Where do others here order components? Awkward experience with Digi-Key - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: Cyber Akuma
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 12, 2022, 06:50:07 pm
content: I get that places like Digi-Key, Mouser, Arrow, etc are more geared towards corporations and manufacturers who might need to order parts by the thousands or tens of thousands, but they all also allow purchasing smaller quantities and shipping to home addresses too.There was some electronics projects I wanted to try to build, one just had a list of components and the other also tried to recommend sources, but I didn't want to use them since either they were suspiciously cheap (as in, 45 cents for 100 resistors) random aliexpress links where I would not really have the knowledge to know if the components are faulty or not, or ebay links to components such as capacitors that were also going to take months to ship from China but were about the same cost as some highly recommended name brands on Digi-Key.So I decided just to be safe, to use a more trusted site like Digi-Key or Mouser or so to source my components, not to mention they would arrive much quicker this way. I admit the ordering system is slightly different as it again is geared towards corporations making large orders, but it wasn't too different to be confusing to figure out.A few days after I placed my order though I received a notification of a second charge on my card. I had to contact Digi-Key to find out that it was because even though my initial order said everything was in stock and every item I chose they even had thousands if not tens of thousands of, when they were processing it apparently one set of components, 5 capacitors that were $0.37 cents each, they only had 4 of and were backordered... so they just automatically processed a second shipment of a single 37 cent capacitor... and charged me the $7 shipping fee for that...They said they would "Just this one time" refund me the shipping cost and marked it as a "Digi-Key Error", I asked if there was any way to indicate on the order that I would like to be notified or have the package held until all items are in stock if something is backordered, and they said no, that I would have to monitor the invoice I get and make sure there are no backordered items, and that if there are to contact them about it as soon as I notice it... which would not really help me if the initial order already got shipped by then and the back-ordered items are ones I need.I understand that for a corporate order, the shipment costs are likely nothing compared to not having the parts on time, but I found it weird that their systems in no way whatsoever notify you if there is a backorder. Even when I got my initial invoice now that I checked it if you didn't pay attention to the entire list of items I would not have seen that one capacitor listed as backordered among the dozens of other components I ordered because they sent no sort of notification whatsoever or even made any note on the invoice of the backordered item unless you manually go through the component list and try to look for it.So I wanted to ask for others who order from Digi-Key and others, is this normal for how Digi-Key operates? Or was this actually an error on their part? Even with a distributor made for corporations in mind, it seems odd they would not send any notice whatsoever of backordered items. And if this is normal, is there any way for hobbyists just doing projects in their home to notify Digi-Key to let them know if something is backordered or to hold the order until all the items are in stock or something? Or do others like Mouser, Arrow, etc that others here have used (I have never used the others so I don't know what it's like) also do this or if they do send notifications or some sort of confirmation if something is backordered so you don't automatically get charged for multiple shipments?

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 12, 2022, 07:01:29 pm
content: They used to split orders in the past for various availability reasons, but did not use to charge for that. Digi-Key has been going downhill recently.I fully switched to Mouser after DK's introduction of the marketplace and I never had any issues with Mouser.

author: ledtester
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 12, 2022, 07:13:10 pm
content: My Newark story:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/what-did-you-buy-today-post-your-latest-purchase!/msg4212535/#msg4212535But for future orders I'll make sure the items are in stock before ordering.

author: electr_peter
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 12, 2022, 07:23:22 pm
content: If you order multiple items with limited availability, generally you have a choice of waiting for all items to be in warehouse and have one big shipment OR ship whats is available in several batches. There should be some setting for this. Additional shipping is usually included in full price and you do not pay extra. This is how TME.eu operates and I like this method very much. You order, pay in full in advance and wait for items to arrive depending on availability. TME also allows to do combined shipping (i.e. wait for all parts to be available and ship all order in full).Now, I rarely use DigiKey, but I do not like what OP describes above. Extra shipping for items that become available sounds like a way to charge shipping for every single item to me. Why order multiple parts at once if they may be charged for shipping randomly?Also, I really do not like the additional charge for items when they arrive in the warehouse (and not in advance). It prolongs payment process too much, makes everything very confusing and results in failed payments. TI store website used (still does?) to do this - you order parts e.g. for $100, payment card is checked to have >=$100 balance but not charged, then wait till parts become available, then charge your card (and fail multiple times, because your card does not have correct balance after 1 month). This is a mess.Either DigiKey account settings allows changing setup, or look for other suppliers...

