Hi
I saw some electronic online are at good discounted price, but i am worried is it worth to buy from it online... guys do you prefer to buy products online?

 

Yes, from a reputable supplier. Even some Chinese eBay resellers sell good things. Some are a bit confused and you may not get exactly what you want. I look at what "other listings" they have. If they sell only electronic components, they tend to be much better than if they sell everything from MP3 players and night lights, then I stay away. It is mainly a problem in passive components where they get confused (capacitor values, resistor watt ratings). Some ICs may be counterfeit (based on Internet rumors), but every chip I have ordered on eBay has performed as expected. If I need a 30 cent logic chip or $1 op amp, I order from wherever is cheapest (generally eBay because shipping is generally free). If I have a big order, more than $20 or specialized parts, I generally order from a local distributor (still online). Digikey, mouser, allied or Newark are all good in the US for broad selection. Jameco is good for more standard parts and even obsolete parts. They used to be cheaper than the others I have listed as those companies started raising shipping charges on small orders. The big guys with broad selection seem to have lowered shipping charges in the past few years so Jameco isn't the advantage that they used to be.

 

Glad to hear that. Mouser used to charge $10 for shipping a single transistor or a small box with over 100 parts in it. Kind of a "Flat Rate" for the smallest box they had. With electronics, you CAN fit over a hundred parts in the smallest box they have!

 

Digikey used to have a $25 minimum order. That is no longer, and I use U.S. Postal Service First Class Mail for up to 8 oz for only $2.92. I'm not sure the 8 oz rule applies either,some of those boxes look kinda big.

(However, I don't think I've ever seen a DK sales order that included the shipping price, so they may be bumping me up into a higher service.)

I get a lot of good stuff from China off EBay, from simple parts to custom PCB's.

 

I am lucky, I have several local electronics retailers, one Mom and Pop store especially I am fond of, but the simple fact is you can not get every thing you will want/need from local sources. This means mail order.

 

I have had great luck with Digikey and their shipping policies. I had placed a large order, and then needed 3 follow up orders - for the USPS First Class shipping. Great!

 

I think Mouser has free shipping for orders of a certain amout. With DHL or FedEx.

 

I buy ALL my electronics online ranging from components to high-end audiofile equipment to computer parts.
I suggest looking for local stores which specialize in what they do .
For example I order components from an electronics store in my town(Prague) which arrive in 3 days and charge 3 quid for delivery and I order audio equipment from germany and i've never had any problems with any of my orders.