RadioShack

Perhaps it was a subconscious effort to relive my younger days, but I’ll just stick by my argument that «I needed a part» to explain my trip to a Radio Shack.
Looking to fix a LCD monitor, I waltzed into my nearest Radio Shack. Thankfully there WAS one as they tend to be a dying breed.
The store attendants were very friendly and helpful. I needed a couple capacitors and they walked me right to the parts bins. If anyone is going to have them, it’s Radio Shack, right? Wrong. They did not have the part I needed. Sure, there’s an infinite number of capacitors made, so for them to have the exact part I needed was a shot in the dark. They tried, and I appreciated the effort.
Looking online, they don’t have that part available either, so there’s that.
I’ll have to buy online.
BUT, with the big swing-​and-​a-​miss, I did reconnect with a store that has a lot (of other parts) to offer. I doubt I’ll buy a stereo or speakers there, but they are a handy source for various parts, fuses, and other electro-​stuff.

Yikes! A misunderstanding on purchasing more air time for our son’s Verizon, the store clerk said something that was incorrect (pending authorizations, v. «nothing will happen on your end»). Called the store with what should have been an easy, much less civil, conversation — just trying to deal with the fact they had made not one, but 2 authorizations against our account which were unplanned and as a result, could bring us into the red. Unfortunately the store «manager,» Amanda, immediately and unceasingly unleashed a stream of venom on me so loud that my wife, who was sitting across the living room, could hear her yelling through the phone. To call this deplorable customer service is to insult the word «deplorable.»
I tried several times to return the conversation to the calm, but to no avail. I finally asked Amanda if there was someone above her that I could speak with as it seems that we were missing each other; she yelled «yeah, there is, but I’m not going to give you the information!» Pretty much about as far as I got.
I did contact corporate customer service and they’re kindly trying to get the issue resolved on their end, which I appreciate. Just a minor error, that could (and should) have been able to be handled locally, at the store level. Apparently these sorts of basic things are beyond Amanda and this store’s management. Based on this conversation, I’d hate to see what would happen should a much larger issue come to take place. Wouldn’t want to even be in the neighborhood for that one.
Needless to say, um, nope, won’t be back to this store.

Guy was rude and had zero patience! They didn’t have what I wanted but sold me on a more expensive option which I took just to leave the store.

An employee has corrected me and made me feel bad for calling a certain electronic by the wrong name on more than one occasion. Yeesh, didn’t know I needed to be tech savvy to buy a power cord.

Went in to look at options for replacing my lost Verizon phone.
Our first associate was very matter of fact, however the other one heard our conversation and was quite helpful in what they could do for me at Radio Shack, and that I may be able to save money buying a used phone and having them activate it.

No wonder this company is going downhill. Tried to buy a no contract phone in store, they said it requires activation. Umm, no it doesn’t, that is part of the benefit of buying a no contract phone. They refused to sell it to me. A $ 200 phone… Um, okay. Walked down to Target a block away, bought the phone I wanted, went on my way. See ya RadioShack, enjoy your history with Kmart’ Circuit City, and Comp USA.