Companies you thought would have gone belly-up by now...

[ZPG Zealot]

Originally Posted by ralph124c

Whatever company makes those brick-like fruit cakes (the ones that people give as "gifts" at Christmastime..to people they don't like).
Nobody I know eats these things-I suspect that many get dumped..or "regifted".

The reason for their commerical viability is located within your statement. The brick-like fruit cakes are "gifts" to people that other people do not want to give to. They are nice "up yours" gifts to distant relatives, co-workers, spouses' friends, etc.

[echoreply]

Originally Posted by Inigo Montoya

Little mom-n-pop computer stores that are only open 9 - 5 when most people are at work, and from 12-4 on Saturdays; and who charge like $60-$80/hr to diagnose & repair. I can't even begin to identify who their market is, let alone how it can be big enough to provide sufficient income to keep the lights on. If my 3 year old PC breaks down I make a choice: pay $250 to diagnose and maybe repair my machine so I can have my 3 year old technology back, or spring for $500 and get a new magic box with ALL new parts.

I guess their main competition is Geek Squad, and geeky relatives. I agree, I totally don't understand the desire to spend money to revive older computers (excluding data recovery). But based on threads on this board, and plenty of in person interactions (I'm the geeky relative, friend, employee...) lots of people would rather struggle along with their 5 year old computer than change to something new. I guess the inverse of that are my encounters with people who throw away perfectly good hardware because of software problems, or because the still under warranty hardware has a problem.

That being said, I can see the place for a competent, well run computer repair company. They probably also do custom builds, and stuff like that.

As others have said, the number of places that sell mobile phones boggles me. Walking through a regular mall or strip mall brings up independent stores, carrier stores, electronic stores, department stores, wholesale warehouses, etc. who all sell mobile phones. Can the industry really support that many sales outlets?

[Drunky Smurf]

Originally Posted by Vicullum

Kirby Vacuums: So they only sell vacuums. At over $1,000 bucks a pop. And I only ever here negative reviews about their product. Yet somehow this is a viable business model, even during a recession?

I would never buy one myself but I did inherit my grandmas' Kirby about a year ago. She bought it in '76 and it still works. Like someone else mentioned they are mostly metal inside so things don't break or wear out. She said the only thing she's ever had to replace was a rubber belt because it got old. I don't know how current Kirbys hold up but those old ones were definitely worth the money.

Originally Posted by Agent Foxtrot

Sew & Vac stores. In our increasingly disposable economy, most people just go to WalMart if their Singer or Hoover breaks down.

The only Sew & Vac I know is busy as hell. My mom took her sewing machine there and she had to wait several weeks before the guy, who is the son of the original owner, even looked at it because they were backed up. He said since there is no other Sew & Vac around in a reasonable distance he's the only game in town so that's where everyone goes.

Originally Posted by sparky!

I've wondered about the small computer shops, too. I can only assume that they're big with small businesses that would rather pay for the (relatively) fast fix to get back up and running, versus ordering a new machine and moving all the data over.

I mean, you look at all the independent small stores, they all have computers that will need servicing at some point.

This.

I have a friend who owns a small business and he has all of five employees. He don't know no nothing and don't wanna know no nothing about those damned devil boxes just as long as they work. The mom and pop computer store even set up his network and printers and stuff so my friend goes to them for everything. He's been going to them for years. I go to them too for small purchases and computer upgrades. Their prices are almost always cheaper than Best Buy.

Although since the economy tanked they turned about 1/3 of their store into an internet cafe for extra income. He said that it's mostly teens playing World of Warcraft so they got a couple of vending machines put in selling energy drinks and snacks. I asked him if it was making profit and he said, "Surprisingly yes." And that from listening to them as they play it seems to be kids whose parents bitch at them for playing too much on the computer at home so they tell them they are going to the mall to hang out and then go there to play more WoW.

[Drunky Smurf]

Originally Posted by echoreply

As others have said, the number of places that sell mobile phones boggles me. Walking through a regular mall or strip mall brings up independent stores, carrier stores, electronic stores, department stores, wholesale warehouses, etc. who all sell mobile phones. Can the industry really support that many sales outlets?

This may shed some light on it. There's a nice graph too.

"In the second quarter of 2011 (January to March 2011) 18.65 million iPhones were sold worldwide."

http://www.statista.com/statistics/1...-quarter-2007/

And that's just iPhones.

[Knorf]

Originally Posted by Inigo Montoya

I can't believe nobody has mentioned Radio Shack yet!

I know, really. It's shocking no one said anything. Weird.

Must be a whoosh.

[Dewey Finn]

Originally Posted by echoreply

As others have said, the number of places that sell mobile phones boggles me. Walking through a regular mall or strip mall brings up independent stores, carrier stores, electronic stores, department stores, wholesale warehouses, etc. who all sell mobile phones. Can the industry really support that many sales outlets?

I read somewhere (possibly on the SDMB) that what sustains all of those mobile phone stores is people (teenagers, mostly) who come in to add money to the accounts for their pay-as-you-go phones.