Maplin stores

[mark2collection]

Was in the area of Maplin, Reading, last weekend.

Nipped in, was quite busy, lots of computer 'stuff' on the shelves, lots of radio controlled toys & a whole stash of E.S LED colour changing lights for the home, connects via wifi & an app ... all vastly overpriced, even after discount ...

Pack of yellow cable ties for example, £6.99 ...

I came away empty handed, my last visit I feel.

A shame, I know I'm not alone in being the only one with daft (& some seriously clever) project ideas & a need for parts ... Sadly Maplin hasn't been the 'go-to' supplier for a number of years for me, since they only supplied some of the bits I needed, which was just hopeless.

Mark

[GrimJosef]

I went down to the Newbury store yesterday in search of some F10A 5mm x 20mm fuses in a hurry. All the fuses were 70% off, dropping them to 75p for 10 or so. So I picked up a few other packs while I was there. The shelves were thinly stocked but the stuff which was just discounted by 20% was mostly still there.

Cheers,

GJ

[Radio Wrangler]

We must be getting very close to the point where there are no Maplin stores left to discuss. Those buildings will be eating their heads off in rent, and all the people needed to monitor everyone for shoplifting wouldn't be turning up without their pay. The income drom what they are still selling must be dwindling and administrators are very hard nosed about net recovery of value.

It must be buy now or never time.

David

[newlite4]

I went to the Bath store today for some fibre glass refills. I had to get past the usual "gate keeper" upon entry to say what I wanted. After that, I was met with around four staff standing around and no refills. Everything in store is still too expensive even after discounts, it's not going to shift any time soon. I certainly would not be tempted to buy anything of a complex/expensive nature due to the no refunds/warranty policy. I really can't see that store clearing for a while yet.
Neil

[AC/HL]

The staff will have notice periods to work, and the rents possibly paid in advance, or some other arrangement, so it won't be quite as simple as it seems to outsiders. I'd expect remaining stock to be moved as stores close, until the point where it costs less to dump it on the surplus trade than struggle on. The administrators will have the experience to minimise losses somehow.

[HamishBoxer]

I called into Maplin yesterday and sadly anything that had been reduced was only down to the price you would pay any where else for it.

I feel sorry for the staff who are at this point to loose there jobs.

[JohnBHanson]

Worthing Maplin's store is advertising for sales staff

[Sinewave]

I've picked up a few bargains in Maplin since, but just things like switches and copper boards. Everything else, as has been noted, is still very expensive.

But it still is a shame seeing them go. For prototyping, their prices on the copper boards were ok.

[Jolly 7]

Maplin are still accepting online orders for items they still have in stock, so if your local store doesn't have them, it might be worthwhile trying this route before they close down completely. Orders over £10 are delivered free of charge to your home address.

[Sinewave]

I've used the click and collect rather than deliver to home and get more "what have you been ordering now"!

The only thing I've found is they don't tell me when it's in store, I have to enquire. There's not really much else I want at the moment, well not at their prices anyway. I'd have a Peak ESR if it were cheaper.

[AC/HL]

When I bought mine, Maplin was the cheapest I could find!

[AL-M0KFO]

I've always used Maplin for the odd last minute component and it never bothered with me with the high prices, as it was only the odd item at the weekend. I shall be sad to see them go, much like Tandy, for all their faults, I always enjoyed looking around the store.

Over the weekend I visited my local Stratford branch and because I had to go to Banbury, I popped in there as well. Both stores looked in good shape, well stocked, well displayed, no sign of about to shut at any minute. Just the usual 20% off everything display signs. If I had not known what was happening, I would have assumed they were just having a Spring clearance sale.

I only bought low value items, reserved online/paid for with Paypal, so I would have distance trading coverage.

Got one of the ferrite rods with the LW/MW coils, the LW coil alone is worth more than the £1 the whole thing cost and it can keep the other spare I have, company.

Some packs of resistors, ceramic capacitors and electrolytics. The prices are not much different to Aliexpress now and the specs are a lot closer than their stuff, even though it all comes from China.

A lucky bag of diodes (100) for £1.50 and the same of transistors (20) for £1.50 plus a few other assorted trans, ICs and VR resistors etc. I have some stuff coming from Aliexpress and Banggood, but I hate the wait. Bowood is good on prices, but if you only want a fiver's worth, the £3 delivery is off putting. Still, the spares box is looking a little healthier now.

Given the state of the two branches I saw today, it would leave me to believe that the administrators are still looking to off load the brand and some of the better stores. Before the current vulture capitalists took over, Maplin was making a profit, it was the £90m loan at 15% interest that they loaded it with that killed it off.

Click & collect no longer seems to be available on the website, which means you can no longer check store stock online. I think this might be because, they are getting low on stock (components)/not replacing and that the system was showing stock that didn't exist and taking orders/money for it.

[David Church]

Maplin’s in Romford are selling the sealed lead acid batteries at half price – the 12V 12Ah down from £40 to £20 and the 6V 10Ah down from £25 to £12.50.

If anyone wants one and would like me to bring it to the NVCF let me know – that’s if they still have some.

['LIVEWIRE?']

According to their website, the Maplin Store in Banbury is closing down soon. AFAIK, the Stratford upon Avon one is still trading, as are those in Oxford & Swindon, but how much longer for? The Northampton shop has already closed.

[AL-M0KFO]

Originally Posted by 'LIVEWIRE?'

According to their website, the Maplin Store in Banbury is closing down soon.

Link?

Originally Posted by 'LIVEWIRE?'

AFAIK, the Stratford upon Avon one is still trading

Certainly was this weekend, as was the Banbury one on Tuesday. Neither showed signs of shutting down nor depleted showroom stock.

[electronicskip]

Gloucester and Cheltenham ones are still open to my knowledge.

[tealandsilver]

Does anyone know if the Bedford or Cambridge stores are still open? I will be visiting the area next week and fancy popping in.

[Station X]

Originally Posted by 'LIVEWIRE?'

According to their website, the Maplin Store in Banbury is closing down soon. The Northampton shop has already closed.

Is this fact or hearsay?

I can find nothing on the Maplin website stating specifically that the Banbury store is closing down soon.

https://www.maplin.co.uk/store/banbury

https://www.maplin.co.uk/store/northampton

[emeritus]

Just had a look in their on-line catalogue for a Micro SD disk for my camera. If you click on the "Add to basket" button, you are taken to a page that asks for a location and tells you the closest stores that have stock, along with how many they have. While one of the products I am after is in stock at several local stores, even with their reduced prices, the identical product (a Sandisk 32GB card) costs slightly less from Argos, and costs only half that from Amazon.

[Whaam68]

Was in Blackpool at the weekend.....good prices as others have noted on pcb prototyping supplies (which I don’t need) but still tons of stock at only 20% off. I bought a few led’s and that was it.
Mike