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 12, 2022, 07:53:35 pm
content: I've used Digikey for years but you do have to be careful to hold the whole order until all items can be shipped. I also have largely moved over to Mouser after Digikey introduced the stupid marketplace thing and started breaking their website in new and interesting ways on a regular basis. It's a shame because I always liked them in the past, but they seem to have forgotten who their customers are.

author: jpanhalt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 12, 2022, 08:23:22 pm
content: 1) I think DK did right by you this time. Errors happen.2) With DK you always used to have a choice of holding the order and ship once or ship as available and pay shipping each time. I usually cancel anything that is backordered.3) I agree with those who have become dissatisfied with DK recently. It used to be my sole source, even though it cost a little more and collected sales tax when Mouser didn't (result of Minnesota's business climate). My most recent order went to Mouser.4) DigiKey started out serving radio amateurs. Hence the name. Its founder is still CEO, but the business has grown enormously. Nevertheless, I haven't noticed a change in focus, i.e., pandering only to big purchasers. The ND on most part numbers presumably means "no discount" except as shown on the ordering page.

author: T3sl4co1l
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 12, 2022, 08:25:53 pm
content: FWIW, they're well tuned to small orders as well -- but you're paying a premium to do so. The markup on singles or tens is obviously massive compared to the whole- or multiple-reel pricing of components; as well it kinda has to be, depending of course on what mix of low/high quantity they do business as. There's no shortage of small purchases that bigcorps make -- whether as part of development (us engineers don't need many parts, whoever we're working for!), or just to make up production shortages. Indeed the rapid shipping, at almost any price even (i.e. they could potentially charge a lot more), if it means avoiding a production stall, can be well worthwhile. So it's nice that they don't gouge, well... too badly anyway, on that stuff. (But also explains how component gougers can turn a buck -- if a $2000 quickturn order is held up by $50 of parts, you're not going to shop around trying to find the same for $5 -- you blow that on salary in less than an hour already, let alone the price of customers grumbling from delays of their "2 week" order.)But yeah, base price, if you're not spending a couple tens or hundreds of bucks in an order, it's hardly worth it for them, nor will it be very much so for you (even shipping makes up a fairly modest fraction of a $100 order). They do have good service, given that -- it's not like they won't talk to you if all you ever bought was a couple chip resistors, you still get at least some minimum level of service.But, if your money is worth more than your time -- no-name sources are certainly an option. You're trading confidence and convenience for cheapness and uncertainty. Maybe it's a different opportunity: you could learn some test setups, see how components are tested/characterized, see if you can discover faulty components yourself.On the upside, I wouldn't have a problem buying an eBay kit of say 1 or 5% resistors. It's hard to screw up resistors, at least, I would think (not that I would put it past them -- they are quite ingenious when it comes to ways to cheapen your parts!). Semiconductors beyond tiny general-purpose jellybeans though, it's a roll of the dice; even TIP31Cs and CD4011BEs are suspect. (And even then, there's jellybeans rated for extra voltage, current, hFE, bandwidth, reduced noise, etc... and those categories might all be mixed together, who knows. But they'll still most likely work for general-purpose sorts of purposes, so there's that.)Tim

author: langwadt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 12, 2022, 08:39:01 pm
content: Quote from: electr_peter on September 12, 2022, 07:23:22 pmafaiu the general rules is that a webshop selling to consumers aren't allowed to charge until they ship

