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Is Fry's Electronics going OOB?

Bay Arean said:
I'll be darned! Yer basic degrees of sep and all that. It just proves we're old and we know a lot of people I guess.
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Yup... as I recall he had two different colored eyes, which is rare.
Pretty nice guy.. seemed like he was under a lot of pressure from the Bro's.
 
I'll never forget the first time I ever walked into a Fry's, in Palo Alto about 25 years ago. Looked like a massive electronics swap meet was going on. Totally nuts, and they had the most random shit in there.
 
Well... it may seem like I’m cappin’ on em, but the brothers were geniuses. Their dad may have given them a leg up on most of us, but so what. They took that luck, watched, listened, and learned from their dad. Worked as a team and applied that knowledge to a different commodity... electronics and soda. And, they made a killing for many years. They may have lost to Amazon, but so have countless others.

John’s done a great service to kids with his math institute. If you have a youngster in elementary that loves and excels in math, look into it.

I also understand that John’s done a lot to preserve some of Silicon Valley’s early history in the form of equipment. I know some of it is on display at the Sunnyvale store, but I’ve heard he has quite a bit more.
 
TheRobSJ said:
Yup. They’re on the way out.

The backstock being almost totally empty says it all. The way all the merchandise is pulled forward on the shelves with nothing behind it? It’s like a kid just pushing food flat on the plate to make the parents think they actually ate some vegetables.
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But they've always been that way. Part of that is because their RE footprint is just way too large. But if they own all their RE, it doesn't seem like a big deal.

The store manager at one of their stores says that each row is basically managed by an associate as a sort of independent business with it's own P&L. That's why the inventory placement is just all over the place.
 
mercurial said:
But they've always been that way. Part of that is because their RE footprint is just way too large. But if they own all their RE, it doesn't seem like a big deal.

The store manager at one of their stores says that each row is basically managed by an associate as a sort of independent business with it's own P&L. That's why the inventory placement is just all over the place.
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But nothing in the backstock? It’s been a bit since I have been in a store and even longer from paying attention to backstock, but when I worked there? Those shelves were stacked ceiling high and loaded to capacity.

And I was “in charge” of an aisle too. Nothing like managing it like a business though. We were given a “schematic” of what merchandise went where, what demos if any were displayed, pulling items from backstock to restock the aisles, and sticking on new PLU tags every time there was a price change.
 
I can't remember the last time I went into Fry's but back when I was heavy into PC gaming (late 90's early 00's) I feel like I was in their stores 2-3 times a week at least.
 
ScorpioVI said:
I can't remember the last time I went into Fry's but back when I was heavy into PC gaming (late 90's early 00's) I feel like I was in their stores 2-3 times a week at least.
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I worked there around ‘98. Brokaw Rd.
 
TheRobSJ said:
But nothing in the backstock? It’s been a bit since I have been in a store and even longer from paying attention to backstock, but when I worked there? Those shelves were stacked ceiling high and loaded to capacity.

And I was “in charge” of an aisle too. Nothing like managing it like a business though. We were given a “schematic” of what merchandise went where, what demos if any were displayed, pulling items from backstock to restock the aisles, and sticking on new PLU tags every time there was a price change.
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Interesting, I guess I misinterpreted the manager then. He made it sound like the owners of the aisle had some kind of greater say in how the aisle was ran. This was also about 3 years ago, so I guess maybe things are different between when you worked there, and now.

I don't know about the backstock, it just seems like the shelves have been 70% empty for a long time. I guess I do recall that 20 years ago, there did seem to be more in stock.
 
Couldn't even find solder wick when I needed it a few months ago. Went in the Fremont store about a month ago looking for a keyboard, there was literally has about 5 keyboards of the $10 variety; the entire aisle was empty.

I remember the days when they had the Coke 6-pack for $.99 to bring people in the door. Whole families could come in and buy cases because they limited 2 packs per person. Grandma, grandpa, wife, cousin, niece, nephew would all be in line for the 2 6 packs....lol.
 
TheRobSJ said:
Oh I know how they make it work. They put it all on the retailer who’s selling through them. They don’t get hurt. Want to sell on Amazon? Then you take back stuff even if it means you’re going to lose money on it.
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I got into PC building six months ago and the return mentality is disgusting. Buy and use some expensive shit, ask online for validation, return working parts 13 days later, get some other shit instead. Meanwhile, we're paying way too much for mass-manufactured-in-Asia electronics because of these dolts.

It happens with Amazon and Newegg, it must also happen with Frys.

Meanwhile, in the motorcycle industry: No returns on electronic parts, ever!
 
2strokeYardSale said:
I got into PC building six months ago and the return mentality is disgusting. Buy and use some expensive shit, ask online for validation, return working parts 13 days later, get some other shit instead. Meanwhile, we're paying way too much for mass-manufactured-in-Asia electronics because of these dolts.

It happens with Amazon and Newegg, it must also happen with Frys.

Meanwhile, in the motorcycle industry: No returns on electronic parts, ever!
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Nope. Fry’s takes the hit. Speaking of PC building, that’s where you see it most. Tons of PC cases, power supplies, liquid coolers, etc and the majority of them have “open box markdown” stickers on them.

The only things that get RTV (return to vendor) are hygiene items like electric toothbrushes and razors. Everything else? They try to resell it.
 
I was just in Frys (two actually) and was wondering the same thing. There was almost no one working and had so many bare shelves. It'll be a shame if they totally close up, but the times change I guess.
 
Dropped by the Fremont Fry's last Saturday about Noon. Pretty much a ghost town. I counted about 6 customers walking around. I use to frequent this place back in the early 2000s and this place was PACKED. I also drove by Sunday and the lot had about 8 cars (probably the employees). No way this place is going to make it. I think most people drop by to get the visual/touch/idea and end up ordering it online at Amazon or what not.
 
They had a Samsung 65" 4K Smart tv for under $500 last Sunday.

They have always seemed to dicker around with paying their suppliers and they would withhold shipment. Maybe Amazon uses a similar consignment model when they sell the goods?
 
Story in today's paper that they arent going out of business and wish to quell the rumors. Supposedly, Chinese tariff war affecting inventory.

Don't know who or what to believe.
 
Three months later and the stores still remain empty. No retailer would allow empty shelves for move than 15 minutes, this "conversion to consignment" has the BS meter pegged.

I heard a rumor there might be some serious shopping starting next week, but I don't know for sure...
 
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