Yes, I remember Maplin's early days, when Roger Allen started the business - cheap, good quality and a genuine interest in electronics, including producing project magazines.
Then Akai bought Roger out, and immediately upped the prices....and so it went on, so it serves them right.
Ron.
Yep, ironically, it was mail order (and you could even order "online" with a MODEM using their text based BBS, IIRC) that was their great strength when the likes of Farnell and RS wouldn't deal with individuals.
Their catalogue was also like a bible before online access to component data sheets, etc. because all the application information was there along with example circuits and so on. Those were the days!
I do wonder why they invested in so much retail space where if they'd kept the online side competitive for electronics "makers" without the overheads and needing to sell tacky toys and PC components with a huge markup, they might have been OK.
P.S. Rapid Electronics at Colchester are usually quite good on price - apart from their delivery charges.
Yep, I try to support them a bit too. They are a breath of fresh air after searching for the 22uF, 16V capacitor that you need on Farnell and having to weed down the list of 16,384 possibilities to pick the one you actually want to buy - only to find there's a £15 "us surcharge" on the price.