AuthorTopic: Little rant  (Read 935 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Evilgoat

  • Posts: 2786
  • Attack: 100
    Defense: 100
    Attack Member
  • Karma: +0/-0
  • Referrals: 0
Little rant
« on: January 12, 2007, 14:48:27 »
About a well known electronics/hobby store

About 4 years ago this chain rocked, if I needed any electronic bits whatsoever they were the place to go, with the bonus of being a chain I could even go over the sunday and get stuff. Staff were great and helpful and generally if stuff  wasnt available they would find alternatives.

However now. Every time I go in, something if not everything is out of stock. Their range has been reduced to the point that if I want a few bolts I have to buy a pack of 100 assorted nuts and bolts and the staff are just utterly useless. The shop is now filled with cheap, overpriced tat and you cant find anything.

Take today, went in for a DVI adaptor for a monitor (available elsewhere for <£4, they want £8) which I urgently need and six transistors.

Transisters are out of stock (websit shows 1000's of em) and two are web order only. Then they wont take the company credit card as i'm not 'SmoothWall Limited' Well yes I'm an employee and you're the only person that has an issue with this. I was then informed I couldnt use the card because their PIN system, is down anyway.

So why arent this bunch of clowns going out of business?
I must confess the the activities of the UK governments for the past couple of years have been watched with frank admiration and amazement by Lord Vetinari. Outright theft as a policy had never occured to him.

-- (Terry Pratchett, alt.fan.pratchett)

EX HK Police Mitsubishi Pajero 2.8TD
Audi S2 Avant 360bhp
Transit LWB 2.5di (The Shed)


Offline TDi90

  • Posts: 2712
  • Attack: 100
    Defense: 100
    Attack Member
  • Karma: +0/-0
  • Rolly - Under Construction...
  • Referrals: 0
Little rant
« Reply #1 on: January 12, 2007, 14:59:28 »
what store is this?
TDi90
~The DFYTR Moderation Team~


gords

  • Guest
Little rant
« Reply #2 on: January 12, 2007, 15:04:48 »
Quote from: "TD90"
what store is this?

Maplin?

Offline Evilgoat

  • Posts: 2786
  • Attack: 100
    Defense: 100
    Attack Member
  • Karma: +0/-0
  • Referrals: 0
Little rant
« Reply #3 on: January 12, 2007, 15:14:05 »
Not allowed to say

but they are the only electronics store in the high stree that carries compnents and charge for their catalog
I must confess the the activities of the UK governments for the past couple of years have been watched with frank admiration and amazement by Lord Vetinari. Outright theft as a policy had never occured to him.

-- (Terry Pratchett, alt.fan.pratchett)

EX HK Police Mitsubishi Pajero 2.8TD
Audi S2 Avant 360bhp
Transit LWB 2.5di (The Shed)


ChrisW

  • Guest
Little rant
« Reply #4 on: January 12, 2007, 15:51:24 »
I went into their store in Erdington the other week for a present for Boo's birthday, website showed they had a radio controlled helicopter in stock (4 apparently) - got there, spotty oik approached and asked if he could help, asked for said item - 'ooh out of stock'
'what, all 4 of them? Do you want the stock number?"
Spotty oik goes to a pc, types a couple of things and moves the monitor so I can't see and then tells me to order on line as the depot would get it to me quicker than the store could.

I got the distinct 'cannot be bothered' impression off him, same attitude as last time  :roll:

Offline wonderboy

  • Posts: 64
  • Attack: 100
    Defense: 100
    Attack Member
  • Karma: +0/-0
  • Referrals: 0
Little rant
« Reply #5 on: January 12, 2007, 17:05:33 »
Went to the Leicester store, wanting 25A power cable, had to wait a week for them to get it and then they didn't ring to say that they got it, like the said they would! :x
ADAM
2000 TD5 Discovery 2 Auto
General Grabber AT's

IF IT AINT BROKE, YOUV'E NOT TRIED HARD ENOUGH!

