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JANUARY 2010: Following the increase in the UK VAT rate back up to 17.5%, we have held our prices at their 2009 levels - for now.
NOVEMBER 2009: You may have noticed that you can now leave Product Ratings and Customer Reviews against any product on our site - just go to the detailed view of any product and scroll down to the 'Customer Feedback' section. We value your feedback - and we're sure that other customers do too!.
OCTOBER 2009: It’s all change at Midland Counties!
Our new name from 1st January 2010 is Ian Allan Plus! - all trading operations will continue under this new brand name which will bring a whole new range of shopping possibilities for all you hobbyists and enthusiasts out there!
Midland Counties has been part of the Ian Allan Group of companies since 1999 and by re- branding it enables us to be fully integrated into one of the leading independent enthusiast and specialist publishing groups in the UK.
For our customers, it will simply be business as usual, whilst enabling us to make the necessary improvements in our customer service, sales and marketing areas!
Here’s a taster of some developments coming soon:
- A fresh, new website with greater interaction, offers, competitions, peer to peer recommendations, editorial blogs, and much more!
- All products within your chosen subject area(s) in one place online - books, magazines, DVDs, Kits & Calendars.
- An improved range of stock, including plastic Kits!
- An improved showroom where a range of our new books, DVD’s, Kits and other products can be purchased five days a week!
- Improved access to all areas of the Ian Allan Group of products.
Sales and Marketing Director Jonathan King comments,”We are operating in an extremely competitive marketplace. It is important that every part of our business evolves and innovates to keep pace with our customer audience. Ian Allan Plus will reflect the DNA of the company, that of it being engaging, innovative and customer focused, as well being able to provide additional benefits."
So here’s to you, our customers, and Ian Allan Plus in 2010 – it’s going to be an exciting year ahead!
JULY 2009: You may have noticed a new name and logo on the latest Midland Counties catalogue and on the Superstore homepage. Over the next few months, Midland Counties will become 'Ian Allan Plus'. Look out for more details throughout the rest of the year.
MAY 2009: After a lot of development and testing, we have installed a new system to allow your website order to be automatically fed into our Mail Order system which should result in an even quicker turnaround of your orders.
MARCH 2009: For UK Mainland customers, we have added two new services at the checkout:
- next working day delivery for orders placed before 10 00
- collection from our premises in Hinckley, Leicestershire
More information is available by clicking the link in the 'Delivery Methods' box at the checkout.
FEBRUARY 2009 [3]: (Amended 12th March 2009) We are pleased to say that with effect from 5th February 2009 our viewing facility at our Mail Order Warehouse in Hinckley will be open once again. Available to
browse/purchase will be:
- Second hand books
- Range of the latest titles
- Full range of Ian Allan/OPC/Midland/Classic titles
You will also be able to place an order for any title(s) not immediately available for collection. Your order can then be sent to you (post free) or made available for collection at a later date.
Initially we will be open on weekdays between 10.00am and 2.00pm.
We can, if you wish, make orders placed on the web site available for collection. If you wish to do this, please select the 'Collect' option in the Delivery Methods box at the checkout. Any items which you do not wish to purchase when you have examined them will be refunded or credited,
FEBRUARY 2009 [2]: A recent comment from a customer has led to a change in the category structure within the 'Superstore' to make it easier to find titles on Buses, Canals, Lorries, Maritime, Plant and Trams. Previously all contained within 'Transport', each now has a separate category
FEBRUARY 2009: We have gradually been adding the ability to search for titles in a particular series to various categories in the 'Superstore' - see the May 2006 news item below. We have just completed work on the biggest series we have yet tackled - the Osprey 'Men-at-Arms' series of over 440 titles. They can be found by Clicking here.
JANUARY 2009: We are sorry to say that the experiment of accepting payment from UK customers via the Go&Pay;™ system has not proved successful. Only a tiny number of orders were placed, and most of those were never completed by making the necessary payment. The facility has, therefore, been removed.
DECEMBER 2008: With effect from 1st December 2008, the standard rate of VAT in the UK was reduced from 17.5% to 15%. Prices for DVDs, Calendars, Models and any other items subject to VAT have been adjusted to allow for this change. As a reminder:
- Books in the UK are 'zero-rated' for VAT and there is therefore no VAT to be adjusted or deducted.
- DVDs, Calendars, Models, etc. do carry VAT, and these prices have been adjusted.
- If you are resident in the European Union, then we must charge you the VAT unless you are VAT registered in your own country and have supplied us with your VAT Registration details.
- For customers outside the European Union we can deduct the VAT element of the prices quoted on the site. Unfortunately, we cannot do this automatically at the checkout at present, but the deduction will be made when the order is processed.
NOVEMBER 2008: (Amended 14th November 2008) We have added a completely new range of products to our stock - reprints of Ordnance Survey Maps produced by Cassini Publishing. There are over 550 individual titles in the range, divided into four series:
- Past & Present - 4 Maps from 4 Periods
- Old Series (1805-1847)
- Revised New Series (1896-1909)
- Popular Edition (1919-1926)
For many areas, the Old Series, Revised New Series and Popular Edition maps are also available as a Box Set
The whole of the range we have available has now been added to the site - they can be found by clicking here.
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