author: Cyber Akuma
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 12, 2022, 08:52:38 pm
content: Quote from: ataradov on September 12, 2022, 07:01:29 pmQuote from: james_s on September 12, 2022, 07:53:35 pmWait, what's this about a marketplace? I didn't notice anything like that.Quote from: electr_peter on September 12, 2022, 07:23:22 pmQuote from: james_s on September 12, 2022, 07:53:35 pmQuote from: jpanhalt on September 12, 2022, 08:23:22 pmSo there is a setting/option to hold the order until everything is in stock? I asked their support if there was anything like this and they said no. Or is this only if a product is backordered already? Because when I ordered, every item said they had thousands if not tens of thousands of it in stock (Well, except a PSU that they had hundreds in stock of, but I only needed one so not an issue) but when I got my invoice it noticed that ONE of the items that I ordered 5 of they only had 4 in stock and 1 was backordered, but there was no warning or indication of this other than if you went through the whole invoice and knew to look out for that. Was there no such option to hold my order because Digk-Key assumed all the components were in stock and none were initially listed as backordered?

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 12, 2022, 08:56:31 pm
content: Quote from: T3sl4co1l on September 12, 2022, 08:25:53 pmYou would think, but a lot of cheap resistors now have very thin wire leads that break off easily through normal handling and are difficult to use in breadboards. Maybe the cheap SMT resistors are better, but I bet somebody has found ways to screw those up too.

author: MikeK
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 12, 2022, 08:57:34 pm
content: I use DigiKey, but also Tayda Electronics sometimes as a  alternative.

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 12, 2022, 09:03:42 pm
content: Quote from: Cyber Akuma on September 12, 2022, 08:52:38 pmOne of the item parameters (and one of the filters) is something like "show Marketplace items". They basically let third-party sellers on their site. Those sellers have no real relationship to DK and do shipping on their own. They want to be the next Amazon, but they are clearly missing the plot here.

author: Cyber Akuma
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 12, 2022, 09:06:20 pm
content: Quote from: ataradov on September 12, 2022, 09:03:42 pmSo tired of places doing this, it completely misses the point of WHY people should shop at their site instead of Amazon, stuff like that ruined Newegg. Especially ridiculous when a website for a retail chain does this.

author: electr_peter
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 12, 2022, 09:33:54 pm
content: Quote from: langwadt on September 12, 2022, 08:39:01 pmIMO on TME your are viewed not as a regular consumer, but as a business/contractor.

author: Bud
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 12, 2022, 09:58:06 pm
content: When ordering ar Digikey I double check the final order for backordered items. If there is one I remove it and get it elsewhere.

author: langwadt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 12, 2022, 10:04:14 pm
content: Quote from: ataradov on September 12, 2022, 09:03:42 pmI thought it was a way for them to be a place for more hard to get parts during chipmageddon

author: floobydust
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 12, 2022, 10:30:50 pm
content: Quote from: langwadt on September 12, 2022, 10:04:14 pmThat means enabling and supporting scalpers as a third-party affiliate or whatever scam name it's called nowadays.Example: Rochester Electronics scoops up discontinued parts and then sells them on Digi-Key. Tried to give an example but DK website cratered on an error message and seems to have blocked the query or think I'm all about ddos or something.Missing the plot - yes, it's too bad the old CEO knew what built the business and what customers wanted. Now it's lost all of that and just burns cash with developers on their shit website. Really frustrating.

author: langwadt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 12, 2022, 10:39:43 pm
content: Quote from: floobydust on September 12, 2022, 10:30:50 pmI'm not sure you can callhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rochester_Electronicsscalpers, if it weren't for them those obsolete parts wouldn't exist

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 12, 2022, 10:55:36 pm
content: Quote from: langwadt on September 12, 2022, 10:39:43 pmThey are not really. But we also don't know how many other sellers are on DK. And then if you need something from RE, just buy it from them, why pollute search results with obsolete stuff?

