Farnell/Element 14 and UPS: you suck! - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: MrSlack
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 24, 2016, 06:58:32 am
content: So I ordered a pile of ICs and inductors on the 21st expecting next day delivery, you know like it's plastered all over their web site.On the 22nd, no dispatch notice. "Processing"On the 23rd, I get a half assed automated email saying it wasn't dispatched. "Processing"So on the evening of the 23rd, I call the customer services line at 19:40 and am promised that they will look into it. I said, no, forget it. Cancel the order and hit the RS trade counter tomorrow, fortunately only 10 mins away from me, as they have what I need in stock. I am told the order is cancelled.On 23rd evening at 20:40, I get a dispatch notices and UPS tracking number. Cancelled - clearly not!So I just checked the UPS tracking page today and what can I see:Well yes it was indeed dispatched earlier at 17:15. No updates. Origin scan done way after the dispatch.Annnnnd... UPS miserable failure "due to operating conditions, your package may be delayed".Argh muppets! Now due to Easter here, I've got to wait until 29th of March at least for something I ordered on the 21st next day. But no, I need this today so I've got to hit the RS trade counter and then argue this later. FFFFFffff...

author: daqq
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 24, 2016, 07:06:34 am
content: Funny, we have yet to have a problem with farnell - every order was there the next day.

author: MrSlack
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 24, 2016, 07:16:02 am
content: Possibly but still a crap thing to do on a "next day" package. If I order from RS, they ship using the incumbent idiots that are Parcelforce who always deliver on the mark but have a 50% hit rate with either leaving it at the post office instead.

author: XOIIO
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 24, 2016, 07:28:09 am
content: I know how you feel, though not from farnell/element 14, I have 5 packages that were supposed to be here by the 18th at latest (some a week before then), and there is still not a damn sign of them. Granted they are from china, I've never had any that late, but all the ones I've recently ordered have had bad delays. I'm stuck waiting on parts for two or three different projects with everything else set to go and it's driving me insane.

author: Towger
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 24, 2016, 07:42:10 am
content: I have had them cancel part of an order with no communications. When contacted their excuse was there couriers can no longer handle dangers products. A can of air or Ipa in this case. When asked why a XLR plug was also cancelled, I got no response. I also got no response from their complaint Web page. I tried the air couple of months or so later and they had no problems.Again in this case I just re ordered from RS.To be fair the above happened with the CPC flavour of Farnell, but their systems appear to be the same and I assume all the backend is the same.

author: MrSlack
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 24, 2016, 08:00:56 am
content: Definitely same system as you can't register a user account with both with the same name.

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 24, 2016, 08:11:26 am
content: I generally find Farnell and UPS to be fine, maybe one problem a year on an avarage of an order a week.

author: Digibin
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 24, 2016, 08:26:52 am
content: Never had problems with Farnell or RS really, always very quick delivery.Mouser and Digikey take longer to deliver. Mouser have even sent me the wrong parts before. The parts were labelled on the bag as the parts I ordered, but inside they were actually different. They were the same series but wrong spec so I didn't notice until I'd built up my board and started testing some weeks later. That was really annoying.

author: bookaboo
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 24, 2016, 09:36:24 am
content: Quote from: Digibin on March 24, 2016, 08:26:52 amQuote from: mikeselectricstuff on March 24, 2016, 08:11:26 amLikewise, of course murphy dictates which order the 1% delay will be the critical one.

author: MrSlack
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 24, 2016, 09:47:22 am
content: Yep and this is the critical one... typical. First professional job in about 15 years and I get shafted at step 1

author: MrSlack
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2016, 02:58:27 pm
content: Well the hopeless peons managed to bounce the package around the UK for a week then tried to deliver it while I was out. Instead of doing anything sensible like actually leaving it with a neighbour, they tried to dump it at the local UPS collection poiny (Londis dodgy shop) who were also closed so it's being returned to Farnell.Fuuuuuuuuuuu... Muppets. Fired!

author: gamalot
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2016, 04:02:08 pm
content: Tonight I got this "Urgent Order Information" from Element14, I swear when I placed the order, all items were in stock and can be shipped immediately!!!Thank you for your recent purchase order which we have processed on the reference number listed above. Regrettably, some items required on your order are currently out of stock. The following items will be immediately despatched once we have receipt from our supplier

author: MrSlack
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2016, 04:08:17 pm
content: Infuriating isn't it!RS from now on even if it's more expensive.

