I worked at a Radio Shack back in 1992-93. It wasn't in a mall, it's in a beach community in San Diego, (pacific beach). There was often enough customers in there to keep us constantly busy. Radio Shack's number one selling item was batteries, just plain old alkaline batteries. I don't remember how the rest of it ranked. But back then, we only sold our own brand of car phones, it wasn't unitil a few years later they started doing the sprint or ATT or whatever it is they are doing now. I heard tales that the managers of Radio Shacks back in the 70's were making so much money they were driving around in Corvettes, and the company cut their commisions drastically. As a matter of fact, when I started there in 1992, they cut our commision in my second month on the job. My first month on the job was employee appreciation month, no shit, where they gave us an extra employee discount for the month. I did not particularly like working there, I always felt like I was under threat of losing my job for not selling enough. I think the requirement was to sell a minimum of $65 worth of stuff an hour, but when I worked nights in the off season I often would not make that goal. I actuall bought a small boom box at a Radio Shack about a year or so ago, the brand name on it is Presidian. It wasn't a brand we had back when I worked there, so I don't know if that is just another Radio Shack brand or not. But I do know that it is of much higher quality than the Wal Mart brand electronics. EDIT: Crap, I forgot about the time I sold a Radio Shack brand computer. It was a $2500 sale, and it was a big deal throughout the district. Radio Shack has a 30 day no-questions asked return policy and on the 29th day, the guy brought it back. The store manager gave him shit for it, but accepted the return. They deducted the commision from my next check.
The younger guys perspective..... I've never bought something from RS in my life. I've been in one before when I wander in or something while I'm at the mall but usually by accident and I don't stay. In all seriousness RS doesn't have anything Best Buy doesn't and BB is so much more fun. I love going in there just to look around. Some of my friends probably don't know what a RS is. If those are true numbers I wouldn't count on them for too long. When my generation is the leading consumer I can't imagine they are able to stay in business.
“How did you go bankrupt?" Two ways. Gradually, then suddenly.” ― Ernest Hemingway, The Sun Also Rises