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Updated 5 /1/ 2011
Directory Find It, Welcome to Maplin Electronics
Review by Glyn Cutts
As electronics enthusiasts, Roger Allen and Doug Simmons were well aware of the failings of existing suppliers for electronic components in 1972, Many companies advertised items were government or industrial surplus and very cheap and low in their quality and availability.
Roger started to think there must be lots more people like them trying to produce professional equipment or hobbyists looking for a reliable source of quality components.
So Roger and Sandra Allen and Doug Simmons started up Maplin Electronic Supplies as a mail order business using a bedroom in the Allen's home in Rayleigh, Essex,
Using Maplin name they printed there first 28-page catalogue, and put a small advertisement in an electronics magazine offered the lowest prices, the fastest service and a catalogue which actually delivered what it promised
In there first week about ten calls came in and they found out that it would be a long time before people would give them a try so Roger and Doug remained in their full-time jobs for another year, and the company didn't make a profit,
Over time Maplin gradually built up its business and reputation and realised that, in addition to products, customers wanted technical information, so the second catalogue contained much more detail. By 1975, the 28 pages had become 216 and contained complete projects and when IPC Magazines, offered Maplin the prime advertising position in their electronics journals. Sales received an immediate boost and Maplin's reputation for reliability, price and quality soared.
1975 the first Maplin shop opens in Westcliff on Sea, Essex.
and then a second shop is opened in Hammersmith, London.
A further breakthrough came in 1978 with the first catalogue to feature, and an expanded product range and more technical data and information than ever before. Maplin had to double its staff to cope with the demand
1979 Maplin printed a colour catalogue for the first time and the business continual to grow
1981 the Maplin magazine was launched.
1985
Maplin Professional Supplies (MPS) created to service the expanding business market.
1989
To keep up with the demand Maplin opens The National Distribution Centre in Wombwell, South Yorkshire and
established headquarters in Taiwan.
1994 Maplin continued to grow and looked to becoming a victim of its own success with a turn over £29 million a year." and rate of growth they needed to maintain wasn't going to be possible without help, other organisations were growing and this made Maplin feel they could get left behind.
Maplin was acquired by Saltire in late 1994, and less than a year later opened the first of a new generation of retail outlets, the Maplin Superstore in Leeds .
1999
Maplin launched its transactional website in 1999; unique at the time. Not only did it provide access to all the products in the business, it also checked stock availability and reserved items for customers in real-time. The site had to live up TO customers’ expectations from day one, which meant it had to engineer more features. See the new e-commerce
The site very quickly received over one million hits per month and is now regularly used by thousands of customers. By 2006, Maplin had over 170,000 visitors to its web site every day, placing it in the top ten UK ranking for shopping and classified sites in the ‘Shopping Appliances and Electronics’ category.
The internet site quickly breaks the £1m sales barrier.
New store – New concept
The new store was divided into ‘worlds’: Communication, Components, Sat Nav, Home & Car, Music, Power, Tools, TV & Satellite and Computing.
Maplin Future
The business continues to grow at a phenomenal rate with company sales reaching the £150m barrier in 2006; having had an extremely strong Christmas. Maplin continues to expand its operation in the Far East and is constantly looking to find new, interesting and innovative products for its customers.
Maplin Electronics will be moving to an expansive 200,000 square feet, state-of-the-art distribution centre in Manvers (two miles from Wombwell) that will accommodate the next ten years’ growth.
Author's Resource: Article by Glyn Cutts
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