News - Microdirect said to have gone bust

[HEXUS]

The PC components e-tailer looks like another tech channel casualty.

Read more.

[shaithis]

Doesn't surprise me. Haven't even bothered to check their site in years......two returns with them and never wanted to deal with them again.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

They did recently close one of their two branches in Manchester:

http://www.microdirectforums.com/sho...n-the-MD-front!

I have visited their branch next to Oxford Road but I suspect with Aria being relatively close by it did not help with sales.

[oolon]

There prices were always so expensive how they must have messed up big time! I only ever checked there site when I could not source items elsewhere.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

I don't think all their products were that expensive TBH. They were the cheapest for GTX460 768MB for quite a while.

[kalniel]

We just got something from them the other day.. :/

[scaryjim]

Anyone who thinks that Microdirect were expensive clearly didn't browse their site properly. They weren't the cheapest for many things, but they kept a good range of stock and usually had more range from the less popular manufacturers like ASRock and Biostar.

Whilst I doubt this will impact much on online shoppers (scan and ebuyer being far more popular), it will definitely have repercussions in Manchester where they were the only decently priced component shop near central Manchester - and it'll impact me, as Microdirect was on my way between home and work, whereas Aria - albeit it somewhat closer to me - would be a special trip.

I suspect being taken off manchester Uni's approved suppliers list didn't help their cause...

[cosmicuk]

I've used them for years, always handy when you need a part off the shelf. Recently I've used Aria more and more though as their prices are just far more competitive.

75K range rovers and 50K mercs with god knows what else the big wigs spent might have had something to do with their down fall - bad management I say.

[scaryjim]

I have visited their branch next to Oxford Road but I suspect with Aria being relatively close by it did not help with sales.

I've bought quite a lot from there (both for myself and for work) and I've never been in and found it empty - there's always someone buying something. I suspect the real problem is that the upkeep / rates etc on that property are probably pretty high, coupled with a lot more custom moving online and them not being able to compete with Scan / ebuyer in online sales.

[Scott B]

Watch this space, I expect to provide an update shortly.

[redddraggon]

I've bought quite a lot from there (both for myself and for work) and I've never been in and found it empty - there's always someone buying something. I suspect the real problem is that the upkeep / rates etc on that property are probably pretty high, coupled with a lot more custom moving online and them not being able to compete with Scan / ebuyer in online sales.

Everytime I've been in the Upper Brook Street branch, there's always been a massive queue, mainly because the cashiers are stuck trying to answer n00b questions. Bloody annoying when you only nip in to get a network cable.

All my C2D build stuff came from Microdirect, but that was when they delivered to university on the same day for free, and had 10% off the standard price. Only used them for bits and pieces since they stopped doing that.

[Scott B]

Updated.

[Tunnah]

A lot of techies stay away from MD because it is always full of people clogging up the queue with stupid questions, I don't think i've ever been in and not waited 10-20minutes. People always walk out too. The queues look bigger than they are because the counters are so close to the door, it puts people off.

[mrskalniel]

If they haven't yet "gone bust" (whatever you mean that to mean - not a very helpful term) then your headline is very misleading and potentially very irresponsible. A lot of businesses have cashflow difficulties at one time or another. Cashflow problems do not equal "going bust". Going into administration does not equal "going bust". However, spreading rumours about a company being "said to be going bust" could well push things over the edge for them if their creditors get scared by your reports.

Ultimately, your headline might well be correct (disclaimer: I have no idea), but please do consider what you write and the impact it could have on a business.

[llololloy]

used them a few times over the past year, never really had to queue, place seemed nice, and their prices are often comparable with scan and aria.
had to take one thing back (an nvidia card that supposedly supported hybrid power sli, but i could never get that feature to work), had no issues getting a refund once i explained the problem.
I'll continue to use them if I can.

[MadduckUK]

If they haven't yet "gone bust" (whatever you mean that to mean - not a very helpful term) then your headline is very misleading and potentially very irresponsible. A lot of businesses have cashflow difficulties at one time or another. Cashflow problems do not equal "going bust". Going into administration does not equal "going bust". However, spreading rumours about a company being "said to be going bust" could well push things over the edge for them if their creditors get scared by your reports.

Ultimately, your headline might well be correct (disclaimer: I have no idea), but please do consider what you write and the impact it could have on a business.

yup, potentially a self-fulfilling prophecy

shame, used to get stuff from them during the micro computer mart years