Offline Sider

  • Posts: 302
  • Attack: 100
    Defense: 100
    Attack Member
  • Karma: +0/-0
  • Referrals: 0
Little rant
« Reply #6 on: January 12, 2007, 18:35:18 »
They ARE on the brink of going out of business. At least it would appear to be so, considering the amount of stock they use to receive in store and what they are receiving now. In a couple of stores it has changed from 4 pallets a day to on or two. Comparison from September to November.
Nico

Nobody expects.....The Spanish Inquisition!!!

Offline Range Rover Blues

  • Moderator
  • ***
  • Posts: 15221
  • Attack: 100
    Defense: 100
    Attack Member
  • Karma: +3/-0
    • South Yorkshire
  • Referrals: 0
Little rant
« Reply #7 on: January 13, 2007, 02:44:47 »
It would help if they didn't insist on selling TAT.  I've also fouond that if you have any nouse about electronics (and I only have a little) then you are usually asking too much.  Most of the time they suggest I lail order form their head office.

The ICE stuff is damn good and very well priced, 4 channel bridging amp for £60? the one in Halfruads is 5 times that and not bridgeable, but can I have 5 diodes please, any diodes I don't care? sorry out of stock.  Cheap RC toy that will break getting it out of the box, yes big pile of them.  Crossover kit that's in the catalogue, err sorry (you guessed it).
Blue,  1988  Range Rover 3.5 EFi with plenty of toys bolted on
Chuggaboom, 1995 Range Rover Classic
1995 Range Rover Classic Vogue LSE with 5 big sticks of Blackpool rock under the bonnet.

Offline winchman

  • Posts: 1038
  • Attack: 100
    Defense: 100
    Attack Member
  • Karma: +0/-0
  • Referrals: 0
Little rant
« Reply #8 on: January 13, 2007, 07:41:33 »
I bought a satalite set up for the caravan, sent me a refurbished one, after loads of hassle discounted it
Remember it will come in handy even if you never use it

Offline Mudlark

  • Posts: 632
  • Attack: 100
    Defense: 100
    Attack Member
  • Karma: +0/-0
  • Referrals: 0
Little rant
« Reply #9 on: January 13, 2007, 10:54:18 »
Quote from: "Range Rover Blues"
It would help if they didn't insist on selling TAT.  I've also fouond that if you have any nouse about electronics (and I only have a little) then you are usually asking too much.  Most of the time they suggest I lail order form their head office.

The ICE stuff is damn good and very well priced, 4 channel bridging amp for £60? the one in Halfruads is 5 times that and not bridgeable, but can I have 5 diodes please, any diodes I don't care? sorry out of stock.  Cheap RC toy that will break getting it out of the box, yes big pile of them.  Crossover kit that's in the catalogue, err sorry (you guessed it).



Tandy ended up like this as well - whatever happened to them?
 
Click the pic get my NEW site

1988 2.5td manual Shogun SWB

Offline Mudlark

  • Posts: 632
  • Attack: 100
    Defense: 100
    Attack Member
  • Karma: +0/-0
  • Referrals: 0
Little rant
« Reply #10 on: January 13, 2007, 11:12:12 »
Anyone tried RSComponents lately - I used to use them a lot at one time. They can be expensive on a lot of things but a least the small components are available off the shelf.


Yes it is for businesses but at one time they had a home users depatment - not sure if they have now or not
 
Click the pic get my NEW site

1988 2.5td manual Shogun SWB

Offline Bush Tucker Man

  • Posts: 9161
  • Attack: 100
    Defense: 100
    Attack Member
  • Karma: +0/-0
  • Referrals: 0
Little rant
« Reply #11 on: January 13, 2007, 11:25:48 »
For whatever I've bought I've found the Leeds (& Barnsley) branches just fine.

Leeds is a fairly big store, but awkwardly positioned from this side of the city (got to go past the bus Station)
But I try to combine a trip there with a continuation up to Maureens cafe (on Roundhay Road) for a Goat Curry, Rice & Beans
Richard A Thackeray 
Defender 110Td5 'Heritage Gone, but not forgotten
Jaguar XKR; X88 JLT, also 'gone, but not forgotten'

Yorkshire Born & Bred, and proud of it.