author: MrAl
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 12, 2022, 11:15:41 pm
content: I havent used DK it quite a while now but when i did i would look on the invoice and if i saw any back ordered parts i would remove them and find a similar part that did not have to be back ordered and add that to the list.Maybe they are playing the shipping game. Say they have a million in stock then after the order is placed say they are back ordered so they can charge for shipping a second time. If they messed up the web site then maybe they got desperate and need the extra income.Supermarkets do this sometimes too in a different way, by marking the shelf with one price and when you get to the register it's more money. If you dont notice they make extra money.But this is really what the world is coming to. Some places try all sorts of tricks to get extra cash from you so this wouldnt be the only place you have to keep an eye on when you are handing them some of your cash.In the US real estate has gone up at least 5 times what most salaries have. A house selling for 20k in the 1960's you'd be lucky to get for 150k now. Something has got to give and we see it in subtle extortion plots.I bought a radio one time in the store and the sales guy took the radio with him to the register. When i got home it was not the same radio it was a cheaper version with the same higher price. That's "bait and switch" and also happened when i bought a guitar one time. I got home it wasnt the same guitar. Had to go all the way back to the store to exchange it.The key is to check everything carefully when you buy something. If you dont do that then you will always have a problem sometime somewhere.

author: jpanhalt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 12, 2022, 11:22:15 pm
content: Quote from: MrAl on September 12, 2022, 11:15:41 pmI really don't think DK makes its profit from loading shipping expenses. You do have the option of deleting backordered items before submitting your order. As for the present case, DK admitted its error and made the buyer "whole."

author: TomWinTejas
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 12, 2022, 11:50:54 pm
content: I've mostly used Mouser since it'll usually arrive the next day (they're 45 minutes down the road from me). I only order a handful of components at a time and haven't had any issues to date. Also had good experiences with West Florida Components, but really only bought assortments from them, and they won't have near the selection of the big guys.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 13, 2022, 12:06:01 am
content: Quote from: ataradov on September 12, 2022, 09:03:42 pmAnd you have to select that checkbox EVERY SINGLE TIME. It's maddening, that alone is enough to drive me away from what was formerly my go-to vendor.

author: Oilngas
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 13, 2022, 02:03:16 am
content: Digi-Key offers free shipping (US and Canada) if you mail them a check or money order.See this post which includes links to the mail-in order form...https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/digi-key-has-changed-and-it-is-not-very-good/msg3273588/#msg3273588I recently ordered four capacitors. I made sure that the items I ordered were in stock and were not marketplace items. I used the D-K shopping cart to ensure I had the correct D-K part numbers and to see what the sales tax and tariff charges were and then transcribed this info onto the paper order form, popped it in the mail with my check and had the parts delivered free via USPS within a week. The order form allows you to choose if substitutions or backorders are acceptable and you can request shipping confirmation/tracking via email.

author: Bud
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 13, 2022, 06:25:03 am
content: Sending a money order here is more expensive then paying for shipping outright.Mailing a check still requires paying for an envelope and postage. And then wait until it is delivered to DK and likely wait more a few days before they deposit the check and the check gets cleared by the bank.

author: EPAIII
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 13, 2022, 08:41:05 am
content: I will have to question your statement that you doubt that they make a profit from the shipping charge. While I have not worked at a company with the volume of shipping that DigiKey has, my last employer had a moderate amount of packages going out almost every day. We are talking about a company of about 75 people overall and around 200 packages on a heavy day. So, nothing like DigiKey. But their packages were similar in size and weight. They got really good discounts on the shipping rates. In fact, their shipping department had a scale and printer from three different freight companies and they bid against each other for the business.I can only imagine what kind of steep discounts that a company like DigiKey gets. And probably free lunches for the head of shipping.I can understand that packaging and handling also costs money, but even there, my former employer had stacks of envelopes and boxes from all of those shippers, including the USPS.In short, I suspect that DigiKey does make a profit on the shipping charges. And on a small order, it may even be more than the profit on the parts which are often priced down to the thousandth of a cent per part.Quote from: jpanhalt on September 12, 2022, 11:22:15 pm

