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The Past

Maplin printed its first 28-page catalogue, took a small advertisement in an electronics magazine and waited for the phone to ring. "We were the only people at the time to say phone us and we'll send you a free catalogue." Roger recalled. "We thought we'd have to get extra phone lines in to cope with the demand, but in the first week we had about ten calls. We thought that if we offered the lowest prices, the fastest service and a catalogue which actually delivered what it promised, we would be an instant success. Unfortunately, we learned the hard way that wasn't the case. We found out that it was a long time before people gave us a try." Nevertheless, word began to spread, and while Roger and Doug remained in their full-time jobs for another year, and the company didn't make a profit, Maplin gradually built up its business and reputation. Maplin 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

The first Maplin Store in Westcliff

The business was growing on its unique reputation for offering first grade electronic components which could be delivered exactly as shown in the catalogue - and all by first class mail. Within two years, a second demand had become apparent - a place where hobbyists could go to buy their components - and Maplin opened its first shop in Westcliff. The mail order business moved in upstairs.

Breakthrough

The first major breakthrough came in 1975, when IPC Magazines, alarmed at the number of complaints against some of their existing advertisers, 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. 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. Successive catalogues introduced major innovations. The first laser available to the amateur and, in 1981, the first home computer. That year also saw the launch of a new magazine for enthusiasts, Electronics. MPS, then Maplin Professional Supplies, was created in 1985 to service the expanding professional market, with a catalogue of products selected specifically for professionals and the business market. For the next decade, the business continued to grow but Maplin was in danger of becoming a victim of its own success. "By 1994 we were turning over £29 million a year." said Roger Allen. "The rate of growth we needed to maintain wasn't going to be possible without us teaming up with someone else. We didn't think we could stretch the company to accommodate the rate at which we needed to grow to remain a credible supplier. Other people were getting together to form bigger and bigger organisations and we felt we could get left behind. "We looked around for someone who wasn't just going to swallow us up but had some electronic presence which didn't conflict with ours. Saltire fitted the bill perfectly. 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.

The Present

The business continues to grow, with an extensive product range of over 15,000 products available from the catalogue, website and store network. Maplin introduces hundreds of new and innovative products every month and prides itself on a unique product offer supported by excellent service.

E-commerce

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. 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 Appliances and Electronics category.

New store New concept

Understanding that successful businesses constantly evolve, Maplin worked close with retail consultants to develop a more effective store layout. The key objective was to make a more pleasant store environment where customers could find what they were looking for quickly in a pleasant retail environment. This resulted in a whole new store launching at Oxford in September. The new store was divided into worlds: Communication, Components, Sat Nav, Home & Car, Music, Power, Tools, TV & Satellite and Computing. Results have shown that customer feedback is extremely positive, with shoppers being able to find what they want far easier in a more customer-friendly layout.

The 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. Dr Keith Pacey (CEO) comments I am extremely pleased that we have continued to grow as a successful retailer in a complex and difficult market. I know that the team are really looking forward to the next chapter in this businesss development. 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. 20 further store openings are planned for 2007 as well as substantial modernisation of the existing network. The business has a medium term goal of 250 stores throughout the UK and the Republic of Ireland.