RadioShack Returns as a Product Brand, Wayfair Launches Black Friday in July

Quick Facts

RadioShack named Kevin Hamann as managing director of RadioShack USA, marking the brand’s formal push back into the American market as a product line, not a retailer.
Wayfair’s “Black Friday in July” ran July 24-28 with up to 80% off, timed to follow Amazon Prime Day rather than compete with it.
QVC launched its 38th annual “Christmas in July” event, running through July 31, as parent company Qurate Retail continues navigating financial pressure.

RadioShack is back, but not in the way most people remember it. Unicomer, the El Salvador-based retailer that acquired RadioShack’s U.S. brand and intellectual property in 2023, is building the name as a product line rather than a store chain.

The company now offers more than 500 RadioShack-branded products across 17 categories, available on a rebuilt radioshack.com and through retailers including Amazon and Walmart. Unicomer showcased 380 products at CES in Las Vegas and says it plans to expand its U.S. portfolio to more than 1,000 SKUs by end of 2025. The brand reports selling more than two million units annually across multiple markets.

Products span gaming, audio, tech accessories, power and batteries, cables, and home and office solutions. Five independent RadioShack stores remain open in Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee, though they are not affiliated with Unicomer’s operation.

Rudy Siman, president of RadioShack International, said the acquisition fit Unicomer’s goal of bringing accessible technology to diverse markets. “The brand’s rich heritage, customer loyalty, and market potential aligned perfectly with Unicomer’s vision,” Siman said.

Not everyone is optimistic. Analyst Neil Saunders said a major U.S. comeback will be extremely challenging. “The electronics market has thin margins, loads of competition, and because the products are very similar from retailer to retailer it can be hard to differentiate,” Saunders told Retail Dive. RadioShack’s retail assets were liquidated twice before Unicomer stepped in. One of its last U.S. physical locations, in Maryland, closed permanently in late April 2025 after its owner died.

On the home goods side, Wayfair ran its “Black Friday in July” event from July 24 through July 28. The five-day sale offered up to 80% off area rugs, up to 60% off bedroom furniture and mattresses, and up to 60% off outdoor furniture. Featured brands included Blackstone, Cuisinart, Sealy, and SharkNinja.

Early access opened July 23 through the Wayfair app. The company also hosted in-store events at locations in Chicago, Atlanta, and Columbus, Ohio, plus deals at AllModern, Birch Lane, and Joss and Main banner stores.

The timing was deliberate. Wayfair scheduled the event after Amazon’s four-day Prime Day rather than during it, a move to capture consumer spending momentum without a direct head-to-head battle. Walmart and Target ran their own competing sales events during Prime Day week.

Jon Blotner, president of commercial and operations at Wayfair, framed the event as a bridge between summer and fall. “This event delivers value and variety to help consumers refresh their homes and businesses just in time for back-to-school and the fall season,” Blotner said. Wayfair reported $11.9 billion in net revenue for the 12 months ended March 31, 2025.

QVC also entered the mid-year promotional season with its 38th annual “Christmas in July” event, running from July 9 through July 31. The month-long shopping event features specially priced items across multiple categories and represents one of the network’s longest-running promotional franchises.

Together, the three moves reflect a broader mid-summer retail push that has grown more competitive as Amazon Prime Day has expanded. Brands and retailers are staking out windows before, during, and after Prime Day to capture consumer attention across home goods, electronics, and seasonal categories.