Farnell search box understands RS part codes - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: rich
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 23, 2016, 05:44:53 am
content: Whoa! Typing RS product codes into Farnell's search box takes you the correct device. It explains why searches return unexpected items occasionally.Is this old news? I've only just noticed.

author: Gertjan
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 23, 2016, 06:09:34 am
content: Hi rich,Thanks for the heads-up. Very useful info!Makes me wonder about Digi-Key etc. numbers....regards, Gertjan.

author: hopski
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 23, 2016, 06:36:31 am
content: Quote from: rich on February 23, 2016, 05:44:53 amWow, it works. That's really cool. it would be even better if they were cheaper

author: tszaboo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 23, 2016, 08:55:29 am
content: It did understand some random Digikey code.And mouser, but that usually contains the manufacturer part number.Now they only need to understand my instructions to write MY number on the package, when I order something.

author: bookaboo
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 23, 2016, 09:08:19 am
content: A few years back I noticed this happened, then it stopped.... probably a mutual agreement that's been broken. It suits both RS and Farnell if you don't price check them against each other but if one starts processing the others codes you can bet the other starts too.Same thing seemed to happen with free shipping for <£20.00 last year, it disappeared from RS, then Farnell, then reappeared at RS then Farnell!I've also found both are now willing to negotiate pricing when orders get above the £400.00 mark, whereas before I found getting discounts was near impossible regardless.

author: JoeN
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 23, 2016, 09:21:59 am
content: Quote from: bookaboo on February 23, 2016, 09:08:19 amhttp://www.findchips.com

author: Cerebus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 03, 2016, 03:02:55 am
content: Quote from: rich on February 23, 2016, 05:44:53 amVery old news. Back in the 80's RS sent out huge printed catalogues and you used to get a visit from a sales rep at least once a year no matter how small a customer you were. The Farnell rep used to quietly slip you a fairly sizeable printed list that had a column of RS part numbers and right next to them the Farnell part number and price for the exact same part. Many only differed by an extra digit e.g. The RS part number would be 123-456 and the Farnell one would be 123-4567. If I remember correctly, numbers in that form indicated an identical part, numbers where Farnell had a significantly different number were functionally equivalent parts.

author: hopski
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 03, 2016, 07:54:02 am
content: RS used to give you tons of data sheets as well. Back in the 80's I had shelves groaning under the weight of binders full of RS data sheets.

author: Cerebus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 04, 2016, 12:35:50 am
content: Quote from: hopski on March 03, 2016, 07:54:02 amThe last time I had a paper RS catalogue, back in 2001 or thereabouts, the catalogue had got big enough to damn near need its own bookshelf.

author: OiD
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 04, 2016, 07:04:08 pm
content: Thats interesting... I must say i've accidentaly pasted an RS number in farnell and not given a second thought about it, and the stickers are easy to distinguish!At work we use farnell and RS alot. I must say that I find the RS search tool pretty useless. Lots of typos and strange results, heck even searching for something in a different languadge gives different results.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 04, 2016, 07:37:04 pm
content: RS catalogues are still available, though they are now on the bottom shelf. The website search however can be spotty, so the paper still does come in handy to get a part number so you can get the right search term to get the website to give you the category to see other similar parts.