author: rich
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2016, 05:55:01 pm
content: Murphy always makes sure critical orders get delayedDid you choose the free 'Standard' next day delivery or pay for UPS Express? I'm interested because I always thought that Standard was just best-effort with good statistics (e.g. >99% delivered next day) and Express had in-built guarantees/compensation - however I may be totally mis-remembering or confusing it with another distributer or courier.My usual gripe with Farnell delivery is early evening orders, still before the 8pm cut off, sometimes don't get dispatched until the following day.

author: MrSlack
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2016, 06:15:15 pm
content: I didn't get to pick a carrier. Farnell shipped it via default next day. Usually turns up via royal mail but this was a bit heavier than my usual orders so they probably cut costs.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2016, 07:14:58 pm
content: Means that they had the parts in stock, but that some bigger volume customer wanted that stock, so you got dropped to the bottom of the pile till they restock whenever.

author: FrankE
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 30, 2016, 07:59:11 am
content: I ordered from RS on Thursday and they sent it Parcelforce, though it could have gone small packet RM. Unfortunately although Royal Mail were delivering on Friday (not a public holiday here) Parcelforce weren't.I placed an order yesterday well before 20:00. Though it was dispatched in time for the trunk the tracking ref number is as yet unrecognised.QuotePfft, nuisance, I want to go out.EditPerhaps they picked it locally or didn't scan at Corby so it made the overnight trunk.30/3/2016 9:55 Aberdeen Depot Out for delivery30/3/2016 9:12 Aberdeen Depot Prepared for delivery30/3/2016 9:01 Aberdeen Depot Received at delivery depot

author: MrSlack
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 30, 2016, 08:37:01 am
content: Ironically it took less than 24 hours for my package to get back to Farnell. Dicks!I've got to say it but the best supplier I've used is bitsbox.co.uk. No good for huge volume but always next day RM delivery.Also eBay sellers are working out better than the big disties. Even the ones in China running drop shipping operations are better.

author: NilByMouth
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 30, 2016, 10:25:07 am
content: My experience with Farnell CPC and UPS was that it took 3 attempts to get a components cabinet to me undamaged. The first box was ripped open and a scratch down the side of the cabinet. The second had a hole that looked like someone kicked it and the top of the cabinet was severely bent. The third was mostly okay but still a little bit bent at the bottom. I was told to keep the second for UPS to come and inspect and collect it - they never turned up so CPC told me to dispose of it. I managed to straighten it to make it usable so a win, but still very frustrating.

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 30, 2016, 10:53:39 am
content: CPC have always been bad at packing.

author: MrSlack
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 30, 2016, 10:56:20 am
content: Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on March 30, 2016, 10:53:39 amYeah definitely. They sent me a Wisher breadboard in a massive box about 30x the volume of the breadboard. Incidentally it didn't fit flat or on end still so they just jammed it in the bottom of the box and bent all the packaging.

author: MrSlack
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 30, 2016, 02:44:40 pm
content: So I just called them up again and asked what the hell is going on. Received back at Leeds and signed in.So I ask, so when am I going to get a credit back to my card for this?"We're still processing stuff from the 22nd of March"I understand people fuck up but to not resolve it quickly and efficiently is EOL for me. Farnell/Element 14/CPC are permanently added to my shitlist.

author: MrSlack
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2016, 07:33:20 am
content: RS seem to have that covered. Plus I'm not adversed to hand winding the odd toroid

author: SteveyG
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 31, 2016, 08:06:28 am
content: Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on March 24, 2016, 08:11:26 amYou're lucky. I regularly get orders placed well before the cut-off delayed by a day or two, despite my account manager giving guarantees it won't happen again. I'd say I get delays 4 or 5 times a month

author: Koen
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2016, 08:15:45 am
content: Same as Mike, we order three times a week and only once a year are they late on delivery.

