Maplin meltdown

[John Smith]

Looks like Maplin's going down - any regrets? I've found it a bit pricey in recent years but it's good for kids gifts, cheap batteries, and some bits you need urgently.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

That was to me the problem. For components at one time the shops did tend to stock at least most of them. And would post you them for free (fast) if they didn't have them in stock. I didn't mind a trip to the shop as always interesting things to look at - and always ended up buying things I didn't go for as well.

But when they seemed to give up on components they also lost my trade for other toys, etc.

[GB]

The crocodile clip on my car battery charger went ping into some dark corner of the garage or other. After much searching, I gave up and bought another one online. Delivered for £2. It's a crocodile clip with a spade connector, so pretty unusual. Even had Maplin stocked such a thing, they'd need to charge a tenner for it, I guess.

[T i m]

Oh. Erm, yes, sorta ... like when we lost Radio Shack / Tandy as they were good for the odd thing, especially if you needed it quickly or needed to check compatibility etc.

I found it 'ok' (for the convenience of a bricks and mortar store etc) but you could generally get stuff cheaper online.

Yeah, daughter has built quite a few of the electronic kits they stock.

I don't think I've ever bought batteries from them, only a couple of rechargeable 'PowerBanks' when on special.

Mostly, yes ... or are passing and might want to buy on sight rather than spec (like cable for a non-standard use).

I've also bought a few things when they were on 'special' as they were then often a bit cheaper than anywhere else.

And I think we are going to see more and more of this, especially from any of those who are owned by Europeans or people wanting a foothold in the EU.

Cheers, T i m

[Tim Watts]

Sadly the market for electronics as a hobby scaled back and changed and RS/Farnell became available to everyone. Maplin never really found a good market after that - it was toys and pseudo party/disco stuff (I expect "real" DJs bought "real" equipment "from" real DJ stores)

With 100% hindsight, I wondered what they should have done? Focussed on toys and phone and computer accessories (small rather than bulky items) and run with things like arduinos and Pis when they came along (again small, not massively high value stock.

They could have run basics like 1/4W resistors, LEDs and stuff from behind the counter - but run a stock that was optimised for the Pi etc market?

[whisky-dave]

Although expensive compared to other suppliers some students did want to or der from them but when we tried using their website the items kept disapear ing from the basket on informing them they said they knew and that the on-l ine baskets got reset at night so unless we ordered there and then on the s ame day we'd loss the items. We haven't brought anything from them for abou t 3 years now.

[Adrian Caspersz]

Recovery...

Shut half the shops. Focus more on selling project stuff than items of instant enlightenment, Remove all the shelves to the back, think argos/screwfix/toolsatan Stretch a counter across the branch, Enter a components distribution partnership with Farnell/CPC/RS, Sponsor staff to take electronic/electrical training, Support the maker community with competitive pricing, Support the PC builder community with competitive pricing.

Don't turn into Tandy MkII

[John Rumm]

Two I suppose...

Nostalgia for one - I grew up within walking distance of the first Maplin shop, and have fond memories of going in with my list of components for whatever the latest project was. It was quite interesting to see the (in those days) highly knowledgeable staff at work - quite often designing circuits on the fly for a customer when they explained what they wanted to do etc.

On a more practical note, they were quite handy for the occasions where one of our customers wanted some bit of electrical / computer "stuff" in a hurry, and could not wait for next day delivery. You could furnish them with an order code send em off to the nearest shop.

That's part of the problem - the business model not matching either the scale of their organisation or current trends.

The components and electronics hobby market used to be supported with mail order and a single shop. They were even pioneers in electronic ordering before the web - they had a dial in BBS ("Cashtel" IIRC) you could place orders on. However the huge rise in the number of high street shops required appealing to a much broader audience hence the expansion into toys and gadgets etc.

[Theo]

There are some things that could have been done...

- Build a 'core components' range that every store had in stock, and clearly label what's core and what's an 'extended range' item.

- Introduce automated component machines - most components are tape and reel these days, so have a dispenser where you insert your credit card, click on what you want, out pops the cut tape nicely bagged.

But, fundamentally, there's no profit in tuppenny resistors. You could sell bulk packs like Screwfix ('all the E12 resistors') but that doesn't work for other components. You can cut costs by automating, but the volume isn't there - someone on minimum wage serving 20 customers an hour is cheaper than a machine serving 20 customers an hour (because that's all there are), and making less profit than selling a single 10 pound HDMI cable.

I think they've also been hit hard by the amount of shady VAT practices from Chinese sellers on ebay and Amazon - subsidised shipping from China, sneaking under VAT thresholds/lax customs inspection, claiming goods are outside the EU and then fulfilling from a warehouse inside the EU. If the HDMI cable is 99p free shipping, who is going to say no?

