RadioShafted

[dlavery]

Originally Posted by Chriszuma

Okay, thinks I, I'll just use it today then return it and use our old one when Jacob returns with it.

You got exactly what you deserved.

You started out with a basic plan to take something from a company, use it, and then return it and claim a refund. Being kind, that is called cheating the company out of their legitimate funds in exchange for the use of their product. Being direct, it is called "fraud" and "theft" and it is illegal.

When a chain of events starts with an illegal act, all events that follow are a result of that act. This sequence started with your attempt to cheat RadioShack. At that point, you lost any right to complain, whine, kvetch, or argue about RadioShack, their products, their service, or anything else. If you received crappy service after that, or were dissatisfied with the product - too bad. It is your own fault. Next time, try dealing with them in an honest manner, accepting your full responsibility as an honest customer with integrity. Then, if there is a problem, deal with the store in a mature manner and you might be surprised at the supportive, helpful response that you receive.

-dave
<edit>OK, so Ken beat me to the point.</edit>

[Tim Delles]

I couldn't agree with Ken and Dave more.

How could you plan to do something illegal and then complain about it?

[Dillon Compton]

I agree entirely with Dave and Ken.

Also, I bought a $40 USB to Serial adapter at Radioshack, spent 10 minutes installing the drivers, and havent had a problem since then.

Karma seems to be at work here; trying being honest, and then you can complain. At this point, everything is your own fault.

Remember, GP doesnt just need to apply to FIRST; if we all apply in our lives as a whole, the world will be a better place.

[Madison]

Originally Posted by sanddrag

Which provide some of the best humor ever

I'm sure that everything y'all have ever translated to Mandarin or Cantonese was grammatically perfect.

[Danielle H]

I've got to agree with the fact that taking the part from the company with every intention of returning it afterwards was wrong... couldn't you have just kept it and had two? Back-ups can work wonders, as you've probably learned through all of this.

Honestly, insulting RadioShack is insulting ALL of the RadioShacks around the country... which isn't right. Just because a part was faulty does not mean that all the oarts in that store are faulty and all the stores in the US "suck" as you so 'kindly' put it.

Also, do you honestly think that CD and FIRST support your original plan...? That's kind of... not right, as many of us have stated before.

Have fun in your furture endevours,
Danielle

[Chriszuma]

Originally Posted by dlavery

You got exactly what you deserved.

You started out with a basic plan to take something from a company, use it, and then return it and claim a refund. Being kind, that is called cheating the company out of their legitimate funds in exchange for the use of their product. Being direct, it is called "fraud" and "theft" and it is illegal.

When a chain of events starts with an illegal act, all events that follow are a result of that act. This sequence started with your attempt to cheat RadioShack. At that point, you lost any right to complain, whine, kvetch, or argue about RadioShack, their products, their service, or anything else. If you received crappy service after that, or were dissatisfied with the product - too bad. It is your own fault. Next time, try dealing with them in an honest manner, accepting your full responsibility as an honest customer with integrity. Then, if there is a problem, deal with the store in a mature manner and you might be surprised at the supportive, helpful response that you receive.

-dave
<edit>OK, so Ken beat me to the point.</edit>

You clearly misunderstood. Originally I had no intent to "rip off RS" as Ken had put it. However, upon discovery that they were going to completely rip ME off by hideously overcharging me, I thought I would simply turn the tables on them. Honestly, if they're going to charge $40 for that piece of junk, how can they expect me to not get back at them? If "karma" is what you believe, they deserve to be ripped off.

And to reply to people saying I am unfair, this is not the only product of theirs that I have found to be shoddy and overpriced. Pretty much every electronic device I've ever purchased there was expensive and stingy. If they weren't so blinking convenient I would have stopped shopping there a long time ago, but this event pretty much tears it.

[Eugenia Gabrielov]

Is the point of this thread...

To comment on Chris's morality?
To comment on Radioshack's quality?
To comment on capitalism?

Or to just comment, even immaturely, on one poor experience?

Please practice tact before this turns into another argument thread. Points can be expressed without arguing over every word choice.

