Purchased a Swann 5MP HD CCTV system from Maplins Carlisle branch, it was claimed by the manufacturer and Maplin to have excellent night vision, this was not the case even though the area is very well lit, it is actually worse than the lower quality, cheaper system it has replaced. After many emails to Maplin customer services I still have no solution to this, I have provided them with footage of the old system compared to the new, initially they tried to fob me off, when I proved to them there was an issue they have totally ignored me. I will never buy anything off this company again, there service is appalling, if there is a problem with the product they seem to think it is not their problem, AVOID THEM!!!!.

I went into leckwith Cardiff and ordered and paid for an item, Delivery was to the store It stated 3 days but they would ring, no call after 10 days so I rang and was told its in 20th Nov, Went in today 24th but it wasn't in the shop. I told them I needed a refund as I needed the item by the 27th. But was told even though I paid for the item at the shop my refund would be from head office !!!!! Plus I dont get a receipt! I said I wasn't leaving without a receipt head office then emailed the shop but the receipted stated my refund was put on a gift card. I told them I needed a receipt stating it had gone on my debit card as that's how I paid, head office said I would have to wait up to 20/30 mins if that was the case. By now 1 hr later I'm also late for work. So before you buy in any of their shops just remember if you need a refund you wont get 1 in any hurry plus it might not go on your card but a gift card. The worsted shop i've ever had a refund from, even the MANAGER said he could do nothing. Then don't take our money !!!!!!!!!!

Visited Andover store Sat 10th May what wonderful customer service - my second purchase there in 6 months - cannot fault the staff they are lovely

I stopped going into maplins because of bad attitude staff, but decided to go to another branch a few weeks back thinking it was a one off experience. Ugh! same attitude there. i asked to see an item i saw advertised (remote control toy) but when i saw it, it wasnt like the one advertised ( cheap and rubbish looking) so i said sorry its not what i want, the shelf stacker slammed the product down and walked off, i was fuming and said to what i thought was the manager walking around (he looked more inteligent than the other dozan staff standing around doing nothing) "how dare he have attitude with me, i suggest you do your job and train them properly and learn them some manners" he just shruggd his shoulders... What a way to run a business...then they blame inflation that some if their branches close....its nothing to do with inflation it is bad management and staff....and to make me even more hangry the shelf stacker stood smerking at me when he saw me complain....how pathetic and childish is he? i will never go in their shops again....especially when they want to charge you for their catalogues (what a joke)

I bought a Turtlebeach XP500 Headset through Maplin. Once I had recieved the headset it was so complicated to setup I went into store to ask for some advice. I was confronted by a spotty teenager with no knowledge of the product let alone any understanding. He simply told me to search the forums online. PRICE: GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE: BAD Thanks

Bought a B grade CCTV system at a very good price online. Unit went faulty, I accept this can happen. What I cannot accept is the woeful level of customer service. I was told the quickest way to return the unit was to take it into the local store. They, as usual, were very helpful. I called one week later to check on the progress of the repair to be told it had not arrived with them yet, and "you were told it could take 14 days to repair", quite rudely. Unlike other retailers who tell you 14 days to cover themselves in case something goes wrong Maplin actually design their system to take 14 days. Unit was returned to me exactly 14 days after I sent it, with the same fault. It seems they do not believe there is an intermittent fault and just plugged it in to see if it worked. So, back it goes with a request to expedite the repair/replacement. Lo and behold once again it takes a week to arrive and as I write has still not been looked at. My emails to ask them to please return quickly as this is the second time it has been sent back just get a cursory reply and do not answer specific questions. I was told, eventually, that they would speed through the repair which was just a 'fobbing off' email to get me to go away. It is clear that they do not value their customers and treat you as an inconvenience. 'Customer care' staff are at best disinterested, at worst down right rude. Will never buy from them online again and the only reason I have not asked for my money back is that the CCTV system took quite some effort to fit, and would require the same to send it back, as they demand all cables/fittings to be returned (understandable) for a refund. They need to learn from other online retailers who treat their customers with respect.

