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Old 20th Mar 2018, 11:20 am   #341
Jonster
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Default Re: Maplin stores

I went to the Eastbourne one yesterday, a lot of empty shelves, nothing really I wanted but did by a small breadboard for £2 (half price) which will probably come in handy.
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Old 22nd Mar 2018, 10:47 pm   #342
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Default Re: Maplin stores

Maplin have now increased the discounts, according to an email I have just received.
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Old 23rd Mar 2018, 5:54 am   #343
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Default Re: Maplin stores

A couple of the local radio amateurs said they visited the Falkirk one earlier in the week, but found nothing worth buying, prices were still above market levels. Probably Maplin's epitaph.

The administrators will be trying to get every penny they can from the run down, but if they don't shift the stock, the skip pays nothing and costs money, and the delay costs in wages, heat and light even if the end of a rent period isn't looming.

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Old 23rd Mar 2018, 11:15 am   #344
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Default Re: Maplin stores

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Originally Posted by G8HQP Dave View Post
Maplin have now increased the discounts, according to an email I have just received.
I guess I'll be visiting the grim mausoleum that is my local Maplins one final time then
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Old 23rd Mar 2018, 11:57 am   #345
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Maplin have now increased the discounts, according to an email I have just received.
Thanks about time-I bought stuff in there the other day and thought I had been robbed
LOL
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Old 23rd Mar 2018, 2:16 pm   #346
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I bought a box of 150No tension springs for £2.00 and a DP six-way rotary for £1.14 the other day - but they said "are you aware that you cannot return these items if they are found to be faulty" !! (Is that legal under various retail acts? I may want my £3.14 back !!!!!)
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Old 23rd Mar 2018, 2:48 pm   #347
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I went in and bought a mag-mount antenna, simply because I couldn't get one elsewhere, I think Maplins trouble has always been sky high prices, I use CPC Farnell, they are not too far from me and a lot cheaper. I remember one day at work, we needed a small switch and one phono plug, I hadn't got any in my bit boxes and had to go to Maplin as it was for a job that needed doing right away.
IIRC, the switch cost me about £4 and the phono plug £1! What a rip-off, I commented to the manager that I usually got ten identical plugs for the same price at Farnell.
I think the owners made one crucial error with their prices, while they may get the occasional ordinary member of the public calling in to buy something, and who generally has no idea about prices, most of the stuff, certainly the electronics stuff is generally bought by the likes of us, who, generally know that a pack of 10,1amp glass fuses should cost around a quid, not the 3 or 4 quid thety charge, likewise a bog standard red led is about 10p, not the 30 or 40 p they like to charge. Knowing they are a rip-off, most of us will buy from CPC or one of the other suppliers who charge more realistic prices.
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Old 23rd Mar 2018, 6:09 pm   #348
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I went to the Maplin store in central Liverpool which was emblazoned with posters saying up to 50% off ( up to in small typeface of course ) I could find nothing I wanted at any discount. In fact nothing I wanted at all and left empty handed. If the administrators wish to extract last gasp cash from customers, they must do better than that.
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Old 23rd Mar 2018, 7:21 pm   #349
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Default Re: Maplin stores

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I bought a box of 150No tension springs for £2.00 and a DP six-way rotary for £1.14 the other day - but they said "are you aware that you cannot return these items if they are found to be faulty" !! (Is that legal under various retail acts? I may want my £3.14 back !!!!!)
Probably not, but if the entity you bought them from disappears I'm not sure how you could enforce your rights.
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Old 23rd Mar 2018, 7:27 pm   #350
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Default Re: Maplin stores

I suppose it hinges on who the Contract of Sale is with at present. If it's still Maplin's then they would indeed be difficult to chase-up in the future. If you are now legally buying from the Administrators that could get interesting.
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Old 23rd Mar 2018, 7:29 pm   #351
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Probably not, but if the entity you bought them from disappears I'm not sure how you could enforce your rights.
It is definitely not legal, but as you say if they disappear you are stuck.
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Old 23rd Mar 2018, 8:55 pm   #352
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Default Re: Maplin stores

Someone up this thread said that their local Maplins had a sign up saying that customers were trading with the administrators.

It probably has all sorts of legal ramifications, and administrators may have all sorts of special protections otherwise it may be difficult to find anyone to take on the job.

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Old 23rd Mar 2018, 9:34 pm   #353
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Default Re: Maplin stores

The law's fairly simple. You buy goods from a company in administration on a sold as seen, no warranty basis. The contract of sale is still with the company ie Maplin, not the administrator. One the company has wound up, that's it, no comeback to anybody.
The administrator's role is to maximise return for the creditors of the failed company which usually means the bank and tax man.
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Old 23rd Mar 2018, 11:25 pm   #354
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Default Re: Maplin stores

Visited my local tonight and SOME items are now 60% off (Project boxes and cable). There was a sign out front saying 50% off all components which I assume meant over the counter stuff
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Old 23rd Mar 2018, 11:27 pm   #355
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Default Re: Maplin stores

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Originally Posted by Radio Wrangler View Post
Someone up this thread said that their local Maplins had a sign up saying that customers were trading with the administrators.

