Peats have closed :(

the_syco

http://www.peats.com

Press Statement - 26th August 2013

Peats 'World of Electronics' Closes

The family owners of Peats 'World of Electronics' have announced with great regret that the business is closing with immediate effect. A creditors meeting will follow in due course.

Chairman Ben Peat briefed staff at their Parnell Street store this morning, outlining that the company could not continue to trade due to continuing poor market conditions. Twenty two staff will be made redundant.

The company had last year closed a number of its stores, whilst keeping the flagship Parnell Street store and its online business open. Since then, the electronics sector has continued to suffer from economic decline and trading over the last 15 months has not been at a viable level to allow the business to continue.

Speaking about the closure, Chairman Ben Peat said;

"It is with great sadness and regret that we have had to make this decision, but we have been left with no other options. Unfortunately, the sector in which we operate has been disproportionately adversely affected by the economic downturn and despite the best efforts of myself and my fellow directors, including a remodelling of the business last year, we simply cannot continue in this climate. Obviously it is a particularly difficult decision for me, with the business having been in my family since 1934 and it's a real shame to lose the familiar Peats shop front from the high street.

I want to put on record my heartfelt thanks to all the staff who have worked with us over the years for their loyalty, hard work, dedication and commitment to providing the exceptional customer service which has always been Peat's hallmark. Finally, thank you to all our customers and our suppliers who enabled Peats to trade for nearly 80 years, a remarkable achievement for a family owned retailer in our sector."
Customers with outstanding orders or other queries can contact Peats via email on admin@peats.com and via telephone on 01 878 4057. An update following the creditors meeting will also be posted on the Peats website www.peats.com

It's a pity; they came back from the brink last year, but I think this will be final

TheIrishGrover

That's a pity. They were quite a bit more expensive than the others like Currys and Argos and the like. But I suppose so much of that would be due to their costs (Not being able to buy stock in such large numbers as the bigger chains etc). But in my dealings with them I found the staff knowledgeable and helpful. I hope those who are out of jobs will be looked after and will not be unemployed long. Good luck to all

Howard Juneau

Such a pity, whenever I travelled to Dublin one of my first stops was to Peats on Parnell St to have a little nosey & maybe buy a new graphics card for whatever pc I was trying to upgrade at the time. Wish the guys working there all the best in finding new jobs

Nate--IRL--

Sorry to see them go. Always got first class service in there.

Nate

the_syco

Before Komplett and the like came along, they were the one shop you could goto and buy stuff. Maybe a bit more expensive than the DSG group, but Peats would know what setup would suit you, as opposed to just reading the back of the box...

stimpson

I'm not surprised - I always found them way overpriced. I would only go there is I really needed something in a hurry.

I don't get the praise for the service either. I remember trying to return a Logitech Harmony remote as it wouldn't work with my old Panasonic TV. The guy in Blanch came over all Comic Book Guy, looked at me with distain and told me it works with all TV's, that I didn't know what I was doing and I wasn't entitled to a refund...

yoyo

Peats were always great for picking up stuff like RAM, Hard drives even processors I think I baught one on occasion there. The staff always seemed more knowledgeable compared to the competition. Very sorry to see them going but unfortunately not surprised given that nowadays it really makes more sense to buy the stuff online given the price differences .

Nick

djbproductions

Yes sorry to see them go although I primarily buy electronics online. I did for years take a trip into town and drop in to where it was originally on the opposite side of the street and buy cable, resisters, leds, pcb boards, etc for small projects (early 90's). My last purchase was a CPU cooler that I still use today. Its a shame to see the old names go but it is hard to support local businesses when we are all watching what we spend.

Thanks Peats, sorry to see you go.

sink

stimpson wrote: »

I don't get the praise for the service either. I remember trying to return a Logitech Harmony remote as it wouldn't work with my old Panasonic TV. The guy in Blanch came over all Comic Book Guy, looked at me with distain and told me it works with all TV's, that I didn't know what I was doing and I wasn't entitled to a refund...

In their defense I have one and even if you can't find the device on their online database it can learn commands as it has a built in IR receiver, you just point the original controller at it. Of course if your original controller broke you're stuffed.

stimpson

sink wrote: »

In their defense I have one and even if you can't find the device on their online database it can learn commands as it has a built in IR receiver, you just point the original controller at it. Of course if your original controller broke you're stuffed.

As I said to Comic Book Guy, it had the codes, but the software could not navigate the AV menu on that particular TV (no AV1, AV2 etc. buttons). I'm a software engineer by profession - if anyone could have gotten it to work it would have been me. After 4 hours of combat with crappy software, I was in no mood for a sales assistant to attempt to pull rank on me.

NathanDrake

The internet killed it unfortunately. I hate hearing stuff like this.

riclad

ITS hard to compete against online web stores, when you have to pay ,insurance, rates, rent etc
I found their staff were very helpful and knew about pc components more than the average shop.
its sad to see it close down.
I PREFER to buy pc parts in irish shops, even if its a bit more expensive than buying online.

stimpson

I don't buy that it's the evil internet. Currys/Dixons/PCWorld are increasing profits in their Bricks and Mortar shops and yet losing money on Pixmania. And all this despite woeful customer service.

http://www.rte.ie/news/business/2013/0620/457754-currys-dixons-pcworld/

Tony EH

Agreed.

I think the "internet did it" is a poor excuse. Peats' stuff was always very overpriced and people could just shop cheaper, plus the actual choice of products was never that great.

Cuddlesworth

stimpson wrote: »

I don't buy that it's the evil internet. Currys/Dixons/PCWorld are increasing profits in their Bricks and Mortar shops and yet losing money on Pixmania.

Currys/Dixons/PCworld have no competition left.

Pixmania is a small fish in a big pond.

stimpson

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

Currys/Dixons/PCworld have no competition left.

Pixmania is a small fish in a big pond.

What about DID, Harvey Normans, Power City??

Poxmania have awful awful customer service and are up against Amazon who have awesome customer service (and usually better prices).

Admittedly, you're only left with Maplins for PC parts/electronic components, but again, I would have the same issue with Maplins - massively overpriced and limited range. I'd say they will be next. I can't remember the last time I bought any electronics in B&M shops.

Gadgetman496

stimpson wrote: »

Admittedly, you're only left with Maplins for PC parts/electronic components, but again, I would have the same issue with Maplins - massively overpriced and limited range. I'd say they will be next.

Maplin was a bit of a novelty when it came to Ireland first me thinks?

You are right about their prices and limited range too stimpson.

Along with all that they tend to off load end of line or very soon to be end of line products from their UK stores to their Irish stores and they now stock the most extensive range of non technical plastic crap too, I mean, who would ever have expected to see disposable plastic razors for sale in a store like Maps???

DieselPowered

Did anyone notice Peats Wholesale start up, is it the same group, different name?

wil

DieselPowered wrote: »

Did anyone notice Peats Wholesale start up, is it the same group, different name?

About 1969. So didn't notice.:rolleyes:
Wholesalers trade only, different company different owners but same family possibly cousin of owners of Peats. Don't think they were ever a group.