author: m100
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2016, 09:37:20 am
content: Placed an order with Farnell early afternoon mid March, usually a confirmation email arrives within seconds. Busy doing other things but noticed nothing had arrived two hours later, and worryingly the order didn't even show on the website order history. Fortunately I still had the final order screen with their reference open in another tab.Was about to fully reorder but before clicking through I rang up customer services, answered quickly with a very professional service from 'Tori' Informed that there had been a problem with order procesing and there was a backlog of a few hours. Put on hold for a while while she checked on progress. Asked for my phone number and was assured a call back well before the 8pm cutoff and if the order hadn't gone through by then she would do a manual telephone order to ensure arrival next day. Email confirmation arrived sometime after 6pm and sometime later a call from Tori to confirm that the order was going through ok.Goods arrived next day. UPS used to arrive 8-9am regardless of the service level, but since a driver change it's mid to late morning, most of the time I can cope with that.Not the usual totally faultless and seamless service I'd expect from Farnell but they fixed it professionally at no more than the cost of a phone call. Make all your phone numbers 0800's Farnell and you would be near perfect.The order value? Under 30 quid.P.S. I've had a few horrendous ordering and delivery problems with the likes of RS and Rapid in the past.

author: FrankE
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2016, 09:55:39 am
content: Quote from: MrSlack on March 31, 2016, 07:33:20 amDo you have a winder or is it totally by hand?I rewound my toothbrush last week. It's not particularly tidy and it seems there's a lot more copper on there than came off.I've rewound cartridges before but I had much younger eyes then.

author: MrSlack
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2016, 12:47:06 pm
content: Hand. Only small RF toroids and transformers.

author: FrankE
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2016, 03:56:57 am
content: Ordered Friday morning.UPS and Farnell don't seem to be sharing the same language.Farnell say 'shipped'UPS say, ' Order Processed: Ready for UPS' It's shipped or it's not.Farnell say 'next  day i.e. order made Friday delivery is Monday.UPS say "due for delivery Wednesday, Scheduled For Early Delivery On Tuesday".Early? How is a day late early? They probably think they're doing a favour e"xceeding expectations"If theydodeliver on Monday that's not "underpromising, overdelivering" that's simply messing me about. I don't know when to stay in. What a pain having to register on their site. I'm just waiting for a parcel, FHS I'm not looking for a new bud.The obligatory questionnaire visiting UPS site.What do I think of their image?

author: MrSlack
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2016, 08:54:12 am
content: Ah yes the fateful "register to get more information ... and SPAM". FFFFffffff...Ironically in this case, Farnell just sent me a "what do you think of our service?" email so vitriol spewing time it is!

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2016, 10:29:10 am
content: Quote from: MrSlack on April 04, 2016, 08:54:12 amFarnell do seem to like pissing money away on pointless click-through surveys instead of improving their website.

author: m100
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2016, 12:08:47 pm
content: Quote from: FrankE on April 04, 2016, 03:56:57 amI can't recall the last time I had anything 'in stock' at Farnell that wasn't delivered the next working day, just as long as it was ordered before 8pm. That includes items from both their Liege and Leeds locations, both bulky and tiny, low cost and expensive, one order line or a hundred order lines.From the link on the order summary on the farnell website it goes to the UPS website where the tracking stages are clearly defined, but their time tagging appears suspect IMHO. In the case of a recent order it was apparently in the UPS tracking at about 14:30, but I know for a fact I didn't place the order until around 16:25, so allowing 5 mins for picking and it's a 2 hour error. The wording is "Order Processed: Ready for UPS" But it hangs for a few hours waiting for UPS to turn up, presumbly to allow the 19:59:59 orders to be picked. There was a "Departure Scan " presumbly as it left farnell at '23:30' so possibly 21:30? 'Out for delivery' before 7am and actually delivered at around 11am next day which matches the UPS time.There is a free 'service' that you can sign up to at UPS that emails you when any UPS shipment has been received by UPS (matching by destination address rather than an explicit name iirc) At just after midnight local it emails a delivery time window which is around 4 hours iirc It also allows the ability to change delivery day. Maybe it allows alternate locations but it's not a facility I would require.

author: SteveyG
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 04, 2016, 12:40:18 pm
content: Quote from: FrankE on April 04, 2016, 03:56:57 amThis is usually where they've created the shipping label, but the order hasn't gone out the door. Usually followed by an e-mail from Farnell saying they had a "Service Failure".Apparently they're having quite a few problems in the UK warehouse at the moment which maybe explains all my delayed parcels. Never had a problem with the stuff shipped from Liège except one that went half way round the world before coming back - but that's UPS not Farnell.