It probably has all sorts of legal ramifications, and administrators may have all sorts of special protections otherwise it may be difficult to find anyone to take on the job.

David
Oh dear me. My visit today to the Cambridge Maplin raised my blood pressure by at least 50%!

I'd bought a discounted security camera yesterday, but it turned out unsuitable - it wasn't wifi enabled like its similar predecessor. My fault- should have checked more carefully in the shop. I deliberately didn't open the package so that it would remain saleable. I asked to swap it for a more suitable model, which they had on the shelf, but was met with stonewall refusal. Manager blamed administrator PWC for policy of zero exchange.

Immediately knew I was on to a loser - absolutely no incentive to satisfy the customer's problem. Manager actually said they don't care because they'll be gone in a few weeks. Made me both angry and sad that a previously obliging retailer has sunk to this grim level.

The modest price discounting in no way compensates for the risk of buying from a business in administration.

Caveat emptor: customer service is discontinued. Sad that my final visit should have ended so badly.

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Old 23rd Mar 2018, 11:40 pm   #356
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As I've mentioned elsewhere on here, their policy on WEB ONLY items seems unreal. A while ago, I wanted a USB extension for my PC. Online, less than £2, in shop 50% more. I queried this with the manager and after a quick look on their website, he ordered the online item, to be delivered to shop at no carriage. A few weeks ago, I was interested in a plastic box, WEB ONLY.I enquired in the shop about pay & collect in store to be told that carriage would be an extra £2.99. Delivery time 4-5 days. The same item in RS was approx £1.5 cheaper, and I could order & pay online and collect almost next day.
Strangely enough, I've just ordered an item( USB EXTENSION FOR MY pc)less than £1 ( not a web-only) to be delivered to my local store. If it's same as last time I ordered one of these it will be sent by post to store.
A few days ago, I wanted some Tant capacitors. At the counter, I was met by a member of staff ( turned out this was the assistant manager ) and gave him a list, mentioning it was Tants. "I don't know what they are" was the reply and another member looked at my order, nodded and went off to get the stuff. Yesterday, I wanted some more components and went in. I was greeted by the manager and was welcomed. He knew what I wanted and sent one of his staff off to get the bits. I mentioned the last visit to find that the assistant manager has no technical background.
Perhaps this says a lot more of the problems. It's what the Australians would call "the pub landlord who knows nothing about beer" syndrome.
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Old 24th Mar 2018, 6:42 am   #357
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Get some ferrite aerials complete with long and medium wave coils while you can. They were going cheap yesterday at £1.40/- a piece. Bought a couple myself.
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Old 24th Mar 2018, 8:52 am   #358
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Default Re: Maplin stores

Simmons and Allen started Maplin.

Does anyone know where the name Maplin is derived from?
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Old 24th Mar 2018, 9:43 am   #359
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Maplin Sands, off the Essex coast not far from Southend where the company was founded, was at the time under consideration as the site of a (third?) London airport.

A bit like calling your firm Heathrow Electronics or Gatwick Electronics

Maplin Sands
https://goo.gl/maps/SihvJiGFnvS2
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Old 24th Mar 2018, 10:27 am   #360
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Default Re: Maplin stores

Quote:
Originally Posted by Hartley118 View Post

Oh dear me. My visit today to the Cambridge Maplin raised my blood pressure by at least 50%!

I'd bought a discounted security camera yesterday, but it turned out unsuitable - it wasn't wifi enabled like its similar predecessor. My fault- should have checked more carefully in the shop. I deliberately didn't open the package so that it would remain saleable. I asked to swap it for a more suitable model, which they had on the shelf, but was met with stonewall refusal. Manager blamed administrator PWC for policy of zero exchange.

Immediately knew I was on to a loser - absolutely no incentive to satisfy the customer's problem. Manager actually said they don't care because they'll be gone in a few weeks. Made me both angry and sad that a previously obliging retailer has sunk to this grim level.

The modest price discounting in no way compensates for the risk of buying from a business in administration.

Caveat emptor: customer service is discontinued. Sad that my final visit should have ended so badly.

Martin
It may be worth contacting your bank or card company assuming you paid by plastic, to see if you can get a chargeback. There are various rules for this depending on the type of card (check online rather than discussing here) but you may be lucky, especially if the lack of returns was not made clear to you when you purchased.
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