Edgar Posted March 29, 2020 Share Posted March 29, 2020 I'm in voluntary full self-quarantine after COVID-19 exposure. So I'm trying to catch up on some projects. I need some nylon machine screws and washers. I can't go to the hardware store, so I've been trying to order online and have them shipped. Keep in mind that the quantities are so low that they could probably slip them into a first-class envelope. One vendor wants $4 for the merchandise and $12 for the shipping. They're eleven miles away. Another vendor wants $5 for the merchandise, $2.80 for "handling fee", and $10 for shipping. They're seven miles away. I guess I'll just read my new book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richieb Posted March 29, 2020 Share Posted March 29, 2020 Maybe a friend/neighbor can pick them up and leave them at the door —? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edgar Posted March 29, 2020 Author Share Posted March 29, 2020 3 minutes ago, richieb said: Maybe a friend/neighbor can pick them up and leave them at the door —? Yeah, I thought of that. We're in full lockdown, so you can't go into the stores and browse. But I can still order and have someone pick up. I just need to find someone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason str Posted March 29, 2020 Share Posted March 29, 2020 Call the local hardware stores. Maybe they will do front door pickup with a call ahead of time, wear gloves and slip them cash and any change for the tip. Never mind i see you can't leave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edgar Posted March 30, 2020 Author Share Posted March 30, 2020 Just checked ebay. I can get what I need shipped halfway across the country for free. I am fine with local vendors keeping the lights on and still making a profit, and I'm willing to pay for that in the price. But don't hide it in "handling charges" and shipping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woofers and Tweeters Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 I agree that shipping, sometimes, shouldn't be so high. I like McMaster Carr and their prices aren't always too high, but sometimes I don't need it tomorrow and wish they had an option to slow it down and it cost less. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
y2keglide Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 Have you tried ebay,lots of free shipping on things there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edgar Posted March 30, 2020 Author Share Posted March 30, 2020 1 hour ago, y2keglide said: Have you tried ebay,lots of free shipping on things there. And that's pretty much the point. I'm very much in favor of supporting local business, but they have to meet me partway. These particular vendors showed reasonable prices up-front, but there was no way to find out what the shipping and handling charges were until the last step of the checkout process. And then those charges were outrageous. I'd rather they charged more for the merchandise and had reasonble shipping charges, stated it all up-front, and said, "We can't compete with ebay prices, because we run a brick-and-mortar store. But if you want it today, come into our store. If you want it tomorrow, use our local shipping option. Your ability to do that is reflected in the price." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
y2keglide Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 11 hours ago, Edgar said: And that's pretty much the point. I'm very much in favor of supporting local business, but they have to meet me partway. These particular vendors showed reasonable prices up-front, but there was no way to find out what the shipping and handling charges were until the last step of the checkout process. And then those charges were outrageous. I'd rather they charged more for the merchandise and had reasonble shipping charges, stated it all up-front, and said, "We can't compete with ebay prices, because we run a brick-and-mortar store. But if you want it today, come into our store. If you want it tomorrow, use our local shipping option. Your ability to do that is reflected in the price." I've run into that a lot so I use ebay and amazon more often than not. I live in a rural area so online shopping vs in store saves me a lot of time and money,some things I want in my hand before I buy so I'll go to a store but a lot I just order and it's at my doorstep not long after. At lot of stores will ship if you order online but aren't really well set up for it so it takes them time and time is money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators dtel Posted March 31, 2020 Moderators Share Posted March 31, 2020 23 hours ago, Woofers and Tweeters said: I like McMaster Carr Plus they have "almost" anything and the catalog is about 5" thick. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Islander Posted March 31, 2020 Share Posted March 31, 2020 Years ago, I had a Motorola phone that came with earbuds that had a male USB terminal instead of a standard 3.5mm plug, and the phone had no standard headphone socket, just the USB port. I wanted to buy an adapter that would let me use better earbuds or headphones with the phone. I found it at two vendors. The Vancouver vendor charged $8 for the adapter and $2 for the shipping. The Washington State vendor wanted $2 for the adapter and $8 for the shipping. Wow. The whole thing seemed ridiculous, but I bought the Vancouver adapter. Might as well shop (relatively) local when possible, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woofers and Tweeters Posted March 31, 2020 Share Posted March 31, 2020 53 minutes ago, dtel said: Plus they have "almost" anything and the catalog is about 5" thick. . Yes, and most of what I get, the quality is premium enough. There is a minimum on shipping, it seems. Buy a 30 cent something and shipping is still $10, but it's there the next day before 9:am. They have some sort of agreement with UPS, and it works. I am mindful of the shipping and have a list before I call. Also, their online way to drill straight into what I want is better than any other company I have used. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigStewMan Posted March 31, 2020 Share Posted March 31, 2020 On 3/29/2020 at 4:41 PM, richieb said: Maybe a friend/neighbor can pick them up and leave them at the door —? so that's what friends are for ... I was told they were to loan money to. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators dtel Posted March 31, 2020 Moderators Share Posted March 31, 2020 1 hour ago, Woofers and Tweeters said: Yes, and most of what I get, the quality is premium enough. There is a minimum on shipping, it seems. Buy a 30 cent something and shipping is still $10, but it's there the next day before 9:am. They have some sort of agreement with UPS, and it works. I am mindful of the shipping and have a list before I call. Also, their online way to drill straight into what I want is better than any other company I have used. I had no idea they were online, Thank You, went and bookmarked it just now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woofers and Tweeters Posted March 31, 2020 Share Posted March 31, 2020 36 minutes ago, dtel said: I had no idea they were online, Thank You, went and bookmarked it just now. There is still technical chit that is linked. Strengths, thermal dynamics, lubricity and bla bla, plus cad that are linked. A lot more companies are getting better, I just liked them from way back.... except for the lack of shipping options. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators dtel Posted March 31, 2020 Moderators Share Posted March 31, 2020 But for that hard to find part, well most of them. When I was building the MWM's I was looking for the kind of hurricane clips Klipsch used and went to a shop in town. The old guy who owns it said he did not have them but looked through his McMaster Carr catalog and could not find them. He said Klipsch probably special ordered them and a vendor made them to order, he guessed ? What it was was a hurricane clip that had two ears on them so they can be screwed down so they could not fall out in places not accessible after construction. I never did find them and had to go a different way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No.4 Posted March 31, 2020 Share Posted March 31, 2020 On 3/29/2020 at 6:32 PM, Edgar said: I'm in voluntary full self-quarantine after COVID-19 exposure. So I'm trying to catch up on some projects. I need some nylon machine screws and washers. I can't go to the hardware store, so I've been trying to order online and have them shipped. Keep in mind that the quantities are so low that they could probably slip them into a first-class envelope. One vendor wants $4 for the merchandise and $12 for the shipping. They're eleven miles away. Another vendor wants $5 for the merchandise, $2.80 for "handling fee", and $10 for shipping. They're seven miles away. I guess I'll just read my new book. What size and quantity do you need? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edgar Posted March 31, 2020 Author Share Posted March 31, 2020 24 minutes ago, No.4 said: What size and quantity do you need? I need exactly 4ea 6-32 x 1/4" nylon machine screws, and 8ea washers to go with them. Not exactly unobtanium. Evidently they're only sold in packages of 20 or 1 gross, but that's OK. Under normal circumstances I'd just go to the hardware store and get them. I found what I needed on Ebay. They're on their way. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.