Maplin Electronics

At home, I had it in my head that I wanted to purchase this particular lamp sold in electronic stores but I wasn’t sure where to find it in town (rather than on Amazon). I wanted my purchase in my hot little hands ASAP. So, I went online and found Maplin had what I was looking for. I was able to purchase it online, walk to the store and pick it up all in a matter of how long it took me to walk from the flat to Maplin.
The lady at the till was super friendly and offered me replacement parts for the lamp I bought and offered to have them shipped to the flat for free because they didn’t have them in stock. I declined the offer, but it’s good to know it’s as easy as a quick order and a shipment for replacement parts should I need them.
Easy peasy transaction online, even easier in the store. I’d say that’s an A-​OK day!

If you’re in the industry, the first port of call for your electronic needs is usually RS Components. For the rest of us, there is Maplins. They used to be more of an Argos-​style store with catalogue ordering and take-​your-​form-​to-​the-​counter service, but some years ago they began opening larger stores with a great selection of budget consumer electronics on display.
They’re great if you’re looking for extension cords, phones and accessories, computer bits and bobs, and obscure branded electronic thingamibobs. They’re especially good around Xmas as they always have some bizarre electronic toy that’s just perfect for your 8-​year-​old nephew or the other geek in your life.
Sometimes they don’t have the item you want in store (as happened to me today), but they’re more than happy to order it up for you and it will be delivered to your home at no extra charge.
I do find them a bit overpowering sometimes as they always seem to have a surfeit of staff who hover around you asking if they can assist every couple of minutes, which wears thin very quickly with me, especially as this is the kind of shop I like to circumambulate several times whilst waiting for inspiration to strike if I’ve got a particular project in mind but I’m not sure what I need (which is most of the time when I’m in here!)

So lets face it they have gone downhill in recent years as a company, Prices have gone sky high and quality has dropped. However since the downfall of radioshack there isn’t exactly any other option for a retailer on the street to obtain those random components and other electrical goodies.
Although not exhaustive the options for the cables, components and even actual electrical items. The best place to look is in the current offers or in the clearance area.
Know what you are looking for or at least the type of thing you are looking for before you go in as it can be quite overwhelming. The staff are often not much use either. They don’t seem to have the most intellectual staff who know what things actually do. Be prepared for the wrong recommendation.
If you have the time by the cable or connector online.

The staff in here are always friendly and helpful, and don’t hover over you presuming you don’t know what you want! It is a specialist type of shop, not really one you’d pop into for a browse unless you’re into electronics, soldering, computers or some crafts. As well as a staggering array of components, bits and bobs and glues, tapes, and all sort of ‘stuff’, they sell electrical items like fans, heaters, and remote control cars! A great place to while away half an hour or so on a rainy afternoon, trying to guess what some of the odder items they sell are for.

I do enjoy visiting Maplin stores, looking for that hard to find spare part or gadget with items often on sale I’m there.
It’s often hard to find a member of staff as they hide in one section but when you do get hold of one they are normally helpful and advise on products.
Maplin have a good website where you can look up items on sale and what store has it in stock.

Staff assholes & accuse people while they leave shop as opportunistic thiefs without actual proof.

Last time I was in, an old couple came in just behind me. The wife sighed,“why do you always come in here? It’s rubbish. there’s nothing in it”. The husband replied,“Wit? Yer wrong, hen. This is the best shop in town!”
I wouldn’t go as far to say it’s the best, but I do love Maplin. It’s full of all the rubbish you would expect in a gadget shop but has a great range of useful stock for all your electrical and computing needs.
Prices can sometimes get a little expensive but certainly not enough to send you elsewhere.
While I haven’t made any big purchases from maplin before, on quite a few occasions it has been a life savour for ink cartridges, computer keyboards and other bits and bobs.

Like many people who become fascinated by technology, I developed a severe crush on Maplins. I still go in there now and again, but only to browse the gadgets: like a lost love, the charm has disappeared, leaving me to wonder why I ever cared about the quality of my leads and peripherals. Maplins is ideal for the sort of techno-​geek I became: tons of stuff, bits and pieces for ambitious build your own projects that never come off, with enough sparkling things to keep me interested and quiet.
Where it falls down is in its range– it is too all-​encompassing to have a detailed stock in any one area, and goes for novelty stuff and top of the range. Of course, I had a habit of buying the latest gimmick– the electric shock massager was, in retrospect, a bad idea. But still, I love to browse and end up just buying batteries– well, I would have used them anyway.

Now, if i were adhering to gender stereotypes i would begin this review by saying something like «wow, i love this place with its electronics, teccy stuff, gadgets and whirrly, spiny things, a definite mans store and a place to have your revenge on the other half for that three hours you spent in Clarie’s Accessories looking at bobble hats…»
Now, part of this is accurate. I do think that in general this is a man’s store or a place where the women folk go for tecccy advice on… well everything electronic. However, i must reign this ever so slightly sexist review in and justify it by stating clearly that… whisper it please… i don’t like this place.
Yes its full of all the gear, yes the staff for a change actually know what there talking about and yes its bright, welcoming, well laid out, reasonably priced and handily located… but…and here it is, the main crux of the review… its the kind of place that makes me feel stupid and, dare i say it, less of a man… especiallty if im, being dragged around it by my wife who knows shit loads more about this kind of stuff than me!
There, i said it. Right then. ignore the negativity this is a cracking place, with ever so helpful staff and all the electronic type stuff you could ever need and more… just don’t expect to enjoy it if your a girly boy who doest know his diodes from his donkeys.

As a self-​confessed technology know-​none, advice from Maplin employees has set me on the right track many a time. From buying CDs for burning, to rewiring my speakers, they’ve been kind enough to share their know-​how all over the shop (literally).
You can get everything you want electronically here — even from batteries to welders, and when you can’t find it — guess who’ll come to the rescue? That’s right, the maplin employees!
Everyone loves a Maplin Employee…

have to say I visited this shop recently and spent some time wandering around looking for the 2 items I needed to buy — no-​one offerred any help whatsoever although there were plenty of assistants around — have to agree with previous review :(

Whilst they have a fantastic range of gadgets, gismos and components their customer service is TERRIBLE.
I once got into a conversation with a few friends in a pub about bad customer service and this place came out top of shops (not including mobile phone contact centers!)
The manager is rude, unhelpful and the only way to get any help is to contact their Head office.