Mud-club
Chat & Social => The Bar - General Chat => Topic started by: Evilgoat on January 12, 2007, 14:48:27
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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?
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what store is this?
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what store is this?
Maplin?
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Not allowed to say
but they are the only electronics store in the high stree that carries compnents and charge for their catalog
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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:
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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
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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.
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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).
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I bought a satalite set up for the caravan, sent me a refurbished one, after loads of hassle discounted it
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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?
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Anyone tried RSComponents (http://rswww.com/cgi-bin/bv/rswww/home.do?cacheID=uknetscape&returningUser=N) 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
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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
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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..
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Anyone tried RSComponents (http://rswww.com/cgi-bin/bv/rswww/home.do?cacheID=uknetscape&returningUser=N) 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 :)
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Tandy is Radio Shack ..... the high street end has gone :( I used to spend many a happy day in Tandy :-)
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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)
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Tandy was bought by carfone whorehouse or someone.