So I think they had a choice:

- go much more against Farnell and RS for commercial customers, who do buy stuff in enough volume to make it worthwhile. Companies like Rapid have managed to make this work

- go into services. For example, why was mobile phone unlocking the preserve of market stalls and backstreet shops? Where do people go when they break the charging port on their laptop? Maybe also 3D printing on demand (send your model by 5pm, it'll be ready next morning) and quick-turnaround PCB fab.

Would it pay? I don't know, but it's probably harder work than selling £4 coffees.

Theo

[John Rumm]

Much of that describes what it was like walking into the Westcliff shop in 1980! A few things on display to look at. Loads of built up synth kits / speakers / amps etc in the window, and a pair of (new and exciting) Atari 400 / 800 computers surrounded by a swarm of kids trying to get a look in. The rest of the shop packed with people waiting to be served in a kind of "open all hours" shop environment - staff behind the counter going off and collecting the bits of your order before presenting it all in a taped up plastic bag at the end.

[whisky-dave]

Are you sure there is a market for such things as I don't, especailly when you can get things on-line.

Those machines are very expensive and there's still not the market volume.

and far less hassle with returns.

Yes it's mostly down to price.

Rapid were brought out by conrad a year or so ago.

Why hardly any servicing in down nowerdays.

They go to computer repair places.

Try doing it and you'd understand, who will check their designs are correct .

Yes and you can pay someone £2 or less an hour to serve coffee, if you have someone that can operate a 3D printer and PCB stuff you need a lot of equipment and someone that knows what they are doing and that is at least a £20 an hour job if not more.

[charles]

There was nothing wrong with Tandy MkI. They got a good deal from Carphone Warehouse to buy up their shops and the company took the profit and vanished. Interestingly, in Guildford, Carphone warehouse moved premises and Maplins is now where Tandy used to be.

[Tim Watts]

Hammersmith in the 70s-80s too - I can picture it. Thin shop, 3/4s long counter, 3-4 bods behind. They liked it if you'd compiled a list with order codes on.

Often disappointment as they were always out of something, but they were knowledgeable enough to suggest an alternative if possible.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Well, they certainly can't blame the trend for online purchasing as TRU has done, as they were pretty early with a web presence. And doing mail order by telephone before that. Round here they expanded into high rent high street shops rather than their earlier rather out of the way ones. Just as the high street was dying.

[The Other Mike]

What makes you think that business model is viable?

All those companies hold huge stocks and deliver next day, often for free with a big enough order or the right selection of hazardous items.

They have as many trade counters as they think they need, they do not need 'retail' or pseudo trade outlets

CPC have just one trade counter in Preston.

RS have 16 trade counters and don't appear to have opened any new ones for a decade or more, the lack of weekend opening can be a PITA compared to the likes of Toolstation/Screwfix and sometimes when you think they ought to be busy you might be the only customer in there. Sometimes the item you want is not in stock but at least you can order online for collection the next working day which avoids having someone hang around to receive and sign for the parcel.

Finally Farnell had only one trade counter at their UK warehouse, open six days a week since the 1940's...they closed it last year.

The idea of half of the existing Maplin stores or to put it another way 100 stores across the country being instrumental in increasing the turnover of any or all of these long established primarily industrial next day mail order companies and making a profit for both them and the parent appears a pipe dream.

[whisky-dave]

I never went there as I prefered Edgeware road where they was a Marchells(S P) which had components in multidraw storage units and Henrys where they ha d lots of cheap stuff and boards to unsolder, there were other electronic s hops too, and then there was tottenham court road another fun place in the

70s for such hobbies, which no longer exists most just download a app top t heir phone.

[whisky-dave]

I'm suprised T i m hasn't blamed Brexit or left-brainers or is it right-brainers.

[Theo]

[snip]

That might suit you or I. Are there enough similar punters out there to make it pay?

(and even you or I might go online if it's easier than driving into town and finding parking)

I assume Basic Electronics isn't still around? That was always a far better option than Tandy, who operated a B&Q approach to components (five resistors in a blister pack for 1.99).

Theo

[Dave Plowman (News)]

In the late 90s, Maplin did seem to be going into competition with the likes of RS, with a much increased range of components and bulk discounts. I've kept a catalogue from then as it has lots of useful info - not just sales stuff. In those days RS were even more expensive relatively than now, and difficult to get an account with for a small business or paying hobby.

But IIRC, they changed hands (or management) round about then, and also direction.

[charles]

and Lisle Street before that