02-20-2013, 02:03 PM | #16 | |
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It will happen. Amazon can either start from scratch or buy an existing chain. |
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02-20-2013, 02:09 PM | #17 |
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02-20-2013, 02:17 PM | #18 |
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When I go to Radio Shack, I'm typically shopping in the back of the store. Radio shack used to be more of a DIY electronics store. It still has that aspect, but it's in the back of the store and not as prominent as it used to be. I'll go to Radio Shack if I need a connector or cables and don't want to make the trip to the big box store. If Amazon were to buy out Radio Shack, they would have to keep selling much of what Radio Shack sells, otherwise there would be little point in buying them out, they could just set up their own store from scratch.
Sears used to have "catalog stores" in small towns. They had some items for sale, I think you could get some appliances. But mostly you placed catalog orders there and picked up your orders from the store when they arrived. With the lockers, Amazon is doing half of that. But Amazon could also have kiosks for people to place orders. Of course, most of us will just order from our own computers. But there are some people who are not at all tech savvy. They might prefer to order at a kiosk in a store where they can place an order without having to create an account, and where someone from the store can place an order. Such kiosks wouldn't cost a lot. Last edited by QuantumIguana; 02-20-2013 at 02:24 PM. |
02-20-2013, 03:57 PM | #19 | |
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If RS closed or stop carrying components, where on earth could I go at 8pm on a Friday to get a push-button switch and vibration motor to upgrade my metal detecting pinpointer? Yes, I'm a geek. BTW, I used to work at RS right around the time they started changing focus from radio and electronics gear to consumer products. It was sad. ApK |
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02-20-2013, 05:16 PM | #20 |
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I just hope that any Amazon stores are filled with hot chicks dressed as Amazons.
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02-20-2013, 05:31 PM | #21 |
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RS does sell at least the basic Kindle in our little town.
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02-20-2013, 05:39 PM | #22 |
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ApK, you don't have a Fry's Electronics near you? Radio Shack is just a shell of its former DIY self in terms of electronic component inventory. I've been predicting their collapse for a few years now. BestBuy has more going for them in non-DIY merchandise and THEY are nearing collapse.
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02-20-2013, 05:47 PM | #23 | |
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The idea behind this proposal is that Amazon could host their delivery lockers, showroom select items, and provide a physical site to order and receive merchanise for same day pickup. Sort of a modern incarnation of the old BEST PRODUCTS catallog showroom stores. I could see it work, but I suspect Bezos is looking at the back end for same-day deliveries first. Which makes a UPS or FedEX play more logical. |
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02-20-2013, 05:53 PM | #24 | |
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Warehouses, groceries and deliveries are all about an efficient distribution system, which Amazon are very good at. With lockers (as far as I have seen) they are taking the approach I described earlier, of chucking a bit of money at existing retail outlets to host them without taking on the overhead themselves. Where do the storefronts come in? Every other retailer is already a storefront for Amazon, you see what you like then go home and order it online. I could maybe see them going more strongly into partnership with a couple of existing retailers to get Kindle zones in the way you see Apple zones in electronics retailers, or having a few prestige own named stores, but how do they gain by having a thousand little strip mall outlets? |
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02-20-2013, 06:01 PM | #25 | |
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Plus, you're forgetting Amazon doesn't like paying others recurring fees for anything they can do themselves. Like the Mobipocket, Ivona, Kiva Systems purchases... Amazon prefers to buy the operations and let them pay for themselves over time so they can get the resource (DRM, TTS, warehouse robots) essentially for free. If Bezos were to decide that using Amazon's distribution system to feed the RS stores could turn the chain around *and* let him site lockers and kiosks for free, he'd do the deal in an instant. But that's a really big "if". Radio shack is a very sick company. He might prefer to let it go chapter 7 liquidation and pick up the leases enmasse to turn them into media stores. It's not a crazy idea. Just unlikely. Last edited by fjtorres; 02-20-2013 at 06:04 PM. |
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02-20-2013, 06:06 PM | #26 | |
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These locations work for RS, but that does not mean they would work for Amazon because it's not targeting the same group. And someone mentioned Fry's earlier - they don't have many stores, and most are concentrated in California and Texas. http://www.frys.com/ac/storelocator/index.jsp |
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02-20-2013, 06:14 PM | #27 |
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02-20-2013, 06:22 PM | #28 |
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02-20-2013, 06:28 PM | #29 | |
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The areas I've lived, Radio Shack is planted in all the major suburban Malls; either inside or in attached strip malls. Some places, both. 7000 stores can't *all* be good. (They shut down 500 a few years back because they weren't working any more.) This map of their locations can double as a US population-density map: http://www.store-locator.info/radio-shack/map But a lot of their grandfathered leases would make great locations for (yes) bookstores. Last edited by fjtorres; 02-20-2013 at 06:30 PM. |
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02-20-2013, 06:29 PM | #30 |
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Moving into retail spaces doesn't make a lot of sense to me since they would then have to pay staff, building costs etc all of which would eat into their profit which they would pass onto to us with higher prices for local stuff.
Add in that they couldn't possibly stock everything that people are able to get there that they can't get elsewhere in their areas. Nope, I will pay my $79.00 for Amazon Prime get everything I want under the sun at good prices, save a bundle on shipping and continue to be very happy. |
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