author: EPAIII
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 13, 2022, 09:13:17 am
content: This free shipping is easy to understand if you have ever looked into getting set up to accept credit card payments. I have and it was a real eye opener! The credit card company hits the merchant with a percentage charge for every dollar/cent of the amount charged. Oh, and there is a monthly charge too. Ever wonder how the credit card companies can offer rebates of 1%, 1.5%, even 5% on certain purchases? It is simple, they charge the merchants that much AND MORE. So the merchants are forced to incorporate those rebates in their prices. And you and I PAY for those rebates weather we actually get them or not. Even WalMart has to include these fees in their prices. And the grocery stores too. And gas stations. Everyone who accepts credit (or probably debit) cards for payment.This is one reason why places like Amazon and WalMart can offer their web sites for small merchants to sell their wares. They have the credit card payment system set up and those small merchants pay them as much as or even more than the credit card companies would.It is also one reason why companies like Amazon and WalMart come out with THEIR OWN credit cards. That way they can keep the "AND MORE" part of that percentage. And, for them, it is millions of dollars.In my mind the choice is like this:1. Pay with the credit card and get the 1.5% cash back but pay the shipping charges. And get faster delivery. And if there is a problem with the order, the credit card company will be on your side. Don't laugh, I have had many charges reversed by credit card companies.OR2. Pay with a check and get the free shipping. But the delivery is going to be a week or more. And no protection against fraud.If I wasn't in a hurry, I would compare the shipping charge against the rebate.Quote from: Oilngas on September 13, 2022, 02:03:16 am

author: MrAl
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 13, 2022, 01:42:25 pm
content: Quote from: jpanhalt on September 12, 2022, 11:22:15 pmWell what you think and what you can prove are two different things.I am not saying that all companies play cash games like this, but from my personal experience with some companies either they are trying to bring in extra cash or they are very very very stupid about how their sales mechanisms work.You dont know how many times i was handed the "Oh this is the first time this has ever happened" excuse. Yeah right, they been in business for 15 years and this is the first time something that could be very common came up. I used to believe stuff like that all the time when i was younger, not anymore. How long has DK been in business, i think it's been at least 20 years now, and they dont recognize any problem?I cant say for sure if DK is doing anything 'unethical', but it's been my experience over many years that some companies do not know the word exists. It may come as a shipping charge or other charge. Best bet is to check everything and if you were in the purchasing department you would be responsible for the order going smoothly not the place you buy from and your job could depend on it, not anyone at the company you buy from.So check and recheck is the order of the day. If you dont want to do that, then expect some unforeseen problems in the future :-)I should note that i never had a problem with DK but i always check everything before anything ships. I have had a problem with Jameco though, a place from which i bought parts for some 40 years. They pulled the same shipping game on me as the original poster in this thread experienced. I called them and complained and got the extra charge removed.Another problem with BG Micro. They blamed the problem on the mouse's "mouse wheel" used on the site, causing a higher shipping charge. I liked the heavily discounted parts prices i got from them but after i complained they stopped sending me catalogs in the mail, which i liked to get.I dont blame companies too harshly for these problem though i blame the price of real estate as i was saying before. When people buy something new, they pay the full price, when they buy used, they pay less. When they buy a house however, they pay maximum price even though it's used, and it is almost always more than what they payed for it. So over hears with people buying an selling houses, eventually something has to give and it comes in the form of a problem with the economy. This isnt just in the country of origin either, it eventually effects the entire world and especially hits hard on the less fortunate countries that had little to begin with. It's a very sad state of affairs that no government official has ever dealt with that i know of.Comical note:I think BG Micro is no longer around. I guess their shipping game did not work (just kidding here ha ha).I really liked them for the most part, got tons of parts from them over the years with no problems sorry to see them gone.

author: RubyRhod
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 13, 2022, 02:18:13 pm
content: I prefer Mouser but DK seems to have some of the more obscure or esoteric parts that I want. But, when it comes to passive components like 1% resistors, etc., I have found that Amazon (made in China of course) is hands down the better bargain and the parts quality and tolerance seem to be fine. I paid almost $10 for nine resistors at Mouser and paid a hair under ten for over a thousand from Amazon. Of course, your mileage may vary.

author: cellularmitosis
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 13, 2022, 02:20:58 pm
content: Quote from: MikeK on September 12, 2022, 08:57:34 pmI’ve also had good experiences with Tayda. In particular they seem to be the best cheap resistor option, the leads are not thin steel like the cheapies on eBay.They mostly just carry jelly bean part numbers, but this can be an advantage for beginners (less overwhelming part selection), and when starting a new project I like to see if I can make the BOM “Tayda compatible” by limiting myself to parts which they stock.

