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Graham Slee View Drop Down
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    Posted: 28 Feb 2018 at 9:52am
The big question this morning is how much longer will we be able to nip into Maplin's when we need a keyboard or a couple of connectors in a hurry?

Reportedly they are on the brink of calling in the receivers, and that more often than not means the end.

They've been trying to find another company to offload onto but with no luck.

Maplin set up in 1972 as a mail order electronics components supplier from a bedroom in Rayleigh, Essex.

It rapidly rose to become the first choice in sourcing electronic components for electronics hobbyists, and professional users found them to be a good source too.

I remember them setting up in competition with RS and Farnell under the MPS (Maplin Professional Supplies) brand.

But then things changed and I remember many in professional electronics renaming them "the toy shop", me included. It's as if they wanted to be another Woolworths.

Well, now they are "Woolworths".

For some reason the companies management changed and in 1989 they moved to South Yorkshire. I was told one of the managers lived on the same estate as me at the time, which I thought odd as it wasn't a wealthy sort of place.

I used to call in regularly at their trade counter in Wombwell and one day, must have been over 10 years ago, I misheard the trade counter manager shouting at me "we're shut mate!" I was about to turn round and go away when he shouted me back, and explained he'd shouted "we're sh*t mate!" He and his trade counter staff had just received a rocket from "upstairs" and been told that very word. I told him that I thought they were doing really well considering the place was full of toys and it was sending out all the wrong messages to customers like me.

Then they decided to move a couple of miles east to Manvers which must have cost a fortune, and I remember thinking it wouldn't be long before they ran into trouble.

They've been looking for a buyer for some time it now seems.

Should have stuck to their core business instead of blowing a big bubble!

That none should be able to buy or sell without a smartphone and the knowledge in how to use apps
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Ash View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ash Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Feb 2018 at 10:23am
I stopped buying things in there years ago, mainly because small things like cables, plugs and electronic components were so expensive... Back about 10 years ago, I used Rapid Electronics (online) as a cheaper source of electronic components. With Maplin, soon came the time of drones and RC cars filling the shelves.
We do not see things as they are. We see things as we are.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Richardl60 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Feb 2018 at 11:43am
The movement to buy more cheaply on line is the main reason the high street is closing which means either paying a premium locally or going on line and accepting this is likely to contribute to making the business unviable in the longer term unless the business can offer something else.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Fatmangolf Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Feb 2018 at 7:50pm
Richard's right about something else. I have wondered if Maplin had replaced Tandy as an electronics/hobby store but now fallen foul of the online offer of lowest price tomorrow. I used to cycle to Rapid Electronics in the 1980's, now I walk to Maplins for same day parts (cheaper online), what's next?

Jon

Open mind and ears whilst owning GSP Genera, Accession M, Accession MC, Elevator EXP, Solo ULDE, Proprius amps, Cusat50 cables, Lautus digital cable, Spatia cables and links, and a Majestic DAC.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Drewan77 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Feb 2018 at 10:44pm
I'm one of the guilty parties - used to buy from Maplins but after components I wanted were backorder only in the local store on several occasions, everything since has come from online, including the switch box a couple of weeks ago. 

Only one of my friends still uses a milkman, only one neighbour has a 'paperboy' (delivers ~6.30am by car!) & my 88y old father often orders his groceries online. My direct Graham Slee purchases have been ordered the same way - it's called 'progress'.
Older than I once was, younger than I'll be
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Graham Slee View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Graham Slee Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Feb 2018 at 11:16pm
I think they could have embraced the maker culture.


That none should be able to buy or sell without a smartphone and the knowledge in how to use apps
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Richardl60 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Mar 2018 at 6:55am
Sure most of us are guilty here I saved £3.5k on my car purchase last year going through a broker rather than the local dealer; I won’t have any room for complaint when dealers start closing I suppose.
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