author: Monkeh
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2016, 06:01:26 pm
content: Quote from: m100 on April 04, 2016, 12:08:47 pmThe tracking number may be pre-allocated to Farnell. UPS long ago started reusing numbers.

author: Iwanushka
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 05, 2016, 08:01:54 pm
content: Farnell sucks these days,ordered bunch of parts two weeks ago, the same day got email that all parts from Liège will be shipped by snail mail and I will get them in May, wtf if I pay for next day delivery I need my stuff next day not after two months, and of course if you go to the part page they say next day delivery, somehow they understood that they fucked it up and sent 1 strip of resistors a few days later via UPS for which they charged me, still waiting for the rest stuff. got email today that they will ship one strip of resistors via UPS sometime soon too, so I will have to pay again for their fuckup.......

author: Koen
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 05, 2016, 09:15:38 pm
content: Ordered thursday, friday, monday from both Leeds and Liège and received everything friday, monday, tuesday. Weird. Do you guys have a sales terms account ?Talking about sales terms accounts, I've been waiting and (re)contacting FutureElectronics about one since a month to take advantage of their free shipping above 200 EUR.

author: SteveyG
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 06, 2016, 07:21:52 am
content: Quote from: Koen on April 05, 2016, 09:15:38 pmI have a corporate account with preferential pricing, but it doesn't improve the service at all.

author: MrSlack
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 06, 2016, 09:08:37 am
content: I did an experiment and threw a £10 order at CPC. Let's see how that goes. I'm trying to work out if they use the same packing lines...

author: MrSlack
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 06, 2016, 10:39:20 am
content: Well that was a surprise. Ordered it Monday, picked the free post option and it arrived a few minutes ago via Royal Mail in a large well packed box. Clearly hand counted and packed versus Farnell sealed packet armageddon:I picked lots of small parts at minimum quantity as well.

author: m100
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 06, 2016, 11:26:22 am
content: Quote from: NilByMouth on March 30, 2016, 10:25:07 amDecades ago the Farnell trade counter in Leeds often had numerous Racco component cabinets with damaged corners and cracked or missing drawer handles at knock down prices. Not sure if they were damaged from the manufacturer to Farnell, damaged in the stockroom, or customer returns.Quote from: MrSlack on April 06, 2016, 09:08:37 amNot even remotely the same. CPC in Preston appear to start with the biggest box their couriers or the Royal Mail can handle. They fill it to 50% with air filled plastic cushions. The the order items get thrown in and the box is almost topped up with more air filled plastic cushions leaving the contents free to move around in transit, often selling in the bottom of the box. The box is then sealed by tape along the flaps.Farnell in Leeds, 50 miles from Preston, and sometimes two hours away by road put a layer of packaging, usually multiple pieces of crumpled heavy craft paper, in the base of a relatively small box, the items ordered are placed on top. followed by more packaging and the despatch note with a packing density and overall weight such that the contents are unable to migrate significantly in transit. The box is then taped on all edges. Alternatively if the items ordered are relatively light and compact they are placed in a padded envolope.CPC look like the staff are on a bonus for the biggest boxes and the most air filled plastic cushions used per shift. Farnell meanwhile look like they know what they are doing. Same parent company, but an entirely different approach to packing. CPC howeve provide more large zip seal bags per order than are strictly required which can be useful

author: MrSlack
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 06, 2016, 12:17:47 pm
content: That's actually spot on. That bag of small components arrived in a large box full of air cushions and in lots of ziplocks.

author: Asavage9794
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 09, 2016, 02:48:29 am
content: They like to hold packages at my post office. One time one of my packages said it arrived at the post office at 9am the mail runs here at 3pm. They didnt deliver my package that same day they decided to wait til the next day to deliver it.

author: Bud
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 09, 2016, 04:41:20 am
content: The 4th business day since ordered, still not shipped. Chat with them every day, each time they say will ship "today"Hard to beat their sweat deals though.... Hundreds of dollars saved vs Digikey...