author: EPAIII
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 14, 2022, 11:07:50 pm
content: I had a phone call earlier today from Mouser.I had ordered about 35 of an analog IC from them. Their web site said only 22 were available and the remainder would be back ordered for over a year. But that is not the point and the long lead time is not their fault, at least not completely theirs.The call was about an e-mail that their automated system had sent to my old e-mail address and which bounced back. They were calling to check on that address. I gave them the new e-mail and thanked them for the call.This shows that they do care about small orders from individuals who do not buy tens of thousands of dollars of parts every month or year. I doubt that I have spent $1000 with them in any of the past 10 years or over $500 in that whole 10 year period. I think some of the suspicions being voiced here are a bit too pessimistic.So I guess it's one more vote for Mouser over DK. But I often price my orders on both of them and sometimes from others like Newark and Jameco. I do not like "no name" internet sources.

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 14, 2022, 11:25:39 pm
content: Quote from: MrAl on September 13, 2022, 01:42:25 pmIts seven dollars dude.. digikey is NOT making money off of thatDigikey clearly makes their money from their huge mark ups on low volume purchases. Look at the cost of buying five capacitors vs 5,000:- 5 caps at 27 cents = $1.35- 5,000 caps at 4.49c each, 5 = 22cThey are blatantly telling you right on the pricing page that they make $1.13 if you purchase 5 caps. Thats a 500% markup.Of course this is ignoring packaging costs, their true cost, labor, etc. but you should start to get the idea at this point.

author: MrAl
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 15, 2022, 03:48:13 am
content: Quote from: thm_w on September 14, 2022, 11:25:39 pmI am not sure why you think that is 'proof', but whatever you have to tell yourself. So i guess i have to add an addendum to my previous comment which i will repeat for completeness here...What you think and what you can prove are two different things.What you think is proof and what actually is proof are two different things.I can add more if you dont feel that is adequate enough yet :-)If 1.13 really is a 500 percent markup, then 7.00 is a 3097 percent markup, on top of that 500 percent markup.But really i have a lot of experience buying parts not only for my own personal use but when i designed stuff i had to convince the purchasing dept to order them. We had some interesting discussions.But hey think what you want, do what you want, just dont blame anyone else for anything.

author: IDEngineer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 15, 2022, 05:18:53 pm
content: I'll chime in here, as I have literally decades of experience with most of these vendors.Early in my career I favored Mouser because they originated "in the next town over" from where I lived and I could drive there to pick up parts. This was back when they published a paper catalog!Later I started ordering from DigiKey. Someone mentioned the "-ND" on the part numbers... this dates from a very long time ago when they offered certain discounts, but depending upon your quantities and/or other conditions you would add the suffix -ND ("No Discount") to the part number to control which type of order you were placing. That's long since gone away but for some reason they still use the -ND.My present observations between the two distributors:* Mouser often carries more obscure parts, and often has stock when DigiKey does not.* DigiKey has a better search system. Most critically, you can sort ascending/descending on any parameter which is INCREDIBLY useful for a whole variety of reasons. Mouser's search system pales in comparison, to the point that I often use DigiKey to select parts and then simply plug in the resulting part numbers to Mouser - skipping the latter's search system entirely. It's that useless.* DigiKey ships much, MUCH faster than Mouser these days. Pre-COVID I could order parts up to 8P Central Time and they'd ship same day. If I ordered 2nd Day Air I'd often have them the next day. Even USPS First Class mail got here in 2-3 days. Order on Friday, ship USPS (which moves over the weekend), and I could have a small package on Monday for a few dollars in shipping costs. Meanwhile, Mouser's shipping is... unpredictable. Your package might leave by the next day, or maybe in a few days. I've never discerned a pattern to it. Mouser orders always arrive, but not on any sort of schedule.* Both distributors are very good to work with in terms of customer service. In the heat of COVID their customer service folks were working from home and I got to "know" a few at each shop. When we were in dire need of something they would prioritize us a bit to keep our lines running (a service I did NOT abuse). They are always willing to share expected arrival dates (which have become less reliable in the last two years) and work with me to sort out challenges.* As far as I can recall, Mouser has never made a mistake on an order. That's a remarkable statement considering the volume they handle. DigiKey isalmostperfect, but I can remember exactly two times over the decades that they've made mistakes. One was shipping too many of a part, the other was including something we hadn't ordered. Note they nevershortedus anything. In both cases we called to report the error and asked how they'd like to handle it since it was their loss, and in both cases they thanked us for being honest and told us to just keep the parts - it wasn't worth the shipping, paperwork, and restocking labor to receive them back.Bottom line: I generally hit DigiKey's website first, if only for their vastly superior search system and predictable shipping. But Mouser gets a lot of our business too. For that matter, so do Allied and a bunch of smaller, more obscure shops worldwide. We try to support the overall infrastructure by spreading around our business a bit. But it usually starts at DigiKey.Wall of Shame Dishonorable Mention: We've done a bit of business with Farnell but seek to avoid them in the future. Just too many "dropped" orders. This got significantly worse during COVID. I understand that was a tough period for many businesses but nobody treated us like Farnell. We STILL have some MCU's on order with them, 12+ months past their due date, that were shown as IN STOCK when we placed the order. My own personal opinion is that they were advertising everything they had, got too many orders, and self-allocated them across multiple customers without saying anything. Then the backorders... just... sat. Honestly, I'd rather be told right up front that we're not getting any/some because at least we can start contingency planning ASAP. By leaving us hanging, our Production folks don't realize they're not getting parts until it's too late to save the schedule because of lead times for replacements. Very aggravating.

