New Maplin opened in Rugby

[high_vacuum_house]

Hello there,
I noticed by accident earlier on today there is a new Maplin shop that has opened in Rugby. It is located on the Leicester road as you head out of the town centre towards the M6, in the out of town shopping area known as junction 1.

I haven't been in there yet but I expect there is all the usual stuff in there (i.e only 2 1N4007 diodes kept in stock at any one time ) plus other useless tat !!

Christopher Capener

[Lloyd 1985]

Hi,
That might come in handy! I've previously gone to the one in Northampton, and I hate driving round Northampton!! Rugby is much nicer to drive round

regards,
Lloyd.

[ALANS ANITAS]

Hi Lloyd


You do'nt have to go into the centre of Northampton from Rugby to get to Maplins. If you come in ether by the motorway/A45 or by the A428 it is after the junction of the two roads, past the bus garage and they are about 400 yards straight in front of you (the road curves to the left.) Turn right at the traffic lights just before you get to Maplins, and then first left. You can park right outside the store.


Now try to find Maplins in Coventry, sat nav would be a definate advantage.


Both the Northampton and Coventry stores are quite large,but the Rugby store is quite small.


Regards

ALAN

[David G4EBT]

Good to hear that in the present economic climate, Maplin are still able to whether the storm and opne new stores, but at the smaller stores, to save a wasted visit, it's wise to ring to check that:

a)They have the item in stock that you need, and;

b) In sufficient quantities.

I say that because many items aren't stocked at all in the smaller shops and are 'web only'. I'm not talking about exotic things - as an example, I called into the Hull store yesterday for a 1000uF 16V cap - 'web only'. The local staff are very helpful and will order stuff in for collection to avoid delivery costs on small order if you aren't in a hurry. However, if you have to make a special return journey to pick stuff up, fuel costs nowadays become significant.

Of those items that are stocked, the stock levels are often very shallow - just two or three. That isn't a criticism - this is of course a consequence of Maplin moving from a wholly mail order firm, to one with some 180 stores, and new ones opening each year. With such a huge inventory it wouldn't make economic sense to stock a proliferation of low value, low turnover stuff in any depth, if at all, when such stuff can be had via the website.

In the mid 1990s, Maplin started to open very large stores (10,000 sq ft) in major locations which they then called 'Mondo Stores' (a term I haven't heard used of late) in places such as Leeds, Nottngham, Lakeside etc. At the time, they claimed that all catalogue lines would be stocked, but whether that's still so, I've no idea.

Off the topic of the Rugby and N'pton branches, but I hope it helps save wasted journeys.

David

[Station X]

Before visiting Maplin I always check branch the stock level online. Cheaper than a phone call and can save a wasted journey.

[Retired]

Hi,

I stopped visiting Maplin's a few years ago because I became fed up of "it's out of stock but I can get it for you in the morning". This was at both Sheffield and Barnsley branches; at the time I emailed Maplin's asking what was the point of having large stores with equally large overheads but nothing I wanted in stock; I received a of of excuses.

I also used to visit their large depot at Wombwell and liked it there as they always had everything in stock but then this was closed to retail customers on the grounds that it was too dangerous to visitors owing to the large wagons operating from the same site.

I do however enjoy a trip to N R Bardwell's in Sheffield; this is a wonderful old fashioned store where the staff are very knowledgeable and helpful.

Most items I now need are bought online; this saves a great deal of driving around wasting expensive petrol and time without all the parking hassles or risk of fines; for the price of postage items are quickly delivered to my door.

Good luck to Maplin's and I hope the new store doesn't fall into the usual pattern of out stock a month after opening; I never visit Maplin's or look at their website any longer.

Kind regards, Col.

[Mike Phelan]

Maplin for a while have steered away from electronics parts and kits and towards the burgeoning market for electronic kids' toys.

You have to remember that they need to make a profit and in the present climate it's not easy.

[Paul Stenning]

I have found Maplin useful when I have needed computer parts in a hurry. Often cheaper and better range than PC World, and staff who know what they are talking about.

I normally check stock online before making the journey though.

It is understandable that there isn't much money to be made in selling resistors and capacitors etc since very few people will want to buy them retail and the profit margin is minute, so they won't hold much stock of these in the stores. Getting them in for you the next day with no postage costs is good service, or just order online if the postage is cheaper than the fuel costs.

[Mike Phelan]

As this thread is just a Maplin Moan, I've found a padlock in the catalogue.