author: FrankE
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 11, 2016, 09:54:35 am
content: Quote from: Bud on April 09, 2016, 04:41:20 amI just shifted some of my order to Farnell and saved a heap.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 11, 2016, 10:39:08 am
content: Quote from: Iwanushka on April 05, 2016, 08:01:54 pmAre you sure? AFAIK farnell charges for delivery only 1 time during the ordering.

author: Iwanushka
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 11, 2016, 05:34:04 pm
content: Quote from: wraper on April 11, 2016, 10:39:08 amYes, checked CC statement and thouse bastards charged me 30cents for second ups shippment with 20cent parts. And I still dont have all the parts every few days I get an email that we will ship shit sooner but still expected date is 9th of May what the fuck...Now I will have to order 1e worh of parts from other distributor and pay 10-20e for shipping....

author: FrankE
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 12, 2016, 02:20:22 am
content: Looking at the tracking, I'm think I should be a little envious my LM78 and 79xxACTGs are seeing more of the world than I am.

author: ArdRhi
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 12, 2016, 02:47:58 am
content: Since I'm in the US I don't have those specific vendor problems, but my biggest issue was with shippers that let the US Snail Postal Disservice handle the "last mile" deliveries. I usually have one of two delivery drivers for the USPS. One was always very diligent and helpful. He didn't cram stuff into the box until it was falling out the back, and he'd trot stuff up to the porch if it was too big to fit, rather than bending it up and stuffing it in the box. The OTHER driver had issues with getting out of the little van and walking to the porch, especially in bad weather. She'd leave a slip in the box saying "attempted delivery, no one home" and take it back to the post office, where the other guy would get it the next day and actually walk up to the porch.I screamed like a wounded panther about this to the local Postmaster, since I'm disabled and am almost always home, sitting right behind the front window that looks onto the porch right where the postal carrier would have to walk if she actually came up to the door. I can't possibly miss her, and even have a bloody CAMERA over the door that I monitor from my chair. I finally put up a sign saying "I am home! Ring Bell!" with an arrow pointing at the doorbell. After that, I had very few problems with that lazy nonsense. Don't tell me you "attempted delivery", I know you just didn't want to get rained on and held it over to deliver tomorrow!WHARRRGARRRRBLLLL!!!

author: FrankE
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 12, 2016, 05:26:07 am
content: They are always quick at he receiving end here (though not with Farnell or RS) . With all the packages from all tracked services it's evident that there are delays at the sending end, parcels sitting for over a day when it seems they copuld have been on an overnight trunk.The last km delivery folk have to go some to meet the deadlines.RS orders never show up on Parcel Force tracking on the day of order no matter if I order in the small hours. It only shows up on the day of receipt.Farnell and UPS OTOH I can track all the way including the flight from E midlands to Edinburgh on flightradar, which appears to be the same aircraft as the one that comes from BE.

author: rdl
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 12, 2016, 12:39:05 pm
content: Quote from: ArdRhi on April 12, 2016, 02:47:58 amI've gotten to like those "last mile" services. As long as it's not the UPS version. DHL and FedEx don't waste any time getting the package to USPS, usually 3 days or less, then one more day for USPS to deliver. UPS on the other hand, seems to park the package for long enough to make sure it takes longer to arrive than their standard ground service would.Luckily, I have no problems with the local USPS. Once a package arrives at the main terminal 30 miles away, it's almost guaranteed to be delivered the next day. In my case though, I live in an apartment complex and anything that won't fit in the mailbox is delivered to the apartment offices.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 12, 2016, 06:36:00 pm
content: You are lucky, my postie told me this afternoon ( on his and my way home) that I have a parcel. Will collect tomorrow, though he is a little miffed because the post office got broken into and the computers all got stolen. So no POD and no selling of airtime till they get some other computers out of the pile at SAPO. Can still do certified copies though and sell stamps, but rates are a little hard to do along with parcel sending.

author: Iwanushka
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 13, 2016, 12:22:38 pm
content: Got email today, they shipped one partand this time charged 60cents for shipping, if this shit continues I will pay for shipping a few times more than for the partsUpdate: got another email monkeys will ship second part today too, conclusion two strips of 0805 resistors, each strip 20cent, goes in two separate UPS envelopes. Let's save the world by killing more trees...