Maplin Electronics

I had a funny experience with Maplin Electronics, I couldn't stop laughing when I left their shop. It so happened that I was after a plastic lampholder which looks like the one shown in the adjacent picture. I was searching for this particular holder for a month now when I found it on Maplin's website. I kept checking the stock level at their stores in Slough (and Reading, Uxbridge etc.) This item was not in stock in the Slough store. A couple of weeks back when I rechecked the stock at Slough store, there were 6 in stock, so I drove to their store and started looking for this. If you have ever been to any of Maplin's stores, you will know that the stores appear to be overstaffed with all the representatives trying to help you. I was browsing through the lines for about 5 minutes or so when this representative asked me if I needed help. I told him that I am looking for SH96E (their catalog number) he tried searching for a bit, then went to their stock management system, came back and said "We have 6 in stock, but I don't know where they are", he then called a couple of other reps and none of them seem to know where this particular thing was. Finally they told me to try other shop. WOW

"We are sorry sir, we know this thing is in store, but we don't know where it is, none of the other reps seem to know where it is so could you please buy it from somewhere else?"

This is when I left their store as I couldn't control my laughter... I wonder whether I should go and check the uxbridge store.