Maplin

[CookieParticipant @cookie15923]

[CookieParticipant @cookie15923]

Just heard on the news Maplin are on the brink of closure .

Dave

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

I'm not surprised. They lost their way a long time ago and ended up being neither a mail order supplier of electronics nor a high-rent retailer of cheap Chinese toys – just a cross between the two. In these days of on-line sales they've been on a hiding to nothing for years. I feel sorry for the staff.

If you relied on Maplin then check out CPC – it's a Farnell company and sells just about everything Maplin did but on-line and for a fraction of the price.

Dave M

Edited By Dave Milbourn on 28/02/2018 08:24:13

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

I once used Maplin quite a lot when they were in town, but they moved to a retail park several miles away, and I could not be bothered going! I quickly discovered that I could find everything that Maplin sold on Ebay or Amazon at a fraction of the cost. I wonder if they will have a closing down sale? – if they do, I may go along.

Bob

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

It has been announced that they have indeed gone into administration. There was a large branch in Kingston which was open just before Christmas but which had been closed and totally cleared out when I was there on Monday.

As Dave says, they lost their way being neither one thing or another. I did use to like their electronics catalogue – great bedtime reading – but of course these days we all use Component Shop. Is there a lesson in there somewhere?

Colin

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

It is the fate of the high street to become an endless line of high priced coffee shops, restaurants and fast food outlets, out of town shopping and the internet have already rung the death knell for the small, independent businesses and now the national retailers are going the same way.

[shipwrightParticipant @shipwright]

Although as many on this thread have said they might have been out of touch it is nostalgic for me. I got many of my components for the ww2 large scale model destroyer (sold at auction in oct 2016) from Maplin – both online and in my local store. I remember going to Bristol (before they had a store which was local to me) to purchase a dc power supply kit and helping my younger son construct and test it (at some point in the 1990's). More recently I noted that the electronic component area had diminished greatly and they were concentrating on items for PCs and the internet of things.

Although clearly the demand for components continues in the professional/engineering/manufacturing area I suspect that interest in electronics as a hobby has significantly diminished. RS, Farnell etc supply industry although, subject to minimum order limit, they will also supply hobbyists. It just emphasises that I'm from an earlier generation who got great enjoyment in electronics and model making.

[CookieParticipant @cookie15923]

The CPC HQ is only 10 miles from my home and they have a public counter but every time i go it is packed out with tradesmen and can take up to a hour to get your parts , What was great about Maplin was that everything was on display so you could take your time and be confident what you bought would do the job . I have forgotten how many parts i have bought online only to find out once it arrives its not quite what i expected due to the online discription not being accurate .

Dave

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

Maplin in Nottingham does, however, hold the world record for the number of shop assistants it takes to serve one customer, especially when there are several others waiting. I counted SEVEN assistants debating over a particular gizmo for this one guy. I can't remember now whether or not he actually bought anything!

Dave M

[Trevor HollowayParticipant @trevorholloway99134]

Colin, that part of Kingston is due for a £400,000,000 redevelopment and may have explained the closure of that particular store.

£400m Kingston town centre revamp approved

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Thanks for that Trevor, I didn't know about the scheme. I used to live in the area and remember Eden Walk being developed originally. I spent much of my career working in Kingston until I retired 11 years ago and now only visit it once a month or so to meet up with some ex colleagues.

I live in Cranleigh, south east of Guildford, we moved here 40 years ago when I was working in Kingston as it was the nearest place we could afford to buy a house. A 48 mile daily commute except for 5 years when I worked in Reigate!

Colin

[David Marks 2Participant @davidmarks2]

A previous post mentioned buying from RS. It should be noted that they do indeed supply hobbyists but DO NOT impose a minimum order quantity. When I have used them, their delivery has been very quick i.e. next day. The other company that I have used is Vapextech, based at West Kingsdown (near Brands Hatch). They are agents for Vapex batteries (possibly the UK importers) and again the delivery is remarkably quick. Their overall cost(s) i.e. item plus delivery is slightly cheaper than another well known supplier that we all use for batteries.

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

It is just changing times and progress. Nowhere near as many people build or repair things these days, so the demand for electronics compoanents has fallen off. If I want any components, I usually get them from Rapid Electronics online. On one occasion, I ordered something in the morning and got it in the afternoon! But I have now given up my secondary hobby of vintage radio design and construction because of a decline in external interest in my constructional articles that were once very popular. I know I have said this before, but it is now final. I noticed on the news last night that they announced two major firms closing, Toys R Us and Maplin. I waited patiently until they got to that part, and then endured all the long drawn-ou tears and regret about Toys R Us and "what will we do now" but poor old Maplin only got "Maplin Electronics are closing as well!"

My own shipmodelling activities are also changing with the times and becoming less active (publicly) , although I am certainly not giving up on that activity.

I stopped taking completed models to the local ship model society some months ago, taking only a photograph of the models to the meetings, and so far, no-one has commented on the fact. But I am now enjoying working at a more leisurely rate and geting out and about more.

We can't stop change, so it is better to adapt to it.

This was my final "Swan Song" into vintage radio. Designed and built by myself with the aid of junk from car boot sales, plus quite a few Maplin components, disguised  to look old! RIP Maplin!

Bob

Edited By Bob Wilson on 01/03/2018 07:58:00

Edited By Bob Wilson on 01/03/2018 07:59:31

Edited By Bob Wilson on 01/03/2018 08:13:55

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

The other company that I have used is Vapextech, based at West Kingsdown (near Brands Hatch).

I don't suppose it would take a genius to work out that the other company mentioned in this post is Component Shop. It also takes little intelligence to buy commodities from China, pass yourself off as an "official distributor" and chip pennies off the retail price in a race to the bottom. If you want to support this type of garage operation for the sake of saving a couple of bob then go ahead. If, however, you would rather support a proper business which is fully committed to the model trade (e.g. which organises two model boat shows a year for nil profit) then the answer is pretty obvious.

Dave M

[David Marks 2Participant @davidmarks2]

Ooops…looks as though I have upset Mr Milbourn. Oh dear what a shame!

David, for your information, apart from holidays, most of the money that I spend on `leisure’ i.e. model boats, goes to Iain, Kyje and the rest of the crew up in North Wales. Regarding these batteries, I was starting the build of a new model which I knew would short of space for all the equipment that I wanted to pack into the hull, so was keen to get the position and space for the batteries identified at the earliest possible time.. The power batteries were at the time identified by CS on their website as SOLD OUT, so I identified an alternative source. So the current status of my model is that the hull contains: The two batteries that appear to be giving you concern, a motor which you kindly recommended to me, which I obtained from RS as CS, SHG and Cornwall did not appear to stock that item. Additionally the hull contains a servo, power distribution board, and about 5 other gizmos (all contained within little black boxes) which were all purchased from CS.

I greatly appreciate the advice that you provide to me and other boat modellers and in the same way the help and advice provided by Iain and his staff at GC. However, on this occasion David you have prejudges the situation without being aware of the full picture.

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

David

PM sent.

DM

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

Mea culpa. I think/hope we're friends again! However the message is there for everyone else.

DM

[Trevor HollowayParticipant @trevorholloway99134]

Colin,

There is a recently opened Maplins by the phone boxes (for those who know Kingston) – obviously I know nothing of its future.

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Thanks Trevor, I will have a look next time I'm in Kingston. There was no notice about relocation in the window of the old closed store but I see their website has now been updated.

As they are now in administration it may close anyway!

Colin

Edited By Colin Bishop on 10/03/2018 10:25:43

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Yes, saw that the other day. Unfortunate time to have a move to new premises!! Ashley

[Author]

Posts