Maplins in trouble

[Sherwood]

I think they were called Radio Shack in America and their own-brand stuff was called Radio Shack in both America and the UK, but in the UK the shops were called Tandy.

Tandy Corporation was the US parent company and had many different businesses. When it expanded beyond the US it did so under the Tandy name. Although most of the products were branded Radioshack, don't forget the Tandy range of personal computers which were very popular at one point.

Geoff

[iscm]

Please correct me if I am wrong, but I seem to remember that Maplin were more of a mail order company in the past with just a few shops.

I think that they should have stayed that way and gone more on-line.
The prices used to be far more competitive and they seemed to have a good formula to replace the defunct Tandy.
Last year I went into a shop in Taunton and a member of staff told me that they did not sell things like speaker plugs and sockets.
I just walked out at that point.

Mind you there is still Radio Spares.

Perhaps, if Maplin go back to how they were with a competitive on-line presence they could have a future.
It seems ironic that Maplin increased its shop base at just the wrong moment.
I suppose that there was pressure to increase profit and in the short term the strategy probably worked while making their long term future harder.

[Minstrel SE]

Surprise surpise in your best Cilla voice as its not really a surprise to me.

I havent bought from them for ages and the range has been going downhill to the point where I dont think they know other than a tat shop where the prices are not low. Sort of a mix of cheap looking disco lights, indoor aerials for caravans and stuff that can be bettered elsewhere

Ok many moons ago I use to buy connectors and things but I can online now and buy Neutrik, Deltron and all the best stuff. Dad orders from RS and Farnells when he is serious.

To me is was getting like some of the shite you saw in Tandy (Tandy wasnt all bad however) and you had to look harder for anything of real value and quality. I would say that I am surprised Maplins have lasted this long. Theres only so many local students needing breadboards

[spendorman]

I think they were called Radio Shack in America and their own-brand stuff was called Radio Shack in both America and the UK, but in the UK the shops were called Tandy.

A lot of their stuff was branded Realistic, I was given a mid priced tuner-amp with this name on, was pretty good.

[Puffin]

Maplin abandoned the hobbyist in favour of Computer, Radio Controlled Cars, toys and other diverse stuff. Stuff that could be obtained cheaper elsewhere. If I was desperate for a part I would check the local store stock, say for a few generic transistors (BC 550 etc) and they would have 1.....1!ffs. When they were prob charging a 200% mark up on the buy in price would it really have been too much to have say 10 in stock at any one time?

[paulf-2007]

I wonder if moving to large retail units with big overheads was a mistake, the times I've been in the large stores they have been empty of customers, whereas the small shop they had been in for years in medway had steady trade and the staff knew their stuff. Greedy shareholders thinking they can make more money in a large store.

[GrahamS]

Greedy shareholders thinking they can make more money in a large store.

. Stupidity comes in many guises.

[Macca]

Trying to expand your business to make more money isn't greedy, it's the single objective of any business.

[paulf-2007]

Trying to expand your business to make more money isn't greedy, it's the single objective of any business.

We will have to disagree in this instance

[Macca]

We will have to disagree in this instance

There's another purpose to a business other than to make money? You've lost me there Paul.