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Topic: Maplin Collapses
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Tom Photiou
Film God
Posts: 4837
From: Plymouth U.K
Registered: Dec 2003
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posted March 01, 2018 06:49 AM
Have to agree with you there Kevin, i just got back in from town, i went to the new and quite large maplins here to try and show a little support, i want a lead to plug the single mono phone plug to a twin phono on the stereo amp on the NT1, Maplins had one, The price, £29.99, i can get these on-line for a fiver. This is why the shops, (unfortunately), are collapsing. ![[Frown]](frown.gif)
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David Fouracre
Expert Film Handler
Posts: 123
From: Staffordshire, United Kingdom
Registered: Aug 2013
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posted March 01, 2018 07:06 AM
I am sad to lose Maplins but could foresee their demise, paticularly following the vast assortment of product coming from China. I admit to many purchases from the Chinese market online, following a superb backup service which I believe is backed by the Chinese Government. The cost of items including carriage, from their distributors (Banggood)is a fraction of UK retail prices.
However the main advantage with Maplin stores was to be able to brouse,and compare product on-site, and able to buy,difficult to obtain small component parts albeit at a higher price.
I have little doubt that the Chinese investment, has a lot to do
with the sad demise of Maplins.
When all our UK retailers have dissapeared, no doubt the imported prices will rise!
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Mark Davies
Film Handler
Posts: 65
From: Stourbridge, UK
Registered: Jan 2018
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posted March 01, 2018 07:53 AM
It's been sometime since I visited my local Maplins, located about half a mile from my house, but I always found the store had good quality stuff and the staff good knowledge.
The thing about Maplins for me, would be that I didn't have to wait days for delivery, I could get up on a Sunday morning, start some crazy project and if I needed anything I could drive or walk there and pick it up, and with all the shops going on-line that will not be possible, that's what I will miss.
I am though in a fortunate position to live close to a shopping centre, but Maplins and PC World were really the only reasons I went.
Kind Regards Mark.
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Kevin Clark
Jedi Master Film Handler
Posts: 978
From: Bapchild, Kent, UK
Registered: May 2004
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posted March 01, 2018 08:18 AM
Likewise the immediacy of buying there and then would have been ideal for me too, but their inability to provide even a means of browsing the stock instore, using a paper catalogue or touch pad terminal (as with Argos) meant they lost the sale, about £70 so not hundreds but it all adds up.
Tom - that price for a fairly basic cable is extortionate I'm pleased you found a better value alternative.
Regarding buying imports from China or other places - the next time you go to Marks & Spencers (I'm occasionally dragged in there by my lovely missus) look at their high priced clothing and homeware goods and you will see 'made in China' on many of the labels ie: M&S are taking us for fools even more than the other brands.
Retailers will, one day, wake up to the fact it is 2018, not 1918 or even 1968, whether we like it or not face to face commercial goods selling is a dying trade.
A good example of sound business advice can be found in Hello Dolly, where Horace Vandergelder (Walter Matthau) explains the way to a successful business is to sell goods people need every day (ie: food, fuel and clothing) which is why the Supermarkets now rule the roost.
Kevin
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