Don't Buy From Arrow (rant) - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: ECEdesign
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 14, 2016, 08:13:15 pm
content: I am done ordering parts from Arrow electronics. I will forever be a Digikey/Newark guy.First order they never told me when the order shipped, shipped using the wrong shipping method (slower), shipped in 3 different boxes all from the same place arriving at different times further delaying production, and also did not send one item because after everything was shipped and I called they said they "were out of stock". I was supposed to get an email about it but didn't so I suspect after they forgot 2 parts and sent them each in their own box they just decided to not ship out the last item and say it was out of stock.This time, ordered on Friday. Wednesday comes still hasn't shipped. Call them up "oh everything is in stock it will ship out today".... ok got an email that a part is out of stock and canceled from my order. WHY? There were thousands on stock when I ordered? And they took forever to ship my packageHopefully nothing else is wrong when I actually get the package.OK rant over...

author: ZeTeX
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 16, 2016, 06:16:34 pm
content: Quote from: ECEdesign on July 14, 2016, 08:13:15 pmOrdered from arrow a couple of days ago when they had free shipping worldwide, and I will give them 10/10.they sent the items pretty quickly, using the right shipping method, order arrived 3 days (!) before the estimated date thru DHL (although this has nothing to do with arrow).funny enough the send the items in 2 order - one order was all what I ordered expect a small ceramic resistor, second order was this small ceramic resistor that cost 0.7$ lol, they pretty much lost 20$ as shipping is about 20$.(and how the fuck does the package weight 0.5kg for this small resistor? how much can you pack a single ceramic resistor?)Anyways I'm very happy from them, the only thing I dont like is their site. so many problems..

author: T3sl4co1l
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 16, 2016, 06:23:35 pm
content: What qty?It's my understanding they prefer to do larger orders, not Avnet scale, but more than the prototype quantities DK/Mouser/Newark are tuned to accommodate.Tim

author: LabSpokane
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 16, 2016, 08:10:27 pm
content: Quote from: T3sl4co1l on July 16, 2016, 06:23:35 pmYes. Arrow is geared for production quantities.

author: Jeroen3
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 16, 2016, 09:45:36 pm
content: We order some products from them for years now. And they suddenly responeded with "we don't have that part, never have". Well, we ask again, call them, mailed invoices. They deny.After a while we try again, oh yes, we have that. And they shipped something completely different. 2 times. While this time saying that it was the correct part.We complain, yeah IT stuff, as reason.Few days later, some new sales guy calls to come by, since the old one left. He didn't show up.Yeah, Arrow is done. They'll rename and continue in the near future I'm sure. But not for us.

author: PedroDaGr8
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 16, 2016, 10:16:18 pm
content: I have to say, Arrow has helped me out before on samples. Back when I was repairing a Keithley 199 and the voltage reference zener was $45+ and I couldn't afford it, they sent me 3 for free.Sent from my LGLS992 using Tapatalk

author: ECEdesign
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 17, 2016, 01:34:57 am
content: Newark gives a discount for education and free shipping always (UPS ground/2day) for my account. The support staff are really friendly and are on board with students and want to help with senior projects etc. I have been impressed with their service.Also, I buy small quantities since I'm a student and just prototyping.

author: singapol
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 17, 2016, 05:03:26 am
content: Quote from: blueskull on July 16, 2016, 09:55:34 pmIn defence of Farnell/Newark (they are one entity. Parent company UK (Farnell) and USA) It is now knownas Element14. Farnell has won international awards for their service but that may not mean anything to many. Their prices are definitely not as friendly as your neighbourhood electronics store but then the range of products they carry is very large. They have to maintain a large and changing database and print deliveryorders and invoices so you can imagine their running costs.If you see their product listing it states the total quantity they have in stock not only that depending on which country you are in (if they have a sales office cum walk-in service counter) because their stock is distributed all over these countries they also list how many there have on hand locally in particular. You may have missed this detail info. Their practice is if stock is not available ex stock (locallly) it takes 3-5 working days to ship from UK or USA. Now this is reasonable is it not? If you have a business account with them it's even faster. Of course if you see their main website and not the localised website it may not show this stock allocation, that's why it ask to select which country you are from when you visit their website. Farnell does not discriminate small orders from individuals or corporate customers. they are treated equally. FYI most othercompanies do not maintain a walk-in service counter but only online sales to save costs of operating one.

author: CatalinaWOW
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 17, 2016, 03:28:32 pm
content: I have had minor issues for decades with Arrow. Mouser is my supplier of choice for small quantities, but others do well also.

author: l0wside
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2016, 09:54:07 am
content: Arrow seems to have a re-reeling service (https://www.arrow.com/en/arrow-services/breaking-tape-and-reel), but they seem unable to provide a quote to me. An email was not answered, and the online chat simply referred me to the local office (which I have not called yet). Has anyone ever used this service?

author: ECEdesign
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 20, 2016, 02:57:57 am
content: Quote from: l0wside on October 19, 2016, 09:54:07 amDigikey has a re-reel service. Arrow is totally incompetent I now don't consider them an option. I'll order from basically anyone else.

