Dick smith Electronics sold to private buyer - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: vk3yedotcom
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 27, 2012, 09:25:46 am
content: THAT'S WHERE WE WENT: Woolies has succeededing in offloading Dick Smith Electronics to a private equity buyer for $20m.More at:http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-09-27/dick-smith-sold-to-private-equity/4283098http://www.thebull.com.au/articles/a/31762-woolworths-sells-dick-smith-electronics.htmlIn real if not absolute terms the $20m must be significantly less than what Dick sold his much smaller (but proportionally more profitable) chain in 1982. Meaning that while Woolies extracted good profits for many years it did not increase the businesses' value.

author: Rerouter
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 27, 2012, 09:47:39 am
content: though in all fairness it not only dropped the hobbiest market by removing the component racks, but a whole bunch of general customers by winding down on the hifi adapters and cables, those where pretty much the only 2 reasons i went to a dicksmith in my youth, (e.g. 10 years back) and while there i generally bought something else hoping they would keep it up :/to shame goes the idea of maintaining a good business by spending a few extra bob for a place you like,

author: nukie
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 27, 2012, 01:49:13 pm
content: DS doesn't sell anything related to this forum anymore! They sell lots of toys! Man toys. Expensive!

author: GEuser
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 27, 2012, 02:36:52 pm
content: For memory it went for around 35mil? originally .And i might add , he made that 35mil importing all overseas stuff! , Buy Australian LOL.......

author: vk3yedotcom
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 14, 2013, 12:37:58 pm
content: Again up for sale - via ASX IPOhttp://www.smh.com.au/business/woolies-faces-grilling-over-dick-smith-20131114-2xjkq.html

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 14, 2013, 01:50:59 pm
content: In the UK we have a shop called MAPLIN that was like the old DSE, but has now become like the one you describe...toys toys and more toys + a few bits of electronics and computer stuff. Not like it used to be, but I suppose they are formed by what the high street customer is demanding from them ?I used to shop at DSE in Darwin (1989-92) and they were still pretty good then IIRC. I probably still have some of their catalogues from that time. I definitely have some of their Electronics Australia related elecronics kits in the loft. I bought the Pocket Sampler, RF pre-selector, Spectrum Analyser adapter and the Bob Parker ESD meter from DSE. Some, I imported via their international orders scheme.We also used to have TANDY (Radio Shack) in the UK but that failed as well.On line suppliers are now my main source of parts. Less convenient than popping down teh shop for a few much needed bits and the accompanying browse around the goodies on the shelves !I hope DSE survives and improves, for the sake of EE's and Electronics Hobbyists in Australia.What's Jaycar like these days ?

author: GEuser
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 14, 2013, 09:07:01 pm
content: Jaycar replaced tricky dikkys in my local area (rural) , they still supply lectric bits and bobs for the hobbyist even more so than DS did but I have noticed the quality of some of those bits and bobs are a bit suspect , I assume they are sourced from overseas and cost little for them ..They are handy though imo .

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 14, 2013, 09:58:25 pm
content: Is there a puke emoticon?http://www.insideretail.com.au/2013/10/04/dick-smiths-new-brand/

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 14, 2013, 10:29:18 pm
content: fashion electronics?oh no , next we'll have pink handled soldering irons , yellow and purple slip-covers for oscilloscopes and fluo green frequency generator jackets.for next seasons resistors we opted for pastel colors in the color rings...

author: Wytnucls
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 14, 2013, 10:36:00 pm
content: Pfff....pastel color is so yesterday...we want glow-in-the-dark color rings!

author: lowimpedance
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 14, 2013, 10:36:58 pm
content: Quote from: EEVblog on November 14, 2013, 09:58:25 pmAs you say Dave "you have got to be SH*TT*NG me" Its reeeaaal sad and getting sadder!!!.@Free , you missed the new style multimeter with iPod dock.

author: Len
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 14, 2013, 10:42:19 pm
content: Quote from: free_electron on November 14, 2013, 10:29:18 pmYou've never been in a Michael's, have you?http://www.michaels.com/Bead-Landing%E2%84%A2-Jewelry-Tool-Set/bd1028,default,pd.html?cgid=products

author: lowimpedance
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 14, 2013, 11:01:57 pm
content: Quote from: wilfred on November 14, 2013, 10:46:22 pmI recall Jaycar flogging those, so possibly DSE may have as well !.

