Do you ask for a quote from element14 to save on parts?

I don’t know if anyone else uses the service on element14 here in Australia … or any of the overseas suppliers … but under “Tools” on the top menu bar there is a tab “Request a quote”.


Years ago one of their enthusiastic young reps rang me and told me he was my account manager … and said I should be using that service. He was very helpful with some other enquiries and kept insisting I do it ... so just to keep him happy I eventually filled in the online form for one of my bigger orders … and was astounded at the offered prices.


From then on I asked for a quote on just about everything I ordered. It’s a bit of a pain having to fill in their part number … the manufacturers part number and name … and then wait a few hours or even the next day for the email … but the saving is well worth it.


I didn’t realise just how much, until a year or so later looking at the business spend on spare parts … and seeing the year by year amounts … that first year I used their service … the total amount of my spare parts was around $60 less than HALF the previous year. I'm talking thousands of dollars.


I don’t always bother with smaller items or lower priced parts … but whenever I need tubes of switches, relays, ICs or higher priced items … I always ask for a quote first.


The last few years have been nowhere near as generous as the first few … but I won’t look a gift horse in the mouth.


I have seen discounts up to 90% off … yep 90% … though on average now they are more likely to be 15 – 20% … sometimes 30%.

If you need any expensive items or large quantities ... I couldn't encourage you more, to ask for a quote first.

Some of you may have read the thread where I asked for help finding some silicone filler ... and was pointed to the stuff I need ... well I was happy to find it is available at element14

Being expensive at $92.50 a tube, I emailed for a quote.

Couple hours later I had a reply and a price of $74.30.

A 20% saving was well worth the few minutes filling in the form and the few hours waiting for a reply.

I've never bothered doing the same with RS Components or Mouser ... perhaps I should ... I see they both have the option as well.

RS is the same also account holders on both sites get freebies and a bigger discount. mere mortals dont get such good deals, get hold of a rep before ordering, near the BIN end they are willing to get shot cheap as they operate just in time systems, so a bin with 1 roll of wire in stops them getting in more stock, reps have a list on the screen of things to get shot of.