and yet when I called them asking them to add a USPS shipping option it was like talking to a brick wall (9.85$ shipping for 5 74 series IC's bah)
then when I told them I would not be buying from them anymore until they had a USPS option they hung up
now its all shugah and we listen!
I don't have a problem with Jameco, .. yet but with my experiences with them both personally and for company use it sounds a little like some 2 face BS
its a shame too, back in the day I used to buy pc and apple expansion cards from them quite a bit, but to be hung up on for daring to ask them to use a 5$ flat rate box was a bit pissy (i mean crap I get 3 of their catalogs every other month through the mail, I know they know how to use it)
The only issue I have with Jameco is that their prices on most components are extremely high and the fact that they gave me the smallest credit limit out of Digi-Key and Mouser (DigiKey being the highest). I definitely welcome another Arduino distributor. I can only hope that the more people selling original Arduinos only helps the others that sell clones made for specific uses. Not to mention all the shield creators out there.
One thing I found Jameco useful for is some robotic parts and tools. They have an extensive collection of tools available. They also occasionally have an older part you can't find from DigiKey or Mouser.
Oh and if you want to order assorted parts, they are the only non-surplus place that I know of to get them from.
I guess ordering from them is like going to a hamfest that has mostly new stuff and charges sales tax.
A lot of Jameco's parts are cheaper than you'll find most places. Their "Valuepro" blank label rectangular and DSUB connectors, for example, are a much welcomed relief from high prices for Amp and Molex connectors. I've been buying resistor packs from them forever. And what semiconductors they do have, are often reasonably priced too.
Of course the main draw for me is that they're a couple miles down the road, and I can order up components and walk in 1/2 hour later to get them.
And Osgeld: as for hanging up after you refused to pay the quoted shipping and said you would never buy anything from them, what did you expect? You called them to complain over a matter of probably less than 12 dollars, most of which they would be paying back out into shipping. The person on the phone obviously realized an incompatibility and decided not to waste more of everyone's time. You told them you weren't a future customer: conversation over.
They do actually have a USPS option but it's not any cheaper than the rest.
Before I lived close enough to to walk-ins I still ordered from them, but it's always been easy for me to pile up a big enough order that the shipping price makes more sense.
I bought lots of stuff from Jameco starting in the 80s, mostly as replacement spare parts for work. I buy nearly all my stuff now on-line/mail order, however living in Calif it's hard to pay both state sales tax and shipping costs, kind of a double hit, so I haven't used Jameco in years.
then when I told them I would not be buying from them anymore until they had a USPS option they hung up
You weren't talking to Jameco the company. You were talking to a minimum wage employee who didn't want to answer the phone in the first place. They didn't have the ability to execute on the request you made.
The guy that answers the phone enters orders and looks up information. He doesn't know anyone in the fulfillment department.
I've never heard of jameco, but companies tend to keep postage & packing high if they want to dissuade small orders.
If you're buying a £1 part you're not going to pay £10 shipping and handling. It might not be profitable for a company to spend its time dealing with tiny orders.
well jameco by nature is a small ma-pa shop, they started in the early computer boom selling expansion boards
so if they are now so big that they can hang up on customers and openly screw you over on shipping, WTF are they going to bother with arduino?
goes back to my "thats a little 2 faced" comment
deal with them if you want .. they are (slightly) overpriced, use 9$ a lb shipping, personally I find their new website a nightmare to navigate, and they have nothing all that special except for a very small selection of gears
My point really was about the fact that Arduino topped the list of items not found. Meaning how popular the Arduino is becoming and a credit to the designer. :
but hey any discussion is good.
The term “Arduino” has been the most popular “search not found”