author: T3sl4co1l
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 15, 2022, 06:14:31 pm
content: Hmm, want to say I've received incorrect parts from Mouser before -- but it's been a long time. I think both are in the 3-sigma sort of range, which is kinda par for the course for retail, and low enough that you can go quite a while without seeing mistakes -- or indeed any.Tim

author: MrAl
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 15, 2022, 08:14:47 pm
content: Quote from: T3sl4co1l on September 15, 2022, 06:14:31 pmI have to agree we cant be TOO hard on them they do pretty good most of the time. That's most distributers.As to getting samples though, I asked National for 4 "F" type TTL chips some time ago for a high speed clock to be used in an acquisition board. They sent me 3, and told me if i wanted more i'd have to buy a lot of them in one order. That held the project up for a while.

author: floobydust
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 15, 2022, 08:25:27 pm
content: Digi-Key is not giving any guidance on shipment dates, which is beyond frustrating. Is it in a month or two, or 20 months? WHEN?Recently needed jellybean cube relays, Mouser had stock but nothing at Digi-Key.Although Mouser has some problem with Fed-Ex shipments to Canada, they are not at all streamlined and it typically takes 4-5 days, always some hold up in Memphis.Digi-Key is superior for shipping time, if they had the stock.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 15, 2022, 08:28:44 pm
content: One issue I've had with Mouser is they often use inaccurate photos of the parts, so you really have to make sure to pay attention to the parametric table and datasheet. With digikey you can usually buy a pot or switch and the shaft and mounting style will match what's in the photo. Yeah you should always study the parametric table but after using primarily digikey it's easy to forget.

author: T3sl4co1l
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 15, 2022, 10:06:07 pm
content: Quote from: james_s on September 15, 2022, 08:28:44 pmI once got inverse-burned(!) on that:Had to sub a Copal S-1011A for a one of these,https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/nkk-switches/FR01FR16H-06XL/2104084According to the datasheets...... it didn't seem like there was an equivalent, and I was going to have to live with the assembler complaining about the pins not matching. They'll have to bend them to fit or something.Boards came in. They're fine. The switch has a fat ass just like the picture shows.Hmm.Message the manufacturer. The -06XL is anundocumented custom part codewhich happens to have this extra row spacing. Turns out it is a perfect sub.They just don't put it in the datasheet.I guess judging by the price as well, they don't want people to buy this part, anyway. But not documenting it correctly sure "helps" in that regard...But yeah, in any case, turns out with this particular part, the picture is more authoritative than the datasheet(!).---Interestingly, LCSC has extensive photography -- I assume they take them themselves, never using mfg/datasheet supplied graphics. Probably a good idea, considering how spotty the sources can be in their neck of the woods.Tim