We started to get a bit off topic in another thread so I thought I'd start a new thread.

Just an FYI - I've been having issues with futurlec.

3/29 - Ordered $33.75 worth of parts from Futurlec.
3/31 - Futurlec notified me that my bank did not clear the transaction on my card.
4/2 - Contacted my bank to validate transaction (because it was coming from out of state - not due to lack of funds) and asked futurlec to rerun the card.
4/18 - Noticed a futurlec transaction had not cleared my bank and contacted them again to see if they reran the card.
4/27 - Received email that they ran my card successfully (finally, 1 month later!) and was told that my order was being packed.
4/29 - Charges clear my bank.
5/13 - Requested information on shipment
5/14 - Was told two items are on backorder and was asked if I wanted my in-stock items. I replied that I would like my items as soon as possible at this point.
5/15 - was told that my items would ship tomorrow.
5/25 - I asked for confirmation of shipment.
[edit 6/5]
6/2 - Received first shipment of parts

This has been a pretty long drawn out process that I'm getting pretty sick of. It's been two months and I have not received anything. Although my bank did reject the transaction, I took care of it quickly on my end of things. I don't think I'll be ordering from them again - and wanted to get the word out. I have ordered from them successfully in the past, and was pleased enough to order from them again (although I wasn't crazy about their packaging).

I'll update this post as more develops.

 

So far I have never received anything but good service, based on past record I would probably try them again before condemning them, for recent past purchases I have paid with Paypal, so there is some leverage there in case of disputes.
Max.

 

We started to get a bit off topic in another thread so I thought I'd start a new thread.

Just an FYI - I've been having issues with futurlec.

3/29 - Ordered $33.75 worth of parts from Futurlec.
3/31 - Futurlec notified me that my bank did not clear the transaction on my card.
4/2 - Contacted my bank to validate transaction (because it was coming from out of state - not due to lack of funds) and asked futurlec to rerun the card.
4/18 - Noticed a futurlec transaction had not cleared my bank and contacted them again to see if they reran the card.
4/27 - Received email that they ran my card successfully (finally, 1 month later!) and was told that my order was being packed.
4/29 - Charges clear my bank.
5/13 - Requested information on shipment
5/14 - Was told two items are on backorder and was asked if I wanted my in-stock items. I replied that I would like my items as soon as possible at this point.
5/15 - was told that my items would ship tomorrow.
5/25 - I asked for confirmation of shipment.

This has been a pretty long drawn out process that I'm getting pretty sick of. It's been two months and I have not received anything. Although my bank did reject the transaction, I took care of it quickly on my end of things. I don't think I'll be ordering from them again - and wanted to get the word out. I have ordered from them successfully in the past, and was pleased enough to order from them again (although I wasn't crazy about their packaging).

I'll update this post as more develops.

Apparently these things happen - in the UK I got to the point I'd just had enough of Maplin screwing up my orders, in fact I can't actually remember getting a postal delivery from them that contained the parts I ordered.

On one occasion I bought a whole decade of resistors in strips of 10 each value, one of the values I wanted was out of stock, but my total spend was more than the minimum for free post, so the shop assistant keyed into his terminal for the warehouse to send them.

10 resistors arrived, but the wrong value. When I posted them back with a letter, they sent me just 1 of still the same wrong value. It took a couple of weeks of emails and phone calls to get the parts I'd paid for.

The final last straw was a large order of turned pin DIL sockets - same old trick; return 10 not as ordered, get just 1 of still the wrong type - that took over a month to sort out!

Its not just their warehouse either - on one occasion I bought a £50 Antex TC iron, when I got home, a basic £15 Antex X25 had found its way into the bag - I had to go all the way back 2 towns away, his excuse was that the packaging looked scruffy so he swapped it for another off the hook without noticing it wasn't the same model. Its probably more incompetance than fraud - a special offer SMPSU with switchable output voltage had transmogrificated into a generic fixed 19V laptop brick when I unpacked it at home, as it happened the wrong item was valued about 3x what I'd paid for the one I wanted, But still it was the one I wanted so yet another wasted journey.

