Futurlec order experiance

[Sceadwian]

Does anyone have experience with Futurlec orders? I placed an order with them on the 12th of this month. On the 14th my order was still showing 'entered' on their website status, so I sent an e-mail asking about status. They replied everything should be packed on the 16th... On the 19th I made a follow up e-mail wondering why I hadn't gotten tracking information yet and they replied the order was complete except for some tiny26's I ordered, but they had a slightly different version of the tiny26 so I told them that was fine. It's now the 24th and I haven't received tracking information or any kind of feedback as to what the delay is this time, I don't care why but the fact that they haven't notified me of whatever the delay is (normal or otherwise) is seriously starting to irk me. Anyone else have problems like this with furturlec? I've run across one other post warning about their shipping times but I've explicitly asked for a shipping date on three occasions now and it seems like they're trying really hard to blow me off. I've placed orders with Digikey and Mpja before and I always get immediate and informative e-mails even if there is a delay.
Anyone else have experiences?

 

[justDIY]

that delay sounds about right for Futurlec. They are very very slow in fulfilling orders. but their prices are so cheap on many things, it is often worth the wait. I've ordered many times, and usually wait about a month for delivery, but everything eventually made it.

not recommended if you're working under any sort of deadline!

 

[Sceadwian]

It's not the wait, it's the fact that they're stonewalling me in my requests for a shipping date. If they said three weeks or five weeks even, I could sleep well at night so to speak and plan around that approximate time and after two or four weeks I could ask again. But when they said 'monday' And come thursday I have to send another e-mail just to get an update, I begin to get upset =) There's no wonder their sales respondant only lists their first name on e-mails, they don't want nasty grams.

 

[3v0]

that delay sounds about right for Futurlec. They are very very slow in fulfilling orders. but their prices are so cheap on many things, it is often worth the wait. I've ordered many times, and usually wait about a month for delivery, but everything eventually made it.

not recommended if you're working under any sort of deadline!

I looked at the site a few times and what I was interested in could be found for less elsewhere. Not what I would call a fair comparison.
What sort of things are they cheaper on ?

 

[mneary]

I agree, sounds about right for futurlec.

It seems to be a totally different business approach. I ordered PCBs, and when I hadn't heard anything for 2 weeks I wrote. Got a response a week later said my order had fallen through the cracks, did I still want it? I said yes and the boards arrived about 2 weeks later.

 

[AllVol]

Futurlec was the first place I ordered from when I started buying online.
The first few orders were filled quickly, with no hassle. I was very pleased.

Then, on one order a certain high-dollar item I purchased, a development board, was defective. I never could get satisfaction. After a couple of communications, they completely ignored me.

I relented recently, and again ordered some parts from Futurlec. Again one of the parts was defective. At least this time they credited my credit card.


Their saving grace is the no minimum order, and their shipping and handling is cheaper, at least for me, usually four dollars. I do wonder why, however, when the package arrives, it has only 85 cents US postage on it.

 

[gramo]

I only used futurlec, although I'll be going through newark for PIC's now..

Sure some of their IC's ar slightly more, but the majority of their hardware and miniboards can't be beaten for price. I have one order for $200 with them at the moment, its been displayed as 'order entered' for around 3 weeks and the moment they ship it, the status will change to 'order shipped'.


GLCDs/LCDs/Keypads/Switch's/Protoboards/Mini boards (development boards for SD/MMC, stepper motors, heaps of things, Cable manufacturing parts/RF modules/ZIFF sockets/Connectors/SOIC to DIP adaptors are some of the low cost peripherals I buy from them.

One order took 1.5months ($300 order of random parts), but was definitely worth the wait when comparing the prices. Order in advance, or go through more of a middle of a middle man distributor like digikey/mouser

I dont know how many of these I have brought for $1.50
**broken link removed**

16 * 2 LCD's for $6.9
**broken link removed**

GLCD's for $22.9
**broken link removed**

Random things like those that make the wait worth it

 

[3v0]

... go through more of a middle of a middle man distributor like digikey/mouser

I would think it to be more the other way around. Are not DigiKey and Mouser much larger distributors then Futurlec.

Futurlec does have some good prices on some stuff. A 9 Contact Female PC Mount Connector is only 55 cents. The best I found elsewhere is 70 cents.
​

Whey I looked at crystals prices were good on common values but higher then on less common values.

What I do not like is that much of the time futurlec does not list the manufactures part number.

 

[BeeBop]

I agree, that is typical of them. I have ordered a lot from them. In a lot of cases their prices are hard to beat, however when something is back-ordered you only find out by contacting them. At the end of the day, they are still good though, and I would order again, even if not frequently, and never if I need the part right away.

I ordered a couple of PIC development boards from them. I don't like their boards at all; you have to use their programmers, and I think they suck.

 

[justDIY]

Futurlec does have some good prices on some stuff. A 9 Contact Female PC Mount Connector is only 55 cents. The best I found elsewhere is 70 cents.
​

Whey I looked at crystals prices were good on common values but higher then on less common values.

What I do not like is that much of the time futurlec does not list the manufactures part number.

that's mainly what I buy from them, is connectors.

the best example I have is in their nock-off molex KK series connectors, specifically the crimp pin. if you buy 25 ten-packs of the terminal, they're 5 cents each. Newark has the second best price at 6.57 cents each, and mouser is 8 cents each. Take that up in quantity a little, 1000 crimp pins would cost you 4 cents each from futurlec, 6 cents each from mouser and 5.82 cents each from newark. the housings and headers are also discounted, but not as dramatic as those damn little crimp pins.

I also like futurlec's selection of ICs. they carry a lot of Maxim's harder to find parts, that the big guys only stock in qty 10000.