author: ebclr
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 22, 2016, 02:13:47 am
content: Try mouser

author: aandrew
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 22, 2016, 11:09:45 pm
content: Never any real issues with Arrow (onesie-twosie and "mini" production qty (say a dozen or so qty of each non-popcorn part). Arrow's now got Verical which I find VERY nice; snazzy site, easy to use (way more so than arrow's normal site).Digikey has always been flawless for me. I can count on one hand the number of wrong parts shipments, and that's over TWENTY YEARS, and they've always fixed it the same day I've brought it up with them. Shipping's always next day (FedEx).The pain in the ass for me has always been Mouser. Shipping's always slow, had the odd part screwup where they wanted me to send the part back (they were just relays, nothing fancy), and the website in general gives me conniptions. Newark is in the same boat as Mouser for me (insane website, screwy shipping, general lack of ease).

author: KeepItSimpleStupid
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 23, 2016, 12:11:02 am
content: Digi-key needs a way to not include all of the high quantity options, e.g. reel or "prototype quantities only. Communication about this issue with Digikey has gone in one ear and out the other.Power supply selection is just plain nuts. So is transformer selection.

author: T3sl4co1l
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 23, 2016, 03:49:00 am
content: Select Packaging = Cut Tape, Tube, and Bulk. Also tick In Stock, and if you need future availability, Part Status = Active.Professionals know, the paradox of choice can only be broken through a commitment to making a good selection. You can filter things down pretty well with a filter like Digikey's (Mouser and Newark offer the same capability, but their databases aren't as well managed), but sooner or later you will have to sort the candidates by reading their datasheets. And you may need to read dozens of datasheets before finding one you like.Tim

author: l0wside
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 24, 2016, 11:18:35 am
content: TNX for all hints to Farnell/Newark, Mouser, Digikey. I am actively using the former two, never had any issues I can recall over the last years. TME is an inexpensive option here in Europe, but with a rather short linecard and the only one who ever really screwed up.Arrow might be incompetent, but at least they are cheap

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 24, 2016, 11:41:30 am
content: Quote from: KeepItSimpleStupid on October 23, 2016, 12:11:02 amYou can specify a quantity ehen searching, which at least lets you filter by in-stock and sort by price at that quantity.For SMD parts, selecting cut tape is a good start.

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 24, 2016, 11:58:36 am
content: Quote from: KeepItSimpleStupid on October 23, 2016, 12:11:02 amThis reads like you've not used the digikey site in 5 years.

author: KeepItSimpleStupid
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 24, 2016, 04:09:47 pm
content: Every time you look for a part, you have to un-check a lot of things, so you don't get multiple similar items to sort through.e.g. You want bulk, and cut tape. So, I just want "prototype quantity" check box.So you may want a 5V supply; you may have to check 5.0, 5.1, 1-6v, 1-6.5v. 1.2-12v, 4.5 to 5.5So, why not check all the supplies that can output 5V.Newark uses Vmin/Vmax which is a lot easier.If it's DC-DC converter, the same deal happens for the input V,Transformers: you have the 0-120/0-120 primaries and the 0-120-240 primaries.n It's not easy to sort them out.Find thishttp://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/recom-power/RAC03-05SER-277/945-2254-ND/5204552when you know very little about it. Let's say you knew of a "hockey puck (AC-DC) supply that would fit in fixtures and would supply 5V that has wire leads" I saw the announcement in a publication and then some time later wanted to find it.How can you find it when digikey thinks it's square and there's no wire lead option.Try this one:A hand crimper for the AMPMODU or the plastic CPC series of terminals. 20 years ago, it was on the catalog page. No catalog page at digikey anymore, Yesterday, the part number at Newark/element14/farnell was correct but had the wrong pic and right datasheet. ebay had the wrong pic for the part number too, on one of the three listed items with the (same AMP p/n). I've contacted the parties involved.

author: T3sl4co1l
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 24, 2016, 06:53:58 pm
content: Iwouldlove if they broke out all the ranged and enumerated option items.Example: searching for switching regulators.I have to search the wholefuckinglist of input voltages (there might be two hundred items!) to get items within the range I'm searching for.If they had a Vmin and Vmax box, it would be trivial: two range selections and I'm done.Theydidbreak out the regulator type (buck/boost/flyback/..), which is great! If I want one that can do so-and-so, I can tell at a glance!Others aren't broken out, though. Protected switch devices, for instance, have a variety of options: thermal protection, current protection, current limiting, latching, fail output, auto-retry... I have to visually search-within each string to select the ones I want.Tim

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 24, 2016, 07:17:00 pm
content: Yes - ranges are the one major thing Digikey haven't got right, which is surprising considering how much better they are than the rest in most other respects.

author: KeepItSimpleStupid
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 24, 2016, 10:06:31 pm
content: A lot of times, I find myself using other search engines. I was looking for a jumper that i had bought before and asked via didgikey chat. I then asked, How did you find it? An old catalog. <grin>.There's no catalog page anymore. I found that extremely useful.Mouser still does have catalog pages.