[d.courtney]

Originally Posted by Chriszuma

Honestly, if they're going to charge $40 for that piece of junk, how can they expect me to not get back at them?

The best way to get back at them just might have been to not buy the product.
Just a thought.

[Chriszuma]

Originally Posted by d.courtney

The best way to get back at them just might have been to not buy the product.
Just a thought.

I have already explained that that was not an option.

[Mike]

Originally Posted by Chriszuma

If "karma" is what you believe, they deserve to be ripped off.

Well... maybe "karma" is getting back at them:

Originally Posted by M. Krass

I'm sure that everything y'all have ever translated to Mandarin or Cantonese was grammatically perfect.

If I were a multi-billion dollar company attempting to sell my products in Asia, it would be grammatically perfect.

[KenWittlief]

Originally Posted by Chriszuma

...However, upon discovery that they were going to completely rip ME off by hideously overcharging me, I thought I would simply turn the tables on them. Honestly, if they're going to charge $40 for that piece of junk, how can they expect me to not get back at them? ....

Ive checked the news websites and I see no reports of natural disasters in your area - so we can rule out profiteering.

The price is whatever they say it is. If you dont want it, go buy it somewhere else.

You are rationalizing your actions. You have decided what you think is a fair price, and what good quality merchandise is, and concluded if someone else does not live up to your view of how things should be, then you are free to do whatever you want.

You can go to any mall in America on a Sunday afternoon and buy BNC connectors and banana jacks and solder wick and LEDs and coax wire - where? only at Radio Shack.

The store is what is it is. I happen to like Radio Shack, and I greatly appreciate the fact that they ARE a major sponsor of FIRST!

A persons true character is revealed by the way they react when things go wrong . People who blow up when they have a bad day usually end up dying from an aneurysm over some trivial event.

Breath in. Breath out. We still love you - its ok! :^)

[Sara Milton]

Originally Posted by Dillon Compton

I agree entirely with Dave and Ken.

Also, I bought a $40 USB to Serial adapter at Radioshack, spent 10 minutes installing the drivers, and havent had a problem since then.

We purchased the same cable from RadioShack and have had no problems with it either.

[artdutra04]

Originally Posted by Dillon Compton

Also, I bought a $40 USB to Serial adapter at Radioshack, spent 10 minutes installing the drivers, and havent had a problem since then.

If any of you have one of the Vex Programming Modules, the orange USB-to-serial cable that comes with that kit is exactly the same as the generic RadioShack USB-to-serial cable. The only difference is the Vex one is molded in orange plastic. I've used the Vex USB-to-serial cable with the driver that came with the Vex programming kit; so far it has worked flawlessly downloading code from MPLAB to our FRC robot.

I agree with Ken. I still like RadioShack, even though they have decided to stop selling the Vex kits. I may be disappointed at their decision, but I will not go out and start flaming their company because they stop selling a product line, or because I think they charge too much for an adapter cable. After all, they are a major sponsor for FIRST, and major sponsors are not easy to come by.

You are right, this is capitalism at work. If you think $40 dollars is too much for a USB cable, then go somewhere else. That is way more powerful an action than flaming their company. If they notice that they are not selling many of the cables becuase X store down the street is selling them cheaper, than capitalism will tell the company to lower their prices to stay competitive or drop the product.

[DonRotolo]

Originally Posted by sanddrag

Actually, I can't think of anything that Radio Shack is the place to buy it. Maybe magnet wire.

Batteries. They sell really good alkaline cells at reasonable prices.

Don

[Chriszuma]

Originally Posted by KenWittlief

The price is whatever they say it is. If you dont want it, go buy it somewhere else.

You are rationalizing your actions. You have decided what you think is a fair price, and what good quality merchandise is, and concluded if someone else does not live up to your view of how things should be, then you are free to do whatever you want.

For the eleventh time, I didn't have the option to buy it somewhere else. We had to download the code so we could get practice time in and they're the only place within 20 minutes that could be expected to sell such an item.

And to a degree you're right; I am rationalizing my actions, but I think it is a very good rationalization. Maybe my "view of how things should be" consists of not being completely ripped off for such a trivial item, is that really so much to ask?