author: TerraHertz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 14, 2013, 11:02:11 pm
content: "Dick Smith will be run by Nick Abboud, who recently resigned from his senior executive position at Myer after 19 years with the department store."Sigh. Anyone been in a Myer store recently? They should have tombstones at the entrance.Oh well, Dick Smith stores have been useless for years, nothing's going to change there.

author: madires
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 14, 2013, 11:11:04 pm
content: All those stores got the same problem, they can't make enough revenue by selling electronic parts because there are not enough electronics enthusiasts to sustain a financially sound business. Most revenue goes to mail order / online stores. So the local stores need to find products attracting more local people or have to specialize in something while also offering an online store. Being the only electronics store in a large city helps too but running a chain of stores across a country doesn't make sense anymore.

author: GK
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 14, 2013, 11:13:40 pm
content: Quote from: Aurora on November 14, 2013, 01:50:59 pmMore and more a consumer electronics junk toy store. Their tools and test equipment are mostly rubbish and over priced. OK when you need a garden variety IC or semiconductor on the weekend, but otherwise overpriced and useless for inventory stocking.Got the latest Soanar catalog now. They've completely discontinued their entire range of electronics components (semis, caps, pots, etc) obviously to finally eliminate the conflict of interest with their Jaycar retail outlets. The ironic thing is that the catalog marks the year that Soanar was brought (borged) in to the "Jaycar group of companies" as some kind of positive milestone in the companies history. Marketing spiel. They're also trying to position themselves as a supplier for professional/business markets, but the stuff they sell is the exact same junk the hobbyist can seek out at Jaycar. No Agilent or Fluke here. It's all Digitech, Powertech, Duratech, Servisol or no name "made in China" junk. The only thing they are good for now is some select connectors and switches.

author: backflipper
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 14, 2013, 11:20:06 pm
content: Quote from: EEVblog on November 14, 2013, 09:58:25 pmYou may feel the need to puke but people have predicted that technology would become fashion.But i do prefer my electronics shop owners to have thick black glasses and fly choppers to the south pole

author: JackOfVA
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 15, 2013, 01:09:31 pm
content: Quote from: Len on November 14, 2013, 10:42:19 pmIf your aesthetic sense is not offended by the tool color, the next time you are in a Michael's wander over to the beadwork section and look at plastic storage boxes. They have a 17 compartment plastic box that sells at around US$ 2.00 that is perfect for small hardware and non-static sensitive parts. I must have 60 or more of them on my parts storage shelf. You can also find a series of small boxes with real hinges - color coded by number of partitions. Quite useful also. Red (?) and green are good for things like BNC attenuators, yellow for surface mount passives, etc.

author: grumpydoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 15, 2013, 01:29:51 pm
content: QuoteTo be fair Maplin still sells components - occasionally at ludicrous prices eg 36p for a single 1/3W resistor - but sometimes they can be useful. They had stock of 2M linear pots (which I needed to fix the focus on a 2225) when I couldn't find anything suitable at Farnell or Mouser and when I needed to re-cap the power supply in the same 'scope they were cheaper than Farnell for 1000uF 35V electrolytics (49p ea vs 56 or so).Admittedly the ones I got from Maplin were cheap chinese crap I could have got off ebay for 1/4th of the price and the ones which turned up two days later from CPC were Panasonics but I couldn't get them then and there (on a Sunday) anywhere else.They are also solvent which is no mean feat in todays economy.

author: vk3yedotcom
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 15, 2013, 07:31:13 pm
content: Quote from: backflipper on November 14, 2013, 11:20:06 pmCompletely agree. Consumer electronics has had the 'black box' mentality where we have sometimes hard to use & slow to boot up devices forming a lump in your jeans pocket. It was thus obtrusive and sometimes required one to divert one's mind from what one was otherwise doing to use. Plus salt water, beach sand and electronics don't mix, limiting its use amongst those with active lives.Wearable electronics, possibly made from lighter flexible materials may be easier to use, more rugged and less obtrusive. Instead of bringing people to electronics (on the latter's terms) it's bringing electronics to life and making the consumer electronic experience more natural and less obtrusive. This will broaden applications for electronics.It could be embedded in everyday products, especially if those products contain enough movement to generate power for said device (which would need to be micro current).I can't see myself with that stuff but we probably need to aware of it. Like the American fundamentalist survivalist stockpiling cans of food for Armageddon, we might need to do the same for components if we are to keep building component level designs.