Ordering from RS - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: commie
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 20, 2015, 07:58:25 pm
content: Hi Guys,I couldn't believe what RS sent for my 250 P2N2222A order, they sent an 18inch box and inside were two big paper bags containing 125 P2N2222A transistors all induvidually sealed in antistatic plastic bags.Took me a good 1/2 a day to unpack them into 1 bag. I mean....CheersCommie

author: Tandy
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 20, 2015, 08:16:06 pm
content: That would be the packaging option you chose.With RS you can have a choice of individually packaged or as they call it 'industry standard packaging' meaning bulk bags, reels, tubes, trays etc. While some places empty a bag into a storage bin and then weigh out your order like buying rice from a shop, RS have set package types.If something like a PN2222a comes in a bulk bag of 1000, you can either buy 1000 in a bag or buy multiple packs, that is sometimes 1 but more often 5 in a pack. They simply take the bag of 1000 and package the whole lot up into individual packs. We do the same as we prefer everything to be ready packaged rather than have to count/weigh out and package individual quantities for each order.

author: lewis
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 20, 2015, 08:35:36 pm
content: RS are famous for doing that. They'll even stick individual 0603 resistors on a bit of tape in a bag unless you ask them nicely.

author: hans
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 20, 2015, 09:12:02 pm
content: RS needs a bit of a manual to use. Trick is to switch to production packaging, so the RS number ends with -P.I believe we have a few bags with mishaps at work.. 100 individual packaged NE555 (1 each in anti-static bag), or 50 ATMEGAs individual packaged with some kind of anti-static mesh to prevent pins from bending.OTOH you can split up a batch of parts when they are individually or per 2-5 packaged.

author: ivan747
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 21, 2015, 09:22:32 pm
content: Well, if you ever want to sell kits, you know where to buy parts...Sent from my XT1063 using Tapatalk

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 21, 2015, 09:47:21 pm
content: At RS they are also good at putting a QFP package between 2 pieces of cardboard and foam. Getting the pins straight is not a fun job. At least Farnell ships such orders in better packaging (often a tray).

author: M4trix
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 21, 2015, 09:59:36 pm
content: Nope, the whole thing is that RS wants to drive commie insane.

author: madalf71
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 21, 2015, 11:43:25 pm
content: All good with items I've ordered.Prefer well packed instead of under packed.Prices for the hobbiest type items were comparable and often cheaper than Jaycar.However....no trade counter in Melbourne AU, so delivery is by courier......but free.

author: Fsck
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 22, 2015, 02:14:26 am
content: I can't be the only one disappointed that there are no pictures.

author: m100
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 22, 2015, 10:18:11 am
content: CPC do something similar with certain of their lines even if you order in the standard order multiples. It's been a while now and I can't recall exactly what it was, maybe a small crimp terminal, one bag for 50 would have been normal, but each one was in an individual bag, the bag weighed as much if not more than its contents.Going to the other extreme and a cock up by someone. Can't recall if it was RS or Farnell butmanyyears back I wanted maybe two or three LED's for a repair job but as was usual always ordered more to keep some local stock. I think it was maybe 20 x 5mm LED's and we only carried 3mm at the time, got the number out of the catalogue and added it to the end of multiple line order form we used internally. Unless it was urgent the order was phoned through just once ever two or three weeks. Was away for a few days and during that time the form clearly got to near the last few lines and the order was placed. Got back to find 20 packs, each of which I think contained 100 LED's removed from their packacking and put into bins by a 'helpful' technician.I called the company rep and was told as the packets had been opened there was no possibility of returns. I checked the catalogue again against our order and the delivery note and I had only ordered 20 not 20 packs of 100.. But we were only ever invoiced for 20 LED's, clearly some mixup in the warehouse or some arse covering. Either way we never needed to buy any more LED's of that size again, ever. I bet there are still a few hundred kicking around now in some ex-employees parts stash.

author: Macbeth
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 22, 2015, 02:02:49 pm
content: The packaging from RS does tend to be absurd. Every item sealed in a plastic bag with a yellow part no label, then quantities of those packed in individual paper "sweet bags". That's nothing compared to some of the samples I've had sent to me by Linear, TI, Maxim etc. Tiny little pair of QSOPs delivered in a huge box full of anti-static and delivered UPS Expedited International. I cringe when I think of the cost and all that CO2. In a strange way it has put me off getting samples as I find it quite insane. (Oh, and the sales follow ups of course).

author: M4trix
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 22, 2015, 06:33:09 pm
content: I was wondering, is packing done by a machine or by hand. Looks like a crazy job. I hope RS is at least giving a decent salary to those poor employees/packers.

author: Howardlong
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 22, 2015, 06:45:46 pm
content: Quote from: M4trix on June 22, 2015, 06:33:09 pmI've often wondered the same thing. I think they are living in a different century in this respect. After all, they are called "Radio Spares", so I guess back when there were repair shops on every high street they really would buy only one replacement tube/valve as the unit cost was so high compared to the labour. These days, most parts are relatively so cheap you might as well buy several, "just in case", or even to get that minimum order for free shipping.