I think part of the trouble they have in providing shipping information is they're sort of a middle man. they have a supplier in Asia somewhere that does the shipping, and their offices are in Australia.

 

[Optikon]

Your ordering experience will be directly proportional to the amount of $$$ you spend.

 

[TekNoir]

that's mainly what I buy from them, is connectors.

the best example I have is in their nock-off molex KK series connectors, specifically the crimp pin. if you buy 25 ten-packs of the terminal, they're 5 cents each. Newark has the second best price at 6.57 cents each, and mouser is 8 cents each. Take that up in quantity a little, 1000 crimp pins would cost you 4 cents each from futurlec, 6 cents each from mouser and 5.82 cents each from newark. the housings and headers are also discounted, but not as dramatic as those damn little crimp pins.

Taking just a few seconds to search my past purchases, Jameco will sell you 1000+ Molex KK series .100" connectors for 2.9 cents each (actual Molex brand: Jameco part# 234923).

Their website is messing up for me at the moment and that was the only part number that I had available. I've purchase Molex off-brands (such as Leoco and ValuePro) from Jameco in the past for even cheaper than that.

 

[TekNoir]

16 * 2 LCD's for $6.9
**broken link removed**

GLCD's for $22.9
**broken link removed**

Random things like those that make the wait worth it

All Electronics Corp has 24*2 LCDs (w/HD44780) for 3.50$ each (CAT# LCD-107) and seven different graphic LCDs, all between 7.75$ and 18.50$, most around 11.00$

I have seen that specific prototyping board (777) for about 80 cents elsewhere, though I don't remember from where at the moment.

I have yet to find anything at Futurlec that I could not find for cheaper elsewhere. I would also rather deal with a company that has better customer support. Their "we'll get around to it when we choose" attitude throws me off by more than a little.

I shouldn't have to spend a month's salary to a small company just in order to not be at the end of the line and to be considered important.

 

[AllVol]

Your ordering experience will be directly proportional to the amount of $$$ you spend.

If you mean better service the more you spend, Gramo should have gotten his merchandise next-day.

 

[AllVol]

In Futurlec's defense, I reiterate the "no minimum" and low shipping costs.

Another supply house, located just two states away, has a minimum estimated shipping cost of nearly eight dollars, and has a $15 minimum.

 

[3v0]

In Futurlec's defense, I reiterate the "no minimum" and low shipping costs.

Neither mean squat if they are that slow. The only reason I have to make a small (less then min) order is if I wanted the parts yesterday.

For that I use Mouse and eat the few extra bucks for UPS shipping. I think in the US can ship USPS through them for about $5. But that makes no sense if you are in a rush.

For some small orders glitchbusters was good but he has all but closed up shop. In Canada you could look into using DIP Micro, the people who sell Bill's Inchworm kit. Not sure just thinking.

 

[justDIY]

I always forget about jameco, when I do remember them, I either can't find what I'm looking for or their website is down.

That is a good price on the crimp terminals. I'm down to my last roll of 250, so I'll keep them in mind when it comes time to restock.

 

[Optikon]

If you mean better service the more you spend, Gramo should have gotten his merchandise next-day.

Believe it or not $300 is nothing to these guys. The Janitor makes $300 by the time they fill an order. Their apparent threshold of who is an important customer doesn't seem to start until 10's of k-bucks.

 

[TekNoir]

In Futurlec's defense, I reiterate the "no minimum" and low shipping costs.

Jameco has no minimum order price on purchases when made online. (Catalog orders have a 5$ processing fee on orders below 25$.) Also, if you subscribe to their catalog, it isn't unusual to always have a promotional code allowing free shipping for orders over 99$ or 50$. Normal shipping by UPS is around 6.50$-7.50$ for a residential US destination. Postal Service is around 6.00$-7.50$ average. I rarely pay shipping charges when making orders through Jameco. The two other distributors that I most often use, Mouser (no minimum) and Newark (25$ to avoid 5$ service fee), are more than reasonable on their item and shipping prices. Of the discount stores that I use most often, All Electronics (no minimum) has a flat 7$ shipping fee and Electronic Goldmine (10$ minimum) has been reasonable in the past on their UPS shipping fees.

Having said that, I cannot think of the last time I would have needed a "no minimum" order size. Most companies, which have a minimum order size and with whom I have delt, have order requirements of 15$, 25$, 35$, or at most 50$ worth of purchased parts/equipment in order to avoid a service fee. I always wait until I have enough parts that I need before I order and always order at least in those amounts. Shipping is always negligible (less than 10$, sometimes even expedited, or even free, according to where I'm ordering from).

Quite frankly, unless you're behind on a schedule or something similar, it is silly to order parts piecemeal. And if you're behind on a schedule, Futurlec and their month+ shipping times are worthless, no matter how cheap the shipping costs. (That is, unless you spend enough with them that you could have got free or severely discounted shipping from other viable, more reputable places.)

Note: All observations are from orders placed to companies based in the US or Canada and shipped to a US residential address. The rules always change for international orders.

 

[Bryan76]

I placed an order on April 4 2007. After approx 9 days of seeing my Order Status as enterd i sent an email to see what the delay was. 2 days later they told me that they where out of stock on one of the parts and it would take 3 days to get it and shipped it out. 4 days after that i sent another email asking for an update and they said they still didnt have the part and could mail me what they do have and send the missing part later. I told them to replace the missing part with another similar part. 2 days after that they said they where missing another part in my order and it would be 3 months untill they would have it in stock. I told them to forget all the missing parts and send me the ones that are in stock. They finally shipped it yesterday. If I would of not sent emails they wouldnt of contacted me in my opinion. It took several email aswell just to get a responce. I will not be using them ever again.