The usefulness of Best Buy’s Geek Squad depends entirely on the competence of the employee you get when you go in for help, and unfortunately Scott landed one of the lazier ones. Here’s his sales pitch to Scott over a laptop that wouldn’t start: “It’s going to take at least 10 minutes for me to get the multimeter or another adapter. It’s going to be a problem inside the computer, let’s just send it in.”
Geek Squad Agent Doesn't Have Time To Look For Multimeter, Let's Just Send Off Laptop For 3 Weeks Instead
By November 11, 2009
Radio Shack Opening Mobile Phone Kiosks In Target Stores
By November 3, 2009
One problem I’ve always had when shopping for jacked-up prices is I can’t find enough crazy to go along with it. Same thing for the crazy: I know where to go to get cart-loads of that, but I can’t find the 2400% markup! What I need, clearly, is for Radio Shack to open up specialty kiosks inside Target stores, so then— oh hey! It’s the Bullseye Mobile Solution!
Radio Shack Sales Staff Unfazed By 2,400% Markup
By November 1, 2009
No one goes to Radio Shack to take advantage of low prices. They go because they need an electronic component on short notice, and Radio Shack is pretty ubiquitous. That’s how Chris and his fiancée found themselves at a Wisconsin Radio Shack in search of a mini USB cable, but they encountered such high prices and high-pressure sales lies that they walked out and found what they needed…at the dollar store.
Radio Shack Acts In Consumer's Best Interest, Hell Freezes Over
By October 21, 2009
The Shack Radio Shack is not known in these pages for its high level of customer service. That’s why we were stunned and impressed with Chris’s story, where Radio Shack salespeople were not only knowledgeable and immensely helpful, but sent him to a competitor.
How Radio Shack's Rebranding Makes It Even More Uncool
By August 14, 2009
“Names, like fashion trends, often don’t age well,” notes Chadwick Matlin over at Slate’s The Big Money. In this week’s “Broadband” video segment, he looks at Radio Shack’s weird rebranding effort to get people to call it “The Shack,” even though it’s not changing its name, and even though “The Shack” isn’t any better. “Radio Shack has hedged its bets,” Matlin writes, “Splitting its identity in two and not choosing either. What’s worse, neither is especially impressive, or especially modern.”
Radio Shacks Rebrands As "The Shack"
By August 4, 2009
Radio Shack will soon be known as “The Shack,” because not many people are tinkering with electronic parts to make experimental hobbyist radios anymore. But shacks themselves are still hot, it seems. [Engadget] (Thanks to William!) (Photo: The Joy Of The Mundane)
RadioShack Will Say Anything To Upsell Extended Warranties
By July 19, 2009
An anonymous RadioShack employee sent us what he considers unethical talking points distributed by the corporate office to help employees upsell the RadioShack Replacement Service Plan. According to our tipster, “each example encourages lying.” Read the deceptive talking points, inside…
Radio Shack Is Levying The Wrong Sales Tax In New York City
By July 5, 2009
Radio Shack is charging New York City consumers an extra half-percent of sales tax, even though the State hasn’t approved a new tax rate. Before descending into a chaotic mess of embarrassing inaction, the New York State Senate was widely expected to hike the sales tax New York City’s local sales from 8.375% to 8.875%. That never happened, a minor detail that isn’t stopping Radio Shack from collecting more tax, as reader Jeff discovered…
More Insider Tips When Buying From Radioshack
By June 17, 2009
There’s clearly no love lost between D. and D’s former employer, RadioShack. A little over a year ago, D. sent us some insider tips on what to watch out for when you shop at RS. Now here comes a follow-up, with more information on cell phone sales tricks, warranty pitches, and used merchandise.
Cablevision Takes Away Analog Stations Before DTV Transition, Confuses Customers
By May 22, 2009
Joe works at a Radio Shack store on Long Island. Lately, the combination of the digital TV transition and some recent lineup changes at local cable TV provider Cablevision has Joe concerned, since he has both a conscience and a brain, and is an avid Consumerist reader.
Radio Shack Punches Customer In Face
By April 29, 2009
Instead of getting his money back, one Radio Shack customer got a sock in the jaw when he tried to return something. According to the police report, the employee wouldn’t let the customer return the item. When the customer asked to speak to a manager – kapow! And you thought the worst thing you had to worry about was if you kept your receipt!
Radio Shack Employee Lies, Says Government Requires Your Name And Address To Use DTV Coupon
By February 11, 2009
Tim tried to use a Digital TV coupon at a Philadelphia Radio Shack and was told that he had to provide his name and address in order to redeem it, as per government regulations. Strike out “government” and replace with “imaginary” and you’re closer to the truth. Hmm, did this Radio Shack employee just break the law?
Radio Shack Takes Selling Used Digital Recorder Containing Personal Information As New Seriously
By June 3, 2008
THE QUOTE: “RadioShack takes seriously its obligation to safeguard the privacy of our customers. In this isolated instance, our records indicate a customer returned a digital recording device and said it did not work. Unknown to us, it actually did work and apparently contained recordings of personal conversations the customer failed to erase from the memory before returning the product.”
A Radio Shack Manager Explains Why They Ask For Personal Info On Cash Returns
By May 16, 2008
Last week, we pointed out that even with a receipt and the product in hand, and even though you purchased it with cash the day before at the same store, Radio Shack won’t give a refund unless you give them your home address first. We got a lot of insider tips from former employees in the comments section, and the next day we received the following perspective from a Radio Shack store manager. We think his explanation still doesn’t explain why you need personal ID to refund a cash transaction when you’ve got the item and the receipt in front of you, but read on if you want an unverified store manager’s point of view.
RadioShack Won't Give Refund On Cash Purchase Unless You Show Your Papers
By May 8, 2008
RadioShack’s whole collecting-your-personal-data nonsense is old news, but it’s not just for purchases anymore. When Pete tried to take back some potentiometers he’d paid for the day before with cash, the clerk refused to give him any sort of refund—even a store credit—without Pete’s physical address.
Radio Shack Won't Accept Cash Without Your Home Address
By April 2, 2008
Reader Tim went to Radio Shack to buy something or other and the manager refused to process his cash transaction without first learning his home address. Tim left the store and dashed off a quick email to us. He let us know he was going to contact Radio Shack about the incident, but felt certain that he’d be ignored.
Free Advice For RadioShack: Lock The Front Door Before Smoking Up
By March 6, 2008
Charlie writes:
Yesterday I did the unthinkable. I went to Radio Shack.
Monster Cables, Monster Ripoff: 80% Markups
By February 8, 2008
Ever wonder why gadget store employees push Monster cables like they’re crack? Bitchin’ markups, just like you suspected (or knew) all along. That’s what we found when a Radio Shack employee sent us his store’s entire inventory list, which included the wholesale and retail price of every item in stock.
