RadioShack

This is about the Radio Shack on NE 15^th, north of Ballard, west of Greenwood. I was a baby boomer looking for a new cell phone and hoping for a kind employee who could help me out. I’m not a dunderhead, but things change so quickly! I ‘lucked out’ …thanks to Ben, who is the manager of the store. He advised me, was patient, and spent time setting up the new phone for me. It really was a great experience. I’m convinced I got service that would have been impossible at a large phone store.

I just walked into the what seems to be falling apart Northgate RadioShack. I felt so nostalgic walking into such a fun long time establishment until. I saw the store was empty no toys or phones no pretty much anything. I was talking to the sales assistant about his day and seeing if he liked his job. He told me if he printed a piece of paper he could get in trouble I saw the manager come out of the back room and asked her to help me get HR’s number for me she told me to use my phone. I literally tried to use my phone even though I thought it was crazy when she could pull it up on the computer. I showed her that it wasn’t working and she got into an argument with me about helping me get a number that was right I front of her. I told her I need the district managers number and she said she was the distract manager. Its hard to believe a place that prided it self on customer service has people like that working for it.(I told her I’m taking her picture and she threatened me with security and braking my phone probably not the distract manager) I hope RadioShack get back to being fun place to by technology that was one crazy power tripping lady.

I’m giving it 2 stars because I’ve loved Radio Shack since I was a kid pawing through transistor bins. Times, though, are a-​changin’ I guess…
For non-​standard batteries, misc cables, and good cheap spindles of CDs and DVDs, the Shack at Northgate gets my business. It still may — but after last Saturday’s trip it’s not a given any more.
Popping in to pick up a spindle of CDs I approach the counter to see one clerk leaning over the counter, riveted to a loud video playing on his cell phone, the other clerk (the asst mgr, according to his badge) disinterested and looking at everything but whatever’s near the counter, including me. When I did capture the looky-loo’s attention to ring me up I got the impression it was quite the imposition, but a necessary evil to his day.
The clerk leaning over the counter watching the phone video? He never did look up (nor turn his vid down) nor move to make it easier for the other clerk to move around the narrow space behind the counter. You could hear the tinny, unintelligible, whatever-​it-​was video all over the small store and it got annoying quick.
«Annoying» is probably the best word for my visit.

My new phone died in less than a month. The guys here swapped it out with no hesitation. Excellent customer service.

Radio Shack rocks, at least this one. They have always been very kind and helpful. I have worked with Sam and Kevin but I am sure other employees are great there too.

I’m quoting T.M. whose review was filtered for language: «If you need that one obscure request filled in a hurry, they are the only place to go. «Truth. I needed a USB cable for my Sony mp3 player. Non-​iPod, so rule out Best Buy, unless I want to pay for an extra cable I cannot use, and Target which is Apple-​supporting only. Radio Shack had it. I couldn’t see it in the «mp3 accessories… we have you covered» section, but a helpful employee found it in a different area.
Whoever trains the employees needs to be acquainted with the Visa and Mastercard Merchant Manual rules. I am not sure that this Radio Shack outlet accepts credit cards. The new hires cannot be faulted for following policy, but if the policy cannot be presented in writing to the customer the policy is suspect. Three stars for seller and buyer remaining polite and calm, listening intently, and working toward the best outcome: a stressfree purchase of a desired item.
When my neighbor was managing the store and on staff, we received four-​star service when we came in. But apparently times and policy and staffing have changed.

I called ahead.
They had what I wanted.
They didn’t try to sell me anything else.
The batteries were cheap.
Park near the food court to get in and out. Malls are evil.

Nothing negative to say about the place, nothing overly positive… just nuetral. I bought headphones here, the lady behind the counter was very friendly, offered me a replacement plan for $ 3, but I didn’t feel pressured. I knew what I wanted so I was in and out in no time!

I walked in there. Too dark of a store and not have that many things. What a boring store.

I have gone there many times for electronics parts, and when I ask for help, no one seems to have any idea about anything. I am tired of getting the «do you need a new phone plan? do you need batteries?» thing. I mean, really! If I needed batteries for my project wouldn’t you think I would have already got them in my basket? Some times I just interrupt the salesperson altogether and say: «No, I am buying what I need.» In the past year or so, the Radioshack company altogether has been making the electronics parts section smaller and smaller to make the phones and dvd players and useless crap section bigger and bigger.
‘Nuff said.

Radio Shack West Seattle rocks! I have had one good experience over the next. Phil, the manager, is a kind, considerate and very caring person. Really listens to everyone including all the elderly who live in the neighborhood. My experience was just good from the go.
My cell phone company is Sprint and to my dying day I curse my choice of this inadequate company. Phil did his best to ameliorate the pain, even getting my bill reduced-​not reduced but just back to where it should have been. This major task was not accomplished by me, it took his calm intervention (on his lunch hour). He multi-​tasks to the point where you worry about his health-​then you see his bright smile.
Really, I like many of their products as well. Never shopped there before but I am old school and feel obligated to buy something everytime he helps me. I have not been unhappy with anythng purchased there-​even that came under Phil’s tutelage. So, this guy is the age of my kids and I want to thank Radio Shack and his mother for putting this guy on the firing line-​he handles it with grace!
So, kudos for Radio Shack for hiring and retaining the young Phil. He probably will be snatched up by some visiting exec or promoted to better things. He deserves everything he gets.
Phil has moved on and this is in West Seattle. Still good but cut everything in half-​yes, they lost fifty per cent of what they had when Phil left. Somebody gave Phil a job of a lifetime.

I admit, I’m biased: I don’t like Radio Shack. I would go well out of my way to avoid having to shop there, and when I needed a replacement cellphone, I almost drove out to a Best Buy in Bellevue just to not have to go to Radio Shack. In the end, though, laziness won out, but my anti-​Shack feelings were vindicated once again by a horrible shopping experience.
Located in Northgate Mall, this Radio Shack is not huge, and from anywhere in the store you can pretty much see everything else. For example, you could see me standing at the cash register for over five minutes, waiting stoically while the sole employee chatted away with some customers who weren’t buying anything. Or you could see me being lectured by said employee (once he finally noticed me) about how I shouldn’t get this particular kind of phone, and in fact I should get rid of my landline and get some other plan, blah blah blah. I know mall employees don’t care about service, but why try to talk a customer out of buying something they’re clearly going to get anyway, when they’re not actually interested in your pimply eighteen-​year-​old opinions?
Other highlights of the transaction included the employee taking a personal call and talking to his friend for several minutes before saying he would call him back, totally unwelcome and overfamiliar joking comments, loud sound-​effect noises and random countertop drumming with fingers, etc. The one question I did ask him — the price of an item — he got completely wrong, quoting me a price that was double the actual figure. And he threw a little condescending speech in there for free.
When I finally managed to escape, the clerk called, «See you next time!» Um, no, probably not. Some things are worth driving to Bellevue for, and avoiding encounters with clueless, loud, ADD teen employees is one of them.