Maplin Electronics

[Murphyv310]

Hi.
Surely though when companies move into a retail park it boosts sales for other established outlets.
We don't have a Maplin in Kilmarnock, its a toss up between Ayr and Glasgow for me, Glasgow being straight onto the M77 which is just a mile from my home and virtually motorway to the Forge retail park in Glasgow where it is. The Glasgow store has always been busy when I've been in but Ayr is dead.

[peter scott]

I suspect that they have been too heavily undercut by the likes of Banggood.

Peter

[ppppenguin]

Toolstation was started by some people who left Screwfix. In quite a few locations they are on the same trading estate. At New Southgate near me SF and TS are adjacent, with Selco across the road.

What is slightly less well known is that SF have their Electricfix/Plumbfix trade counters where those who are registered get lower prices on a whole range of items. I get Electricfix due to my IET membership. Otherwise if you're an RGI, member of NECEIC or other recognised trade body you can get in the scheme. Toolstation is completely egalitarian which I prefer as a way of doing business. Although I'm in the Electricfix scheme and get privileged treatment as a result I would prefer it not to be that way.

As for Maplin, selling small components on the high street/retail park has to be a dead business. When you have RS, Farnell/CPC and Rapid all with efficient online ordering systems who needs the hassle of going to a shop. RS isn't friendly to non-business customers but the others are fine. Beyond those big guys there are many smaller suppliers such as Cricklewood Electronics and loads more on Amazon and ebay. With so many counterfeit parts around I'd usually prefer to pay RS etc prices and have an assured supply chain.

[Murphyv310]

Hi.
Well that's were I agree with both Peter & Jeffrey.
Peter is absolutely correct about Bangood, add in Ali Express, Wish and other Chinese outlets then its clear to see how they are struggling.
Jeffrey is also quite correct with all the UK based outlets like he has mentioned. RS with it's first class post deal, CPC & Farnell are good too with just a few pounds order and post is free, i have to say though CPC is slowly getting more expensive with some items and having to add VAT for non business customers makes them "appear" cheaper.
I still have three accounts from the business RS, CPC & Farnell, I use them all and Cricklewood on occasions and of course Justradios for cap and resistor kits.

[Terry]

Toolstation was started by some people who left Screwfix. In quite a few locations they are on the same trading estate. 

In Ilford they are both on the same trading estate at South Woodford but it is on a dual carriageway with busy roundabouts at each end so you have to go the long way round in one direction or the other!

More recently, Screwfix have opened a new outlet very close to B & Q and Toolstation have set up shop at the back of Wickes, both of which were much easier to get to. When using Toolstation I always made a point of browsing Wickes shelves on the way through, then buying the same items from Toolstation at much lower prices!

In Lincoln, Wickes is on an out of town estate and I doubt I'll go near it much whereas the stand alone stores are on small industrial estates on opposite sides of the same road and much more convenient for me.

On the subject of discounting, I buy all the electrical stuff from the Lincoln branch of the wholesaler that my electrician has a cash account with. As he points out, it is better for me to pay for his time working rather than queuing at a Trade Counter so I buy all the stuff in advance and get his discount  which is usually around 70% ...

I have a namesake who has an account with Holdens and uses the same email address as me with a '1' on the end. Sometimes the '1' gets left off and I get his quotations for someone's fitted kitchen with a similar (I think, actually, as much as 78%) discount ...