Maplin's Struggling

[Doc Hudson]

Well it looks as though Maplin's could be another name on the way out? Whilst not the most competitively priced supplier, they can be useful for picking up components quickly through their local store outlets. I can remember when they were 90%+ postal distribution with just a handful of counter type outlets. Lets hope they manage to arrange some rescue package. 

https://news.sky.com/story/maplin-in-48-hour-race-to-secure-rescue-deal-with-jaeger-owner-11268634

Doc H

 

[Sharpend]

Heard about this the other week, thought it had been sorted as not heard anything recently. 

Shame as I’ve often found them useful for the otherwise ‘not on the shelf’ items. 

Sadly I think there will be more of this as the internet is destroying by everything. 

 

[Blue Duck]

Kinda saddens me but then they are just selling cheap Chinese lettuced that can be bought from Ali baba dot com  for 10p.

Maybe they would have been okay If they stuck to their original business model rather than trying to be like WHSmith or Homebase with no real target customer base, just sell random stuff in the hope someone comes in to buy it. 

Now wheres my nearest CPC? 

 

[OnOff]

I loved Maplin when they started  (Rayleigh?).  Used to be able to buy ferrite rod, Jackson variable capacitors and Denco coils! 

Now it's all RC toys, drones and tat. Disgusted when they started selling their electrolytics and resistors in "mixed" bags. I use CPC, Cricklewood or sometimes Rapid. J Bull Electrical were great back in the day. Bi-Pak, Greenweld, TK.....

 

[Rob.]

Just like radioshack has ceased to exist in the states 

 

[Blue Duck]

Tandy.... that was where we'd get all our RC carp from when we were kids, no doubt overpriced.

Near Our Price in Crouch End I belive!

We used maplins when we were older for computer bits and our pirate radio aspirations.

Don't get me wrong I liked maplins but not the prices!!!

 

[kerching]

Now wheres my nearest CPC? 

Oohooohoooh

i know

i know

me sir

i know

 

[Doc Hudson]

Even MORE worrying, (and slightly off topic), but I started the thread so I am allowed to:  Eddie Stobart brand could disappear!!!!

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/eddie-stobart-nears-end-of-the-road-9npzlzmq8

Would there be any logical reason to travel on a Motorway if you were not going to see at least Three Stobart trucks? Discuss?

Doc H

 

[Sharpend]

Wow! Now that’s something I never expected. I thought Stobart was a solid brand. Where did it go wrong??

 

[Sharpend]

Now read the article and it seems it’s the the name only that’ll be gone, although trucks under any other name pass you by without so much as a second glance, sad that money is given so much power. 

 

[Doc Hudson]

Yes, from what I read I understand that the Stobart Group has expanded and the truck bit is run as a separate business that pays a licence to have the "Stobart name" on the side of the trucks. They are all financially sound and business is good, but they are currently evaluating if they really need to pay a lot of money just for the name?

Doc H.

 

[steptoe]

from what I understand from a lot of truckers

very few 'stobart' drivers are actually that

they are subbies

stobart has flooded the market, thus they can dictate the price they pay to either owner drivers, or truck supplied drivers

destroying the market similar to what has happened our industry with 5ww

as for maplin, i remember using them when in 'electronics club' at grammar school,

thats when you could buy just bwhat you wanted, not a mixed bag of stuff you didnt need, and paying by postal order was the norm

cricklewood were also another one

I grew up in the sticks in norn iron, shops that anything like that were totally unheard of

 

[ProDave]

Don't Stobart make more money selling kids toy Stobart trucks than actually driving the real ones?

Re Maplin, I always thought they were a second rate component supplier. A bit like Tandy (anyone else remember them?) everything all bubble packed to be presented to "the customer"

Be thankful for the likes of CPC when you want components.

 

[Sidney]

Hopefully I can get some alarm batteries cheap... 

TBH I don't think their prices were that good and they sold a lot of cheap lettuced.

 

[Blue Duck]

Well it's official....

https://www.theregister.co.uk/2018/02/28/maplin_electronics_administration/

Could spell the end of not only the chain store but also the end of the retail park!

Thank courgette! Now we can go back to making stuff that works and stop clogging up the seas with cheap **** Chinese plastic that they won't take back.

Sad for all those poor soles who will end up working for DPD though.

 

[Doc Hudson]

I would tend to agree with a comment from that article;

Components  Many Reg readers, judging by their comments, will not agree. To some of them, Maplin died years ago when it stopped stocking components, its prices became less competitive and staff less informative.

Once they started opening all their quite large floor area stores, then overheads and costs were bound to go up. Which has to go onto the prices they charge. No idea why they ever had standard 230v plugs, sockets light switches etc. on their shelves, or half of those kids toys. As on-line has increased over the past 10+ years they should have gone back to the original model with hardly any outlets at all. But a good product range not tat with a decent next day distribution. Their ownership has changed a few times over the years as well, It will be interesting to see if anyone comes in to have another go?  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maplin_Electronics

Doc H.

 

[Blue Duck]

One common issue with a lot of these failing high street companies is they are linked to private equity firm's who borrowed a lot of £££ to expand their high street portfolios at a time when the high st was in decline and now they are getting shot of them.

Jamie's Italian is a prime example of example of this, though he stands to loose a lot of money it's his employees will get it in the neck.

With the likes of deliveroo and uber eats combined with amazon eBay and Ali baba we never may need to leave the leave the house again!  

 

[OnOff]

I remember going into Maplin with a burnt out 2 / 3 port valve and getting all the bits from the micro switch up on the pcb to repair it. Only a couple of resistors and a diode as well from memory but all the bits were available separately.The lad on the component counter at the back was genuinely interested and helpful.

Some punters interviewed on the radio the other day saying they liked Maplin for the instant availability of stuff as opposed if you have to order online. Then bemoaning the loss of "traditional shops like this" from the High St!

 

[rapparee]

 'electronics club'.... at grammar school, .......norn iron 

Congratulations on being a fellow alumni of the 11+ 

Be thankful for the likes of CPC when you want components.

I am more of a RS Components man.

 

[OnOff]

Congratulations on being a fellow alumni of the 11+ 

Me too. I HATED Grammar but got forced to do the 11+ as my brother before me had passed. I wanted to go to the local comp with my mates!

Electronics club as well. 

Never understood it then let alone now!