Maplin
Reviews and Complaints

Washing machine purchased in December broke down in June. Still under warranty and someone came out at the end of June and advised needed new part which would take a week to arrive.

On the 11th July someone came out and it turns out the wrong part was ordered and they would order the correct part which would take around 3 days to be ready.

it is now the 1st of August and the part has still not been replace! I telephoned on the 30th July for update and was told the part was still not ready and I would be phoned back once an email was sent about this.. Still had no response.

I have a son who is autistic and I need constant access to a working washing machine. I would like this part fitted asap as waiting over 3 weeks is unacceptable never mind the correct part not being ordered in the first instance.

I purchased the brush on 23/10/17 as part of £18.47 I had spent on goods at the store The first time I attempted to use it to clean the windows of my Motorhome I placed hot water in a bucket with a small amount of detergent. On immersing the brush the hairs immediately shrank and deformed into a hard and distorted unuseable mess.
Today I returned to the store (Coventry Gallagher Retail Park) to request a refund. I was served by Deputy Manager Steven Hawkins. On explaining to him the reason for my visit he became arrogantly defensive suggesting that I had misused the brush that is was not meant to be used with a bucket and hot water. I pointed out that nowhere in the information written on the packaging did it say this and after all it is described as a wash brush. Not a cold water brush or hose only brush. He continued to refuse any liability and had the temerity to offer to sell me a replacement. At this point I became somewhat annoyed asking if he understood the concept of merchantable quality. Since he still refused to refund I asked to speak to the store manager who as it happened was standing just a few feet away. He quickly told Mr Hawkins to give me a refund but decided to process the card repayment himself. An apology would have been welcome.
My purpose in making this complaint is two fold. Firstly I think you should know of the obvious shortcomings of this product. Other customers need to be warned that the bristle on the brush will in effect melt in hot water. There are no warnings on the packaging or on the product display area in the shop. Secondly I wish to complain at the behaviour of Mr Hawkins. He showed absolutely no empathy or interest in my problem preferring to ascribe blame and display what I would describe as an arrogant passive aggressive attitude. I have been a customer of Maplins for many years over which I have spent a considerable amount. As a retired former tutor of media studies at Coventry University I am not without connections in the current academic and student population. I have wide and active online connections. Luckily on this occasion no damage was caused to the paintwork or finish of my vehicle. I have been inconvenienced in having to travel to seek the refund and deal with an employee who would clearly benefit from some training in customer service.

I have ordered a memory card from www.maplin.co.uk and everything was fine but one day it stopped working and I was not able to get access to my files. I contacted customer service and asked for a refund. They asked me to bring the card to their office first. So I went to their office and the shop assistant checked it and said that there was nothing he could do. Ok, then give my money back, I said. ( Used the card for two weeks) He said that refund was not possible since I have already used the card. Scammers! I gave them my money and they sold me a defective product which stopped responding in two weeks! Are you kidding me?

The worst ever Maplin shop at Greenwich Shopping Park. Charlton. SE7 7SR.
Went today that shop, I always like to see what is going in electronic stuff and first thing I saw wireless 2 tb hard drive, WOW, I never head of that and I took a picture to check the later on-line ...And the guy called team leader, asked me how can I help you, I said no thank you and carried on to see what new stuff is on the market...later on I saw Heated Gloves, My God, have you ever heard of that ?, I never can think of that, so I took another picture to show my brother, as we both skiing in Alps every year, so perhaps it would be nice gadget to have such gloves. Anyway..I didn’t know, that I have been observing at all time by stuff, because I took couple of pictures on my iPhone ? I always did in any shop and even in that shop particularly and never no one told me, that this is anything wrong...Anyway..I bought a little ice scrapper and when I wanted to go to pay for that, they guy, again that team leader came and told me, that I am not aloud to take pictures in store..I asked why is that ? He said, listen this, because its against Landlord policy .:-) Well I said, I didn't take the store pictures, just particular 2-3 items, which I am interested, . He said NO, you are not aloud, ! Well, I said, OK, that's fine, I will not take any pictures. And instead of let me go out he followed me by asking me to DELETE the photos from my phones !.I said what ? ? Anyway, I asked him in first place to show me any information, that I am not aloud to take a pictures, and he said he is a boss and he dont need to explain me...And when he said so, I just felt he must have some bad day or what, as I haven't done anything wrong...Hello ! We are not in Asia somewhere !..
I said ok, just better I will go, as it is not going right and guess what.. He juts followed me and he said you are banned and you are not allowed to this shop.. I asked what for? He said for SUSPICIOUS behaviour ! LOL..I said are you mad or what ? taking the pictures is suspicious behaviour ? Anyway He called 3 more security guys, they surrounded me and I just felt this i***ts will going to do some stupid thing and I won’t pick up my kids 1 later.. Anyway I went from shop out and told them that I will not leave like this...What a ignorant and stupid reason ? No.. The truth is, that this block asked me just on the entrance how can I help you and I said no thank you and he might felt rejected or something and he starts his mission to observe me like a thief.
I felt so terrible...
Anyway .. I have my own business and I don't have a time to fight with them told him, that I will not leave like this and I will come back and I will speak with Manager.. and I will do that, whatever it cost me...
I will also write to Head Office formal complaint, as this is not normal behaviour !
What a arrogant person ...Unbelievable..
I have done nothing wrong !

