I am not sure if it was in this group or another I read, but I recall
somebody recalling being told by McMaster Carr to take their business elsewhere. It sounded pretty bad, but it didn't sound anything like my experiences with McMaster-Carr. Yeah I went around a bit with my tax
exempt reseller/manufacturer status, but I filled out the form the way
THEY wanted and I have not had any issue since.
Mostly I order something and it arrives. Since they have a distribution center in the same state I usually get it the next business day. Late
at night because UPS refuses to deliver to my business on the business schedule, but if I stay in the shop late I can use the part or tool that
day. That's on UPS, not McMaster. They process quick and ship right
away. Often before they process my payment, and if there is a problem
with my payment they still ship it and ask me to cover it later. That's
just everyday service from McMaster. I am a regular customer purchasing
a few thousand dollars a year from them, but I am by absolutely no means
a big important customer. Not even a medium size important customer.
On their scale I am a very small unimportant customer.
I ordered some stock from them. It was not the best price, but not unreasonably high either. I expected to have it the next day... late at
night when UPS got around to me... but I planned to wait up, cut it
down, and get my customers finished parts shipped today. I checked tracking... and it was delayed and sent to the wrong address with no
estimate of delivery. Same state and sourced in the same city as their distribution hub in the state. I contacted UPS directly and the message
I received back was a veiled threat to just return my package to the
shipper. I was stunned. UPS (as a company) has never treated me well,
but this was unreal. The local drivers I have currently are quite good
and the local counter guys at the depot are nice enough, but the general treatment from UPS has always been "you are nobody and if you don't like
it do without" (speaking sarcastically of course). Don't get me wrong.
Over time Fed-Ex DHL, and USPS all have their issues.
I didn't know what to do. I told "Mario" at UPS I wanted my package
that I already paid for. I also contacted McMaster-Carr and explained
what happened. Their response took a little while. I received an email
30 minutes later saying "We have shipped you a replacement by Fed-Ex
with by noon delivery and we are not charging you for the shipping. Do
you want to accept the order from UPS when it arrives or would you like
us to intercept it for return." This was well after normal business
hours. Unless Fed-Ex picks up from them really late somebody had to
take that over to the Fed-Ex main depot for that to happen. They didn't
ask what they could do or what I wanted them to do. They just did it.
During all the Covid shortages and delays McMaster reliably had stock, hardware, and tools on my doorstep the next day. (Late at night due to
UPS of course.) I buy quite a lot of small hardware from them the last
year or two. They are not the best price and I never get free freight,
but I get it reliably. Even though they may not be the best price
(sometimes they are, but not often) they usually aren't as much more
expensive as they get credit for. Ok, on a lot of raw stock they are,
but again, not all of it. I most of my PTFE (recycled) stock from them
for example.
This experience and day to day reliability is worth a lot to me. A lot
more than a few dollars on a several hundred dollar order.
And prices are not THAT bad. It does annoy me they don't list brands on
their website, but I've never really had an issue with the brand when it arrives. Its almost always a top name brand. I recently started a
project where I need to install a bunch of 3/16 stainless steel closed
end rivets. The big A shaped compound tool from Harbor Freight for
around $20 (I think it may have been discontinued) does a great job, but
it won't fit in some areas. I needed a little shorter right angle tool
that would do the job. I tried one of Harbor Freights cheap pnuematics
and it slipped on the stainless mandrel for a 3/16 rivet. I returned it
the same day. I would have tried the Harbor Freight high end pneumatic
tool for $154.95, but they were out of stock. I went online and ordered
the "economy" tool from McMAster Carr. The specs said it would handle
3/16 stainless rivets so I figured it was worth a try. I had it the
next day (late at night no thanks to UPS). I was working so it was a
couple days before I unboxed it. It turned out to be made by Chicago Pneumatic. (Not Central Pneumatic). I have heard their reputation
tarnished once or twice, but my dad always had all Chicago Pneumatic air
tools in his shop and still does. Many of those tools are 30-40 years
old and still work. Anyway I am pleased that it is a known quality
brand I am familiar with. That is my typical experience with
McMaster-Carr. Price difference over Harbor Freight Chief? $15. Ok I
had to pay shipping. LOL. I got a better name tool I know I will have support for, and I had it the next day. It works.
Maybe every dollar counts for you, but bear in mind that your time is
finite. Time is more valuable than anything else. Its a nonrenewable resource for your shop. Getting what you need at a reasonable price in
a reasonable time saves a lot of time. I'm not saying you should buy everything from McMaster (I don't), but if you NEED something they are
always worth checking.
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