To all those interested in buying from Maplin, do. If you're 100% sure you are going to keep the product you are buying. I bought a product from Maplin's ebay store and returned and left a bad review. (This was because the information advertised as the product was not true as to when I received it). Maplin happily offered me a refund that I was satisfied with. Not too long after I receive another email detailing information that I could be processed a £5 'goodwill gesture' if I remove my negative review from Maplin's ebay store. I reply with that it is not possible from my end due to the sale being made over 60 days ago. I then proceed to inform Maplin of this and they agree to process the 'goodwill gesture' and they will let ebay know to remove the negative review. Time goes by and I receive no £5 after more emails to them eventually resulting in a dead end of no replies I have come to reviewcentre to let others know that Maplin are sugar coated until you get to their customer service. So unless you're happy to buy from them and keep you're product I do not recommend them as a company.

Had an Arnova 10b G3 tablet PC for about 18 hours before realising it could not use Amazon Kindle. Returned it under Maplin's 28 day refund policy with all original packaging. Apparently told it would take two weeks to refund the cost onto my card as.....wait for it.....'the tablet PC had to go to head office for wiping of the memory due to The Data Protection Act'. Never heard such bo--ox in my life. To be fair, people try to root cheap tablets and when it goes wrong I imagine they try and return them. The Arnova 10b G3 is cheap and nasty, with a touch pad that sometimes freezes by the way, in case you ever thought of buying one. Provided I have all the packaging and a receipt I have never encountered such a policy anywhere else. At least Maplin get to hold onto my money for a full 14 days, while I just wait. If you check other comments, it appears Maplin are very reluctant to issue refunds! I gave 2 stars because the staff at least tried to be helpful and friendly. Really as a company Maplin deserve half a star.

If you order on-line and collect in store the price you're charged will be the store price, even though the price in your basket will be the online price. They get away with this because they don't include the price on your reservation email or on the final page you click on to reserve, so the first you know of this con is when you pay in the shop. I was not the only person in the store that commented on this when I was there,but the customer service adviser was more interested in practicing his training speech than listening to what i was saying. This to me shows it's a common way that maplin misleads it's customers and on purpose (either the store staff could feed this back to head office but choose not to, or they do feed it back and head office chooses not to act, so misleading either way). Avoid this store unless you want to be conned, especially if you need to travel to get there. No one likes a long journey, only for the shop to change the price once you get there.

I bought a scanner for Christmas. When I tried it, the image was cropped and the provided slide film holders did not fit the scanner. I took it back to be told that I could not have a refund as the 30 day period had expired and would need to be sent to Head Office for repair or replacement. I showed the assistant the receipt where it clear stated that because of Christmas, returns could be made up to the 16th of January. He read and re-read the receipt several times and disappeared into the back. He came back to say that they still have the discretion to send it back to check if it is faulty. I challenged him to place the film holder into the scanner. He couldn't do it. He read and re-read the receipt and the instruction manual. He disappeared again. He came back with the film holder jammed in the scanner. The line manager came in to the conversation to state that as there were no proper facilities for testing if the film holder fitted, it would have to go to head office. I asked if I could have a word with the manager but was told that she was too busy to talk to customers. I was by now so upset, having said I was not leaving the store without a refund and quoting the Sale of Goods act etc just to watch the assistant re-read the receipt several times and visiting the back office where I presume the manager was hiding. I felt sorry for the assistant. he appeared to be untrained and had no authority even though he was manning the customer service desk. I wish I had the courage to be dishonest and had returned the scanner as an unwanted gift. I am not a young man and am totally unsuited to dealing with such apalling service. In the end, I had to leave the shop as I was feeling unwell. I will never shop at Maplin's again.

I purchased a shredder from Maplins, although the product was good overall quality, the boxes always seem to have been battered on the shelves (or is it just me?) the customer service is something which could definately be improved - specifically, the terrible habbit they have of following customers around the store, making you feel uncomfortable. As an overall rating, I would give them 3/5.