I don't know if this is the case for all Maplin's but my own associations with the brand are exclusively negative, so this is one rare case of a physical shop b

I don't know if this is the case for all Maplin's but my own associations with the brand are exclusively negative, so this is one rare case of a physical shop being outdone by online stores on more far than just price and convenience. My local Maplin opened shop around the corner from one the oldest, most well-loved independent electronics shops in the area and drove them out of business by virtue of location and size alone. They didn't even bother to undercut them, and their staff were untrained and clueless, they were just a few hundred metres closer to foot traffic and had more shelves to browse, sparing shy customers the awkwardness of having to ask for an item from the back. I'm actually a little surprised they've done so badly when they seem to have no competition on the street and the margins must surely be enormous given their extortionate pricing.