What is with DSE lately?

Some stores that previously stocked components are no longer doing so.

But since their component stock control has collapsed and died, the problem at your particular store may just be that they think they still have stock.

Sylvia.

I think they are *deliberately* getting out of the component business now. Your comment was true for many years though.

MrT.

Isn't DSE no longer owned by Dick Smith?

:>> But since their component stock control has collapsed and died, the :>> problem at your particular store may just be that they think they still :>> have stock. :> :> I think they are *deliberately* getting out of the component business now. :> Your comment was true for many years though. :> :> MrT. :> :> : :Isn't DSE no longer owned by Dick Smith?

Not since he sold it to Woolworths in 1982...

::>> But since their component stock control has collapsed and died, the ::>> problem at your particular store may just be that they think they still ::>> have stock. ::> ::> I think they are *deliberately* getting out of the component business now. ::> Your comment was true for many years though. ::> ::> MrT. ::> ::> :: ::Isn't DSE no longer owned by Dick Smith? : : :Not since he sold it to Woolworths in 1982...

It seems that he sold 60% to Woolies in 1980 and the remaining 40% in 1982.

Dick hasn't owned it for a couple of decades!

MrT.

I think this newsgroup will be blaming all their problems on Dick Smith well beyond the term of his natural life.

I thought he still had a controlling interest.

Not at all, most people know DSE hasn't been serious in the hobby/component business for at least the last 10 years (that's being generous!) No new news here at all, it's well overdue. I'm surprised they persisted for so long actually.

Dave.

Nope, none at all, very common knowledge that he sold the lot in 1982. Woolies bought the right to continue to use the name and DickHead face etc.

Dave.

It's not "lately", it's been progressively for years.

geoff

No. At most he probably gets some money each year for the use of his name. And likeness.

geoff

Except that now they don't use his face anymore, and with the change from "Dick Smith Electronics" to "DSE", they technically might not even be using his name. ?

The recent change seems to have been from "Disk Smith Electronics" to just "Dick Smith" so they are still using his name (unless you are going to say he was "Mr Electronics"). Andy Wood snipped-for-privacy@trap.ozemail.com.au

Oh dear.

I just shop there.

Although Dick 'sold out' to Woolworths many years ago, so that he could go into the aircraft and Australian biscuit business, he still made time to visit all the stores with his face on them. For the staff, Dick was a constant presence. His smiling bespectacled visage was a constant reminder of the principles of quality, service, and product knowledge [not to mention obscene mark-up] on which the chain was originally founded. When Dick arrived, staff would be relentlessly quizzed on whether you could use 10% tolerance resistors with Zener diodes, or how long it the LED discharge cycle was with a 10K or 5K ohm resistor in series. My, how they laughed at his antics.

But the new breed of beancounters at Woolworths, Australia's most aggressive and cost-conscious retailer, were not so amused. When all efforts to prevent Dick from randomly turning up at stores around the country failed, the clever marketing people at Woolworths noticed that he only appeared at the ones with his face out front. A new plot was hatched: re-branding. No longer 'Dick Smith', now it's 'DSE'. It was good enough for Kentucky Fried Chicken [sorry, I mean KFC]. And the smiling bespectacled face was out of step with modern merchandising theory. Geeks don't spend enough money; let's move those boxes, boys. And it has worked. Dick is no longer seen prowling the shelves checking for 100 microfarad capacitors, and his ghost is no longer seen munching on his tuckerbag. He's gone a-waltzing matilda.

Atom Egoyan Melbourne Australia [i.e. not the Canadian filmmaker]

o.

ill

now.

Most of here do (or more likely /did/). For me, I think DSE went past the point of no return sometime around=20

The only advantage DSE have had over Jaycar/Altronics for the last decade or two is that they have more stores.

Dave.