In April 2013, I noticed that the wires on the supplied mains adapter for my Peavey mixer were becoming frayed as they were fairly thin and and I didn't want to be left without power at a gig in case they became detached. So I went to Maplin and asked an assistant for advice in buying a backup adapter. I paid £14.99 and tried the new item that very night. The mixer 'blew' immediately and I could smell burning electronics! I could not perform that night as I had no backup equipment. The very next day, I went back to Maplins and told them of the situation. The assistant said that it should have been the correct adapter and plugged everything in to test. The mixer proceeded to smoke in front of him and he became perplexed as to why this should have happened. He duly filled in a report and sent everything off to be checked by the company's engineers. A report came back that there was nothing wrong with the adapter and the Peavey mixer was already faulty! I told them to check with the assistant but every time they tried he either wasn't at work or was on holiday. The mixer only cost £110 and is less than 12 months old so is still under warranty and I also have all of my equipment insured so I'm not trying to pull a fast one, I just wanted good service and something that does the job! Maplin, to their credit, after calling me a liar in all but name, have offered to refund the cost of my new Behringer mixer (which cost £60) and the adapter, in full in the form of vouchers to be used in the shop. I told them that I would not be using their services again so they offered me half in the form of a cheque, for which I'm still waiting. I have now sent the Peavey mixer back to the company that I bought it from in the hope that they can repair it. It's not the end of the world and even at a total loss it's not going to cost me a fortune but I just feel so aggrieved that this big company can take little responsibility for their product causing damage to my equipment and just stopping short of calling me a liar!

Simply don't shop in this store. I bought some speakers for my computer, couldn't make them work, so took them back to the shop. The range was poor and I didn't want to trade them for a different set (I'd chosen the cheapest as I only wanted to use them for the radio at work). The Asst Manger told me that no refund was offered on the product as they couldn't find anything wrong with them. He then said that he might have given me a refund but because I was getting angry and upset at his attitude, 'he was no longer going to offer me one'. Maplin offer poor quality products and absolutely don't want to part with any money back to the customer at all costs so it would seem. The attitude of the Asst Manager was appalling. I'll never shop in this store again. There are too many other options on the high street offering better goods, better prices and above all better service. Save yourself the stress and shop elsewhere is my opinon and experience of shopping at Maplin.

Bought a fujifilm 2gb xd picture card from maplin store for£49.99. I discovered that the exact same card was only £22.99 in comet stores.I e mailed customer services and was informed that that was their selling price and they would not reimburse me. I feel disgusted with the over inflated price and being ripped off.

Purchased a 'Netbook' that wouldn't work on the net (Paid via Paypal direct Debit). Brought it back in person to their store Feb 4th because it couldn't do what promised and was promised a rapid refund (apparently unable to issue refunds in the store just RMA/RTX numbers).

Called a week later "we just received it". Waited a few days more and called again, "It will be sorted out by Thursday." Called back and was advised that the refund would be issued "by Wed Feb 25" (now 21 days after they had received it back). Called Wed Feb 25 "oh, it's 'just' been processed. You should receive your refund in less than 4 days."

Each call was to the only number provided, their premium rate phone number and each call was opened with a long wait.

The staff are unable to provide customers with supervisors names or supervisors because all the supervisors are 'on the phones' and no managers can be reached because they are "in meetings" (regardless the time of day the call is received).