US components store with free shipping? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: lpc32
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 28, 2015, 05:34:02 pm
content: Are there any component stores that ship free in the US? Without minimum order or snail mailing a check.

author: mtdoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 28, 2015, 05:49:53 pm
content: I don't know of any. But Digikey shipping if you choose first class US mail is fast and very cheap.There's always eBay but free shipping is usually the Slow boat from China, literally - and you take your chances on the quality of the components.

author: rdl
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 28, 2015, 06:55:26 pm
content: Wait a minute. Digi-Key offersFirst Classand not just Priority? I haven't used Digi-Key since back when they had a $25 minimum order, but if they have real First Class I'll give them another look.I always buy from Mouser because they are close, but I have to use Priority because the "economy" service they have, which uses USPS for the end point delivery, is abysmally slow.

author: mtdoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 28, 2015, 07:08:11 pm
content: Quote from: rdl on March 28, 2015, 06:55:26 pmYes. The only catch is the weight limit which I think is 8 oz. Not an issue for most components though. Cost is like $3.

author: rdl
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 28, 2015, 07:19:59 pm
content: Yes, I ship First Class packages all the time, the limit is 13 oz. and $3 is a fair price since packaging isn't free. I will be sure to check them out the next time I need just a small quantity of components. I doubt the shipping time from there will be more than one day longer than from Mouser.Quote from: mtdoc on March 28, 2015, 07:08:11 pm

author: edavid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 28, 2015, 07:54:35 pm
content: Quote from: lpc32 on March 28, 2015, 05:34:02 pmNo, there isn't one. How could there be?If you want free shipping on a tiny order, mail a check to Digikey.

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 28, 2015, 08:22:21 pm
content: It's totally unreasonable to expect free shipping on tiny orders, where the cost of post exceeds the value of the order by several orders of magnitude.

author: cosmicray
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 28, 2015, 08:38:42 pm
content: Quote from: lpc32 on March 28, 2015, 05:34:02 pmYou are asking for an unreasonable combination. Pick any 2 and you might be able to find a seller, but not all 3.

author: mtdoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 28, 2015, 08:47:03 pm
content: Quote from: Hero999 on March 28, 2015, 08:22:21 pmAgree. I still don't know how some of the Chinese eBay sellers seem to do it.

author: Biff383
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 28, 2015, 10:06:52 pm
content: Get a part from TI. The last msp430:#/&h cost me 5 cents for 2. And I got the software free......minus the disc space I suppose.

author: lpc32
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2015, 04:26:38 pm
content: Thanks.The problem with eBay is that it's not good for finding specific parts, even ignoring the credibility issues.Why unreasonable to expect? I think it used to be free in some cases in the past. Also, it is free when mailing a check, which is more expensive to process than an online purchase. A minimum order would be fine if it were a minimal value like $10-20.An MSP430 for 5c shipped? How?

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2015, 04:35:35 pm
content: It's unreasonable to buy something like a resistor which costs less than a penny and expect not to pay for postage which is much more expensive than the item.Quote from: mtdoc on March 28, 2015, 08:47:03 pmPostage is included in the price and is heavily subsidised by the Chinese government because it's good for business.

author: PaulAm
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2015, 04:48:27 pm
content: Digikey will ship your order free IF you send in a check or money order with your order. That's good for addresses in the US and Canada. That adds time, of course. I've always been in too much of a hurry to take advantage of that.

author: mtdoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2015, 05:04:30 pm
content: Quote from: Hero999 on March 29, 2015, 04:35:35 pmYes, I've heard that before but it still makes no sense to me when I can get 50 or even 100 BJTs for $1 shipped from China. Or the assorted small finished boards for less than $2.It's like the old joke about losing money on every sale but making it up on volume....

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2015, 05:26:24 pm
content: Chinese government needs to keep their economy running, so they are going to subsidise somewhat shipping as then their factories are busy, as opposed to a factory in eg India or Singapore selling the same items instead. They do this until they either have enough of a rise in living standards so people accept a higher shipping price or until they run out of other peoples money.

author: mtdoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2015, 05:47:14 pm
content: Quote from: SeanB on March 29, 2015, 05:26:24 pmYeah, thanks. I'm familiar with the idea and for some scenarios is does have a logic to it - I just don't see that for shipping of sub $1 electronics parts.There's a whole lot of subsidized infrastructure build out in China - their famous "empty cities", etc going on. There's a lot of interesting (and scary) issues surrounding their economy - but not a discussion to get into on this forum...

author: dannyf
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2015, 06:03:04 pm
content: QuoteIt is a lot more important that you think there are lots of issues, including the mail subsidies. Whether the said issues are actually there as you understood aren't important.

author: lpc32
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2015, 07:35:27 pm
content: Any concrete info on these subsidies?An interesting guesstimated/extrapolated article on the cost calculation:http://thydzik.com/how-do-chinesehong-kong-sellers-make-money-on-ebay-with-99c-free-shipping-items/

author: mtdoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2015, 07:50:57 pm
content: Quote from: lpc32 on March 29, 2015, 07:35:27 pmInteresting link. Thanks.

author: cosmicray
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2015, 09:14:33 pm
content: Quote from: lpc32 on March 29, 2015, 07:35:27 pmThere was some talk about it back in this threadhttps://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/digikey-absurdity/msg582871/#msg582871It's not so much a subsidy, as the way that international mail is exchanged, and the rules about who pays who how much. For obtuse reasons, the chinese receive more for mail going to them, than the US does when receiving mail. Because they pay us less, they charge the US buyers less. It may be a subsidy, but not in the conventional sense.