They also put faulty returns back on the shelves, as I discovered to my cost.

 

IMO, the very best service is one I get is from Digikey, which is my first to go to, delivery next day air for US$6.50.
The few times they mess up, if the item is below just a few $'s, they do not need it returned and send the correct item delivered next day.
Max.

 

IMO, the very best service is one I get is from Digikey, which is my first to go to, delivery next day air for US$6.50.
The few times they mess up, if the item is below just a few $'s, the do not need it returned and send the correct item delivered next day.
Max.

After a lot of long hassle phoning and email, Maplin did eventually send what I'd paid for without asking proof (if that were even possible) that I hadn't had the items.

But I actually can't remember any time they didn't screw up my order in some way shape or form.

It just isn't worth going back for more!

 

After a lot of long hassle phoning and email, Maplin did eventually send what I'd paid for without asking proof (if that were even possible) that I hadn't had the items.

But I actually can't remember any time they didn't screw up my order in some way shape or form.

It just isn't worth going back for more!

The best thing was when I asked some year ago about 1mm drill bits (which they had on sale previously)

We are not a tools shop.

Another blunder the discontinuation of solder station bits replacements.

Then a creepy card reader for 20 euro same make as $1 kinds from china, quality of the spring contacts even worse.

Always asking if I need batteries especially when buying anything that works with batteries

But the best thing was a customer approaching me thinking i am a staff member (wearing a turquoise polo shirt that day).


last not least i got my Vellemann PIC programmer from them in 2004 and that thing did set me back for years.

Futurlec? If you have problems call for order, insist to confirm the shipping method + working tracking number (may cost more).

I got all but takes 5 weeks and tracking doesnt work + tracking on box is different.


as i am a seller myself I can only learn from it- never do dropshipping or external processing or sell items I dont understand or that will need spares I wont supply.

Actually I shipped wrong items a few times recently, always solved as soon as possible within 24 hours and for a final solution.

long communications back and forth will give a seller bad reputation?

 

The best thing was when I asked some year ago about 1mm drill bits (which they had on sale previously)

We are not a tools shop.

Another blunder the discontinuation of solder station bits replacements.

Then a creepy card reader for 20 euro same make as $1 kinds from china, quality of the spring contacts even worse.

Always asking if I need batteries especially when buying anything that works with batteries

But the best thing was a customer approaching me thinking i am a staff member (wearing a turquoise polo shirt that day).


last not least i got my Vellemann PIC programmer from them in 2004 and that thing did set me back for years.

The Velleman PIC programmer I got from Maplin didn't hold me back at all - I just spotted a Pickit2 on special offer somewhere else before I got around to doing anything with the Velleman.

Besides, I can't really blame Maplin for the Velleman kit not being as good as the advertising made out.

There was a time I spent a lot of money in Maplin - I was a customer they should've looked after better.

In desperation I went to Farnell, and seeing the price difference - I never looked back.

 

I just ordered from them for the first time. I received no shipping confirmation email despite my card being charged, so I went to their "Order Status" page, which just says "email us for your order status". I did so and was told the order shipped out of Thailand and no tracking number is available.

There's no issue yet, but I was hoping to get it faster. If I had known it would ship from Asia and that I wouldn't be able to track the package I would have bought from somewhere else.

 

IMO, the very best service is one I get is from Digikey, which is my first to go to, delivery next day air for US$6.50.
The few times they mess up, if the item is below just a few $'s, they do not need it returned and send the correct item delivered next day.
Max.

I will say, DigiKey has given me a raw deal a few times from screwups on their end. Perhaps the most laughable was when they mislabeled (right label, wrong part) a pack of 0805 resistors. After first finding the issue and contacting them, they sent me a new package with the correct part. The punchline is: they still charged me the frickin .$72.

The more serious was when I ordered a pretty good lot of LCD's. It was an honest mistake, but since it was a large order, and about 2/3 of the parts were correct, it took maybe a year to discover incorrect parts. At that point they would not take corrective action.

 

I will say, DigiKey has given me a raw deal a few times from screwups on their end. .

I guess in the 15+ years I have been lucky!
Max.