[Waverley ARS] i think dick smith is starting to wind down on kits

[evdw at iprimus.com.au]

Hi Daniel,

Bruce is correct about the shift in focus of DSE over the last few years.


These days, the only real alternative is Jaycar who will, hopefully, not
go the same way in the future although I don't believe that they will. They
have a big, well established, wholesale section (Electus) behind them and
they also supply to the industry in general (we get quite a bit from them
at work) so they are likely to be around for quite a while,I think. 

I an currently in Singapore having just arrived back from being at sea for
most of this week and out of touch. I will try and remember to drop your
box of Cat-5 around to you at the weekend. 

73....Eric.


>-- Original Message --
>From: "Bruce" <brg01 at tpg.com.au>
>To: <daniel.walters00 at gmail.com>,
>        "'W.A.R.S. Members List'" <members at vk2bv.org>
>Date: Wed, 11 Jul 2007 10:24:47 +1000
>Subject: Re: [Waverley ARS] i think dick smith is starting to wind down
on
>	kits
>
>
>Hi Daniel!
>
> 
>
>Yep, 'Smithworths'has certainly changed!
>
>They have been slowly moving out of electronics and into the mass-market
>consumer products over the last few years.
>
> 
>
>Dick Smith started in 1968. 
>
>He sold the company to Woolworths in 1982.
>
>Dick Smith/Woolworths bought Tandy in 2001.
>
>'Powerhouse' super-stores opened in the late '90s
>
>Since 2002-2003 the Powerhouse target has been to a broader consumer market
>and less to amateurs/electronics hobbyists. 
>
>'Dick Smith' dropped their Yaesu dealership after 27 yrs in early 2000's.
>
> 
>
>Kits were packed up and transferred to the smaller stores, which still
>devote a corner to enthusiast electronics.
>
>Although Powerhouse stores still stock small components, tools, leads and
>connectors, their main emphasis is the mass markets of Harvey Norman, JB
>Hi
>Fi and Retravision rather than the niche markets of Jaycar, Altronics or
>Radio Parts.
>
>The smaller stores seem to have followed the Powerhouse formula too.
>
> 
>
>It must be said that the shift in focus of the whole company away from
>practical electronics is a consequence of two factors. The first is the
>declining enthusiast market: with the advent of cheap pre-assembled
>electronics from Asia, and the trend of many technically-inclined people
>turning to software and gaming rather than hardware construction,
>kitbuilding has diminished since its heyday in the 1970s and 80s - when
(at
>one point) it supported no less than four commercial magazines. Second,
>there are the aspirations of its owner, for whom gross turnover and profit
>are king. No matter how "good" the company is in terms of supporting
>enthusiasts, high turnovers cannot be sustained from a niche market. Hence
>the push to appeal to 20 million Australians as opposed to 200,000
>electronics enthusiasts, or less than 20,000 radio amateurs. Though some
>have regretted these changes, they seem to have had the desired effect,
with
>Dick Smith and Powerhouse major contributors to the health of the Woolworths
>group.
>
> 
>
>(edited from wikipedia & other places)
>
> 
>
>Bruce
>
>vk2jai
>
> 
>
>  _____  
>
>From: members-bounces at us.cactii.net [mailto:members-bounces at us.cactii.net]
>On Behalf Of Daniel Walters
>Sent: Wednesday, July 11, 2007 2:00 AM
>To: W.A.R.S. Members List
>Subject: [Waverley ARS] i think dick smith is starting to wind down on kits
>
> 
>
>Hi all,
>
>
>looking at the dick smith website it looks like that dick smith are trying
>to clear all there kits it also looks like they are starting to move out
>of
>electronics. i have herd that from rumours is that true? 
>
>-- 
>73
>
>Daniel Walters
>VK2FDGW
>
>Web: www.qrz.com/vk2fdgw
>Ftp : ftp://vk2fdgw.myftp.org
>
>mobile: 0423173300 
>
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