Maplin"B" Grade

Topper said:
"B" grade is just that, any "B" grade that proves to be faulty has to be refunded under the sale of goods act however buying a "B" grade leaves you wide open to the fact that generally easy parts to obtain may be missing.

[...]

I notice you admit you have to be lucky to get all parts and fully working yes you do have to be lucky that is what a "B" grade is all about.
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Well, for what it's worth, I think this whole thread misses the point about Maplin's B grade rather badly.

B-graded material is returns, but it is as just as functional as A-grade (retail) stock.

The B-grading simply means that it can't be sold as "new".

Indeed, B-graded stuff is a more reliable buy in general compared to A-grade. The A-graded stuff comes straight from the manufacturer to the consumer without anyone else checking it. The B-graded stuff has been returned and checked by retailer technicians -- the extra level of quality checking means that B-graded stuff is less, not more, likely to be faulty.

The B-graded receiver purchased by the original poster should not have been graded B, but rejected as faulty. A problem occurred in the retailer's return process, but that does not mean that B-grades are supposed to be faulty.

All one loses by buying B-grades is the intangible feeling of newness, and the privilege of paying a premium price for that.

Hope this helps clear some confusion up,
JST
 
JetSetTed said:
Hope this helps clear some confusion up,
JST
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I have no confusion with this matter, however if you are suggesting that the photograph at the start of this thread is the level of competence shown by technicians then they should not be working as technicians or are the loose transformer outputs supposed to be squashed between the grill and the transformer. I think not
 
Topper said:
if you are suggesting that the photograph at the start of this thread is the level of competence shown by technicians then they should not be working as technicians or are the loose transformer outputs supposed to be squashed between the grill and the transformer.
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Er, no, not at all.

I'm making the point the B-grade has to do with the retailability of the product, not the functional- or electrotechnical quality.

Noöne's arguing that the received product in this case was suitable, safe and safe.

However, to generalize by assuming that this is normal for B-grade is to misunderstand the meaning of Maplin's B-grade. B-grade stuff is not sold as scrap or for-parts. If it were, then it wouldn't be guaranteed, nor would it be possible to return it if it didn't work.

Complaining about the specific, apparently unsafe item received by Portly is in order; condemning the whole of Maplin's B-graded programme because of this incident alone is overstating the case.

Cheers,
JST
 
Yes I agree, in general the Maplin B Grade gear is OK, I've bought a few bits and pieces over the years and been happy with them.

Having said that, took delivery of a B Grade VHS to DVD recorder yesterday morning and the thing is faulty, works fine on the VHS side, but as soon as you play a DVD or do anything on the DVD side, the screen takes on a heavy blue cast, taking it back later today. :-DOH!
 
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