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(and often outdated) cables, and 2) home telephones. With the government-led break-up of | (and often outdated) cables, and 2) home telephones. With the government-led break-up of | ||
<!-- links to self --> | <!-- links to self --> | ||
[[error]] | [[error|Bell Systems]], Radioshack | ||
, Radioshack | |||
became highly profitable and was, for a time, both the largest dealer of telephones in the United States and the | became highly profitable and was, for a time, both the largest dealer of telephones in the United States and the | ||
primary supplier of components used for phone hacking (or, as it is colloquially known, | primary supplier of components used for phone hacking (or, as it is colloquially known, | ||
[[phreaking]] | [[phreaking]]). Following the sale | ||
). Following the sale | |||
of its subsidiary | of its subsidiary | ||
[[memorex]] | [[memorex|Memorex]] | ||
and the ill-advised purchase of the famously unprofitable | and the ill-advised purchase of the famously unprofitable | ||
Computer City in the 1990's, | Computer City in the 1990's, | ||
Radioshack's value again plummeted, despite experiencing a brief " | Radioshack's value again plummeted, despite experiencing a brief "[[error|pink twilight]]" as a | ||
[[error]] | |||
" as a | |||
supplier of computer hacking | supplier of computer hacking | ||
materials. As of 2012, Radioshack carried an "F" customer service rating with the Better Business Bureau, and was | materials. As of 2012, Radioshack carried an "F" customer service rating with the Better Business Bureau, and was | ||
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</p> | </p> | ||
<img alt="1974 Radioshack logo" class="wikiImg" src="/static/images/wiki/Radioshack_1974_logo.png"/> | <img alt="1974 Radioshack logo" class="wikiImg" src="/static/images/wiki/Radioshack_1974_logo.png"/> | ||
Revision as of 03:38, 12 March 2024
Radioshack [related: Tandy Corporation]
Worldwide electronics retailer started in 1921 by the brothers Theodore and Milton Deuschmann to service the emerging
ham radio field. After filing for bankruptcy in the mid 1960's it was purchased for the paltry sum of $300,000 by
Charles D. Tandy of the Tandy Corporation. In the 1980's, Tandy refocused the company in two areas: 1) cheap
electronics including semi-functional robots, disposable remote control vehicles, and strange internationally sourced
(and often outdated) cables, and 2) home telephones. With the government-led break-up of
Bell Systems, Radioshack
became highly profitable and was, for a time, both the largest dealer of telephones in the United States and the
primary supplier of components used for phone hacking (or, as it is colloquially known,
phreaking). Following the sale
of its subsidiary
Memorex
and the ill-advised purchase of the famously unprofitable
Computer City in the 1990's,
Radioshack's value again plummeted, despite experiencing a brief "pink twilight" as a
supplier of computer hacking
materials. As of 2012, Radioshack carried an "F" customer service rating with the Better Business Bureau, and was
named by the Temkin Group, an independent research firm, as providing the worst customer service of any national
retailer for six consecutive years. In its reports, Temkin cited many issues, including (but not limited to): severely
undertrained and sometimes pre-pubescent employees, shell (gutted and non-functional) products, literally abandoned
(though still partially stocked) locations in semi-operational suburban malls, and off-brand, universally
non-compatible discount home computers with RAM rates easily surpassed by modern graphix calculators.
<img alt="1974 Radioshack logo" class="wikiImg" src="/static/images/wiki/Radioshack_1974_logo.png"/>