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Are all Maplins stores pants or am I special?
chris-p-duck - 7/5/10 at 06:21 PM

Hi all, - rant warning ..................

I popped into Maplins earlier to try to get some advice and parts for my planned fuel guage. Since I am an electrical dunce I thought I would try to get some helpful hints on the best way to go about achieving what I need. However when someone finally served me (a bloke in his mid 30s, not a youth) I was staggered at how utterly utterly useless and disinterested he was. When I asked what they could offer and how it was best to go about constructing some switching LEDs he just kept offering me some flashing LEDs which changed colours and said 'we dont do advice'

I always thought Maplins were all about encouraging DIY electronics and helping people spend money to achieve that DIY 'dream'

Wont be going back there in a hurry. Are they all that sh!te or am I getting 'special' treatment!??!

Rant over...............

Chris

whitestu - 7/5/10 at 06:22 PM

They are all the same - mostly just kids who know nowt.

Stu

prawnabie - 7/5/10 at 06:23 PM

Iirc maplins got sued a while back for giving the wrong advice so may be somet to do with this

edspurrier - 7/5/10 at 06:24 PM

Used to be a good shop. Now just Comet for tat.

02GF74 - 7/5/10 at 06:44 PM

I think I can remember when they first appeared - and it was before they had shops - mail order only. When the shops appeared, there were few and the peeps whp worked in them would know their electronics stuff.


they expanded and moved away from selling basic electronic compoentrs to useless gadgetry and tat.

most of the spotty yoof that work there couldn't tell you the difference between a thermistron and a capacipotato.

post your question in electrical section and you'll get better advice.

[Edited on 7/5/10 by 02GF74]

chris-p-duck - 7/5/10 at 06:50 PM

I have posted in the electrical and have had some good advice and have got some diagrams etc on the way (thanks btw!). I only went into Maplins as I was passing, and thought they might be able to help.

When I am ready to spend the money it will get spent at RS not maplins.............

Chris

MikeRJ - 7/5/10 at 06:57 PM

It's a travesty, they used to be staffed by enthusiastic and knowledgeable people, and the catalogue was a virtual reference manual with pin outs of every device they sold.

It all went downhill when they started opening branches everywhere, and I suspose the hobby market would never cover there costs so they started pedalling Chinese tat, and employing idiots.

SteveWalker - 7/5/10 at 07:02 PM

If you don't mind buying by mail order, Jaycar's UK site is worth a look - a better selection than Maplin and at more sensible pricing.

turbodisplay - 7/5/10 at 07:02 PM

Got bought a few years ago, when the logo changed, and the amount of stores doubled overnight.
I know someone who worked full time as a senior sales assistant, knew everything about computers, a bit about electronics, got 11k.
Assitant manager 15K.
why would you work for so little if you could do better?

Darren

02GF74 - 7/5/10 at 07:03 PM

quote:
Originally posted by chris-p-duck

When I am ready to spend the money it will get spent at RS not maplins.............



figure out components you need then check prices, RS are more expensive plus have minimum quantities too.

and exactly what MikeRJ said - well put.

you are never gonna make a lot of money with people coming in to buy one 4p restor due to the amount of space needed to stre 1% series, amount if time to find it, profit margin etc .... so chinese tat it had to be.

mad4x4 - 7/5/10 at 07:22 PM

quote:
Originally posted by SteveWalker
If you don't mind buying by mail order, Jaycar's UK site is worth a look - a better selection than Maplin and at more sensible pricing.


What the URL all I can find is the AU site

chris-p-duck - 7/5/10 at 07:27 PM

http://www.jaycarelectronics.co.uk/

Is that the right place?

Chris

matt_gsxr - 7/5/10 at 07:28 PM

FYI: The Oxford (Botley Road) branch still has a few electronics nerds. Can be helpful, but you have to find a quiet day.

SteveWalker - 7/5/10 at 08:21 PM

quote:
Originally posted by chris-p-duck
http://www.jaycarelectronics.co.uk/

Is that the right place?

Chris


That's the one - sorry I should have put it in to start with.

Peteff - 7/5/10 at 10:46 PM

We have a local electronics shop where they keep a nerd in the back and only let him out to serve people like me who need baffling with jargon and showing how to do things in easy steps.

Paul TigerB6 - 8/5/10 at 12:18 AM

lol. If they knew anything about electronics then the staff wouldnt be earning near min wage working at Maplins!!!

James - 8/5/10 at 07:29 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Peteff
We have a local electronics shop where they keep a nerd in the back and only let him out to serve people like me who need baffling with jargon and showing how to do things in easy steps.


"Bring out the nerd"
"The nerd's sleeping"
"Guess you better go wake him up then"

Something like that?

MakeEverything - 8/5/10 at 09:28 AM

quote:
Originally posted by James
quote:
Originally posted by Peteff
We have a local electronics shop where they keep a nerd in the back and only let him out to serve people like me who need baffling with jargon and showing how to do things in easy steps.


"Bring out the nerd"
"The nerd's sleeping"
"Guess you better go wake him up then"

Something like that?


lol, just imagine the next few minutes of experience then! being "Pumped" full of knowledge!!

Maplins used to be very good. I used to go in all the time for information and components, but then as above, all the idiots and mongrels qualified from idiot school and became the unit choice for maplins expertise.

Having said that, there are a few that are still very good. My local is still very knowledgable, though the one in town a few miles away is as shite as any other.

If you need to build something electronic, then the best way to learn is by trial and error once you have understood the fundamentals.