 AM, Keyser Soze wrote:
On 10/17/17 7:12 AM, Mr. Luddite wrote:
On 10/16/2017 11:55 PM, wrote:
On Mon, 16 Oct 2017 20:04:39 -0400, "Mr. Luddite"
wrote:


... is causing the brick and mortar stores to close their doors.

I needed a HDMI coupler to extend a HDMI cable.Â* Went on Amazon and
they
had several, some for under $2.Â* I opted for one that was a little more
expensive at $3.45 because it had gold plated contacts.Â* Submitted the
order and it will be here in two days.

Then, I happened to be out running an errand and stopped in at a Best
Buy, deciding that since the couplers are so cheap, I'll pick one up
there so I could finish the project I am working on today rather than
having to wait for two days.

Found the coupler but the package had no price on it.Â* Took it up to
the
register thinking it was probably 5 or 6 bucks, tops.

Girl scans it and the price was $29.09.

I told her that must be a mistake, so she manually entered the
number on
the package.Â* Yup.Â* $29.09.

Told her I changed my mind.Â* I'll wait until Wednesday.Â* That's absurd.


Those electronics stores are all living on life support. Ebay has
become the new Radio Shack except much better, even when Radio Shack
actually sold electronics parts.
If you want small lots of components (anything from resistors to ICs)
check out Ebay. They are buying this stuff in big lots and breaking it
up into small lots. Since most of this stuff will ship with a 1st
class stamp, shipping is free and fast.



Before they finally closed their doors for good I occasionally visited
Radio Shack to pick up some electronic components for a guitar amp or
something I was repairing.Â* The selection of components rated for
vacuum tube devices was pretty bare and what they had you could tell
had been there for a long time.Â* Hard to even find a resistor in
anything more than an eighth watt.




What? The RS on Crown Street in New Haven is closed?Â*Â* :)
I used to get all my little electronics kits and parts there, out of the
bins.

I just looked up the list of remaining Radio Shack stores that are open.
As of May 31, 2017 only 70 company owned stores remain. None listed
as open in CT although there may be some that are privately owned
franchises that are still open.

They do have an online sales only that remains in operation.

At one time there were over 7300 stores nationwide. The founders
started it to support Ham Radio enthusiasts in the 20's. The original
Radio Shack was in downtown Boston and I visited that store with my dad
back in the 1950's when "HiFi" was beginning to become popular. The two
founders (brothers) eventually sold Radio Shack to the Tandy Corporation
but is now owned by General Wireless.