"You Can Allus Tell A Yorkshireman, But You Can't tell Him Owt!"

Offline Ja1983

  • Posts: 1082
  • Attack: 100
    Defense: 100
    Attack Member
  • Karma: +0/-0
  • This week I have mostly been fixing....
  • Referrals: 0
Little rant
« Reply #12 on: January 13, 2007, 13:18:22 »
I`ve noticed Machine mart seem to be heading for pusshing out the cheap useless carp over their more traditional stock..

companies get greedy, the names and reputations get tarnished, and then they vanish.. Tandy for example, used to be great.. then they went for selling the cheap carp that you can buy for the same (or less) price everywhere else..

It has been said that, given enough time, a million monkeys bashing at a million typewriters would eventually produce the complete works of Shakespeare. Thanks to the Saxo forums, we now know this to be wrong

No oil leek = No oil left!

Offline Evilgoat

  • Posts: 2786
  • Attack: 100
    Defense: 100
    Attack Member
  • Karma: +0/-0
  • Referrals: 0
Little rant
« Reply #13 on: January 15, 2007, 09:10:34 »
Quote from: "Mudlark"
Anyone tried RSComponents lately - I used to use them a lot at one time. They can be expensive on a lot of things but a least the small components are available off the shelf.


Yes it is for businesses but at one time they had a home users depatment - not sure if they have now or not


RS components wont sell to anyone thats not a business. Thankfully proof you are a business comprises headed paper or an invoice.

RS Sell in quantity which can be a problem, specially on a budget. Rapid electronics are good though and they are one of said companies suppliers too :)
I must confess the the activities of the UK governments for the past couple of years have been watched with frank admiration and amazement by Lord Vetinari. Outright theft as a policy had never occured to him.

-- (Terry Pratchett, alt.fan.pratchett)

EX HK Police Mitsubishi Pajero 2.8TD
Audi S2 Avant 360bhp
Transit LWB 2.5di (The Shed)


Offline Thrasher

  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 3102
  • Attack: 100
    Defense: 100
    Attack Member
  • Karma: +7/-0
    • Northampton
  • Referrals: 0
Little rant
« Reply #14 on: January 15, 2007, 13:57:02 »
Tandy is Radio Shack ..... the high street end has gone :( I used to spend many a happy day in Tandy :-)
--
Neil

Offline Evilgoat

  • Posts: 2786
  • Attack: 100
    Defense: 100
    Attack Member
  • Karma: +0/-0
  • Referrals: 0
Little rant
« Reply #15 on: January 15, 2007, 15:17:57 »
Quote from: "Thrasher"
Tandy is Radio Shack ..... the high street end has gone :( I used to spend many a happy day in Tandy :-)


Radio Shack has more or less gone. Stores in Southcenter, West Ed and Deerfoot malls in Alabert all disapeared at the same time. But it was exactly the same thing. I dont know of a Radio Shack or Tandy in the UK now.

There are alledgedly InterTAN places about (Same parent co)
I must confess the the activities of the UK governments for the past couple of years have been watched with frank admiration and amazement by Lord Vetinari. Outright theft as a policy had never occured to him.

-- (Terry Pratchett, alt.fan.pratchett)

EX HK Police Mitsubishi Pajero 2.8TD
Audi S2 Avant 360bhp
Transit LWB 2.5di (The Shed)


Offline Range Rover Blues

  • Moderator
  • ***
  • Posts: 15221
  • Attack: 100
    Defense: 100
    Attack Member
  • Karma: +3/-0
    • South Yorkshire
  • Referrals: 0
Little rant
« Reply #16 on: January 16, 2007, 17:07:01 »
Tandy was bought by carfone whorehouse or someone.
Blue,  1988  Range Rover 3.5 EFi with plenty of toys bolted on
Chuggaboom, 1995 Range Rover Classic
1995 Range Rover Classic Vogue LSE with 5 big sticks of Blackpool rock under the bonnet.

 






SimplePortal 2.3.5 © 2008-2012, SimplePortal