Element 14 - incorrect stock levels - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: djos
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 31, 2017, 06:46:42 am
content: G'day all, I'm getting a bit cross with Element 14 atm - my last couple of component orders have been bitten by incorrect stock levels and it's giving my the sh!ts. Eg I order a bunch of components including a hand full of 1.6A, 250V, Time Delay fuses which show 1,127 in stock. I get an email the next day saying my order has shipped and so I log on to check everything and the order is in fact still "processing" and the Fuses are on backorder! Arrrrgh!I never have these kind of issues with RS Components but they dont always have what I want. Anyone else find E14 stock levels to be untrustworthy?

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 31, 2017, 07:59:43 am
content: I've had this happen very occasionally, maybe once a year.

author: djos
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 31, 2017, 08:01:59 am
content: Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on January 31, 2017, 07:59:43 amIt seems they deliberately show "international stock levels" instead of the stock actually in your country, bloody dodgy imo.

author: Towger
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 31, 2017, 08:30:22 am
content: I had this happen just last week with some 220uf 25v capacitors. Then again I have ordered 5 plugs and received 5 packs of 5 plugs. So their stock control is not the best.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 31, 2017, 08:56:34 am
content: It happens every now and then but it is rare and seems to happen more frequent around the holidays. RS also has it's quirks like sending chips in poor packaging so I don't order QFP chips or any other part with legs from them.

author: djos
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 31, 2017, 09:20:21 am
content: Quote from: nctnico on January 31, 2017, 08:56:34 amI wonder if this issue is more common in smaller countries like Australia that may have smaller warehouses and ranges of components in stock? I imagine in the USA and UK it'd be mostly a non issue.

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 31, 2017, 04:18:29 pm
content: Quote from: djos on January 31, 2017, 08:01:59 amMay be different for outside UK. Here they ship from UK and Liege, but both generally arrive next day. Most common annoyance is when you get two bits of cut tape for the same part

author: Jeroen3
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 31, 2017, 06:55:19 pm
content: We just received a bag of 10 SUBD connectors we didn't order. Soon someone will order 10 when there are none left.

author: djos
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 10, 2017, 04:52:44 am
content: So after sending E14 a grumpy email, they finally got stock in and shipped my order - I definitely prefer RS Components service!

author: TAMHAN
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2017, 08:27:07 am
content: Definitely. RS shipped me, when I was in a rut, 450EUR of stuff sight unseen just on me calling and giving my corporate address in Slovakia and a delivery adress in Austria (!!!).Love them. Even though Mousers delivery to Slovakia also has its benefits.

author: djos
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 10, 2017, 09:10:48 am
content: Quote from: TAMHAN on February 10, 2017, 08:27:07 amYeah me too, I've had them overnight ship me stuff from 4 different warehouses, amazing because I work for Australia Post and I can't ship like that for less than the cost of my order!

author: djos
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 02, 2017, 01:37:16 am
content: Argh, let down by element 14 yet again, placed an order 4 weeks ago and 3 of 12 items were back-ordered despite being shown as in-stock. Anyhoo I check my order today and they are still back ordered!That's the last time I order from them as aside from my original email, I've had ZERO comms from them to let me know whats going on, really really pathetic customer service! RS Electronics will be getting my biz from now on.

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 02, 2017, 06:16:58 am
content: Quote from: djos on January 31, 2017, 06:46:42 amI haven't had that from them, but I had exactly that from Avnet. They extended the shipping time from days to 5months. Unacceptable

author: Lorenzo_1
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 02, 2017, 06:23:39 am
content: I'm quite certain the Australian store shows In Stock listings for quite a lot of items that, in fact, have to be shipped from UK. I've had this happen on a few orders for small components and delays have sometimes been considerable. It's rather misleading. Probably best to call them and check true stock availability locally if the stuff is urgent - rarely the case for me. That said, I've otherwise found them very good to deal with.

author: djos
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 02, 2017, 06:23:44 am
content: Quote from: tggzzz on May 02, 2017, 06:16:58 amCrazy isnt it!I called up Element 14 today and told them to remove the 3 products on back order and ship what was in stock, They were like "oh but sir those items have just come in". I wasn't impressed, I told them to remove them anyway as I'd just ordered them from RS Electronics who had shipped them them about an hour after I placed my order!I only used them because the boards I'm building had all the BoM listing all the E14 part no's theoretically making the order easier. Next time I'll just spend and extra few minutes finding the parts or equiv's at RS.

author: djos
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 02, 2017, 06:27:14 am
content: Quote from: Lorenzo_1 on May 02, 2017, 06:23:39 amWhen they actually have stock I have no issues with them, but at least with RSE I can trust their stock checker and their next day free courier shipping is just unbeatable. I really dont know how they can ship me the $14 of parts, E14 didnt have, for free via Toll Priority and still make money! Amazing!

author: rs20
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 02, 2017, 06:30:24 am
content: I used to use element14 because they had a local warehouse here in Australia. However, the observations that:-- Digikey has recyclable, sensibly-sized packaging whereas Element 14 orders would have 3 massive plastic bags per chip, coming from warehouses all over the place,-- Element14 makes it impossible to restrict searches by "in Stock in Australia", which probably makes perverse sense in their heads because their search results would be a lot more sparse if such an option was used - but guess what, things fromeveryother Element 14 warehouse takelongerto arrive than they do from Digikey, so there's absolutely no reason for me to buy from any other warehouse, and forcing me to manually filter is an terminally frustrating experience.-- Element14 published on their website that their in-person counter opened at 9, so I make the non-trivial effort to get there and lo and behold they had moved the opening time to 12 and not updated the website.So basically, my attitude right now is "screw Element14". An attitude only made more comfortable and easy to accomplish by Digikey's reduction of free shipping threshold from AUD 200 to AUD 60. And the orders arrive within 2 or 3 days to Australia, which I can understand might not be fast enough for some people, but iseasilyfast enough for me.

author: djos
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 02, 2017, 06:45:31 am
content: Quote from: rs20 on May 02, 2017, 06:30:24 amI completely agree, I'd wait a week for free shipping myself.Btw the theme here seems to be element 14 Australia, clearly they no longer care about their Aussie customers. their loss, never again!