The
Pages
UK Component and Tool Suppliers
Where to buy components and tools, and how to order them.
The list is expanding, and contact details are frequently changing
- look for 
items!
CONTENTS |
I try to make this an accurate and
up-to-date list of UK component and tool suppliers.
Please tell me if there are
any suppliers you think I should add, or if any suppliers change their contact
details or terms of business.
US suppliers - search the ARRL database. |
The 'Big Four'
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Which to choose?Remember: whoever you order from, |
For electronic components, I'd presently recommend Farnell. They treat all customers the same, and have a friendly and efficient telephone order service. Farnell are in head-to-head competitition with RS - both have almost the same enormous range of stocks, at almost the same prices. The only real difference is in the service - RS offer a distinctly cool welcome to private individuals, so why bother dealing with them? (For components, Rapid Electronics are also well worth a look - they have a narrower range of stock than RS or Farnell, but often better prices.) Maplin are positioned more towards the consumer end of the market; the range of electronic components seems to be shrinking, but they do stock a wider range of consumer electronics and related items. Maplin are still useful for smaller quantities of low-cost items such as resistors and capacitors, which other distributors would only supply in multiples of 5, 10 or more. CPC are unique because of their wide range of spares for name-brand consumer electronics and white goods. CPC also have a very wide range of consumer electronics, accessories and some components; now that the catalogue is available on the web, CPC will be very strong competition for for Maplin. However, CPC's website is not totally up-to-date about availability. Therefore I'd recommend that you browse the online catalogue and take notes of the stock codes, but then order by phone Other Distributors You can see what their particular strengths are from the descriptions below, and then make up your own mind accordingly. |
Other distributorsIf there are any other distributors that you'd particularly like to recommend, please tell me. |
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How to order |
By telephone Telephone
is far better than mail order, because you immediately find out whether each
item is available. You can then decide whether to wait or to cancel those
items. You don't have that flexibility if you order by post.
In many companies, the website is not yet fully linked to the stock control computer, so only the telephone operators have access to the fully up-to-date stock situation. Therefore it still makes sense to browse the website to find products and stock codes, but then order by phone. These days, telephone ordering can actually cost less than a postage stamp, if you have everything prepared in advance - which you always should. The telephone order operators are generally well-trained, efficient and helpful, and they will lead you through the process. |
Prepare your order |
You're dealing with a commercial company whose customers are
mostly other businesses - so be businesslike about
ordering. Don't give amateurs a bad name!
Before you pick up the phone, prepare your order carefully. If there is a pre-printed order form, use it as a checklist - yes, even if you are going to order by phone! If you fill in the form, you know you'll have all the information the company needs, right there in front of you when you call. If there isn't a pre-printed form, In Practice for September 2000 includes a sample letter that will generally 'do the business' for you. ALWAYS order quoting stock codes. Also respect any minimum-order quantities specified in the catalogue. When components are supplied in multiples, read the catalogue very carefully. Don't order quantity 5 when the stock item is actually a pack of 5 - otherwise you'll end up with 25! Web ordering is improving, but still patchy. Some sites are much harder to use than others. Also, some websites do not accurately reflect stocks and availability, so it's still better to order by phone and get live feedback. Tip - sometimes you get most of the way through a long telephone order, and then find that a vital component is not available! If you ask, many companies will let you put the whole order 'on hold' while you hang up and look for alternatives. They will give you an order number to quote when you call them back. |
How to pay |
Pay for your order by credit or debit
card. With a complex order, it's almost impossible to predict the
total cost to the nearest penny; perhaps you didn't use the very latest catalogue,
or some items may not be in stock, or they have been superseded during the
lifetime of your catalogue. If you pay by card, the supplier will automatically
charge the correct total.
As small customers, we have a responsibility to make our orders easy to handle. Paying by card is part of this. If distributors find it too costly to deal with small orders, they could increase the handling charge or even close the service down. |
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26 January 2008
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