Parts sourcing

[blackedition]

i see...  thanks very much for the reply...  it will certainly be something to think about...  maybe i won't order any super important parts from them and just cherry pick deals when i see them...

small bear looks like it is going to be the way to go...  just hope they have everything i need in stock when i compile the order...

[chromesphere]

Just on the topic of retailer delivery times.
Even though my little webstore is no where near the scale of these other retailers, I can see similar issues they must struggle with, particularly with international post.  Its nice to receive positive feedback from people regarding fast shipping of the packages I send out, keeps me in the know.  But the honest truth is, I'm utterly at the mercy of the international postal service and <your countries> postal system.  Its for this reason that I do everything I can to get the order out as quickly as possible and I usually do this within 24 hours of receiving the order.  waiting for stuff to show up is annoying.    I think if your an international retailer and your NOT posting your stuff out as fast as possible, your asking for trouble.  Your just adding extra time onto what could be a long delivery time.
I've found it to be an interesting experience to be the sender instead of the receiver and the challenges faced.

[jkokura]

Once a package is in the mail, I %100 agree with you. However, the shipping issues with Mammoth have not been about the postal services, and have only something to do about the international issues. To be honest, I like what Mammoth has been trying to do, in particular that they offer USPS first class service to Canada. Most other places don't including Smallbear, which means that any order of anything of substance from Smallbear my shipping is $28+.

Anyway, my point being, ordering from everywhere has certain expenses, and includes an amount of risk and patience built right in. I feel it's riskiest to order from Mammoth, and requires the most patience, but it's certainly less expensive than some other options.

Jacob

[flanagan0718]

Ship time is usually what makes me (personally) stay with or bail on an online retailer. If there is no tracking...goodbye. If it takes 3 weeks to go from NY to MA (where I am), see ya later. I understand that we are a all at the mercy of the postman but there is a line for most of us.

On another note, I just checked out www.3pdt.com and there are another Tayda. Located in China, sells knock off boards, fairly inexpensive. They do sell capacitor and resistor kits though. I think I saw a transistor and ic assortment too. Cheap enclosures and switches. Have no idea about the quality tho.

I have tried Mammoth, wasn't blown away by them but also wasn't let down. Tayda has, of lately, been adrift in the ocean that is my patience. They have messed up my last 2 or 3 orders and the 3pdt switches fell apart when I needed to desolder. Plus half of the j201s didn't work. That is why I started this thread. Wanted some reputable sources. You guy rule and are always full of great info!


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[das234]

Oh, one other thing.  When you order from tayda, everything comes individually packaged and labeled, which is nice if you are getting hundreds or thousands of parts at a time.  Smallbear, on the other hand, does not label things very well.  It hasn't been a big issue for me because I've only made small orders from them but if you were ordering a bunch of stuff it might be a pain to sort it out.

[jimilee]

Well wait til you order from mouser then! Mind=blown

[alanp]

Mouser loves labels like Brian loves lead and rosin fumes

Smallbear will label, if you ask nicely -- one time I ordered two different types of LDR, and they labelled the two otherwise identical bags on my request.

[rullywowr]

I recently ordered a large number of components (for an unrelated) project from Newark. Very impressed with their "cheap" resistors as they have thick leads.  Even more impressed about the detail of their labels. Even let's you know the diameter of electro caps right on the label.

[flanagan0718]

Hmm, also good to know I was looking at mouser and digikey this morning. I'll give them a looksy too!


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[davent]

Shipping speed? Ordered 6pm Monday night, 10:30 Tuesday morning unpacking the order, North Dakota to Canada, regular $8 shipping, their only option and price for orders under $200, free shipping above that threshold.

[Govmnt_Lacky]

Cheap, Good, Fast.....

You can only pick 2 

[blackedition]

well, personally...  i'd pick good...  fast and cheap are much less important.  if it is a ridiculous difference in shipping speeds, i would likely err on the side of quicker shipping...  quality of the product is far and away the most important thing to me.  i don't mind paying slightly more for something that i know is going to deliver (no pun intended )

[Leevibe]

Hey.  I'm even newer than you are here!  I'm terrible at forums in general but Stomptown told me how great it is here, so here I am!

I love ordering from Smallbear.  They might not be the cheapest but the quality and service has always been great and they are my favorite.

Pedal Parts Plus is my next pick. 

For the most part, I use them both fairly equally.  It usually comes down to who has something specific I'm looking for.  Then I order everything else I can think of because now I'm paying shipping. 

For example, I like to buy enclosures from PPP but I will buy mini toggles from SB.  In my perfect world SB and PPP would join forces under one roof and offer free shipping!!

My favorite 3PDT's so far are from CE Distribution.  They are cheap, look good, and I have zero failures so far.

Lee

[Stomptown]

Glad to see you joined up Lee!  Definitely check out the buy and sell form. In that forum there is a sub forum with the occasional group buy for parts. Typically it will be for one type of part (e.g. 3PDT, pots, or caps) but you can save a lot of money by stocking up this way and 99% they are high quality parts.

[Leevibe]

Awesome.  I will definitely be checking it out!