Parts are too expensive

Thread Starter

DarthVolta

Joined Jan 27, 2015
521
I'm looking to order a few more resistors, just to have on hand. And with shipping from China in lockdown or whatever, looking at NorthA sellers only, it's like $8 for 25pcs on ebay. Were as normally I'd order 100pcs for probably $1 from china, and that's fine for breadboarding and little projects.

The prices here in NorthAmerica for the most basic parts are a ripoff. And what does it cost from the big names? Probably $15-20 after shipping for a handful of resistors would not surprise me. I don't know because it's too much.
 

jpanhalt

Joined Jan 18, 2008
11,087
1592129081568.png

That's 100 from a well known manufacturer with 2-day delivery to you. At least you know what you are buying.

Hint: Digikey and Mouser used to give free shipping to Canada for a nominal minimum. In any event, with whichever distributors you decide to use, create a shopping cart(s) and build an order. Then order when you get to a certain total or when you really need something.

Now, on to those game-changing inventions...
 

ElectricSpidey

Joined Dec 2, 2017
2,758
I get most of my 1/4 and 1/2 watt resistors from All Electronics, I generally buy in bulk and the place order with other parts to reduce shipping costs per part.

Since I keep a large stock of 1/4 and 1/2 watt resistors, I never have to place a special for those.

The rest of my higher wattage resistors I get from Digi-Key.
 
I need a switch for a battery powered beard trimmer. Norelco uses tiny PCB's in the trimmer. One PCB mounts the power in connector and another connects the motor, switch, battery and switch together. $1.99 for 20 switches with free postage from China.

Hard part was finding the switch. I had to go on "PIC" writeen on the switch, dimensions and type ON-none-ON and slide. I had to look through a lot of pictures.

I found that given a question: "Find a breadboard friendly slide switch" is not an easy query on Digi-key, for example.

ebay had a complete unit with all attachments for $140.00 ad greater.
 

Papabravo

Joined Feb 24, 2006
21,159
The problem is one of simple economics. Companies that manufacture parts have less than zero interest in selling small quantities to hobbyists. Minimum orders they care about are complete reels of 3000+ parts. Retail outlets have ceased to exist, and former mail order outlets have consolidated to the point where they form a monopoly and can set prices accordingly. If you believe that low cost parts are a social good, then you should gather some capital, buy popular parts by the reel and dole them out in ones and twos. Why is nobody doing that do you suppose?
 

Audioguru again

Joined Oct 21, 2019
6,673
Remember when bread costed 25 cents but today it costs $3.00?
Remember when gasoline and beer costed only a little more than milk?
Remember when your job paid only a few dollars per hour?
But today resistors, capacitors and complicated ICs are inexpensive.
 

be80be

Joined Jul 5, 2008
2,072
Amazon has lot's of deals on part's Tayda is great place for part's
Arrow Digi-key All and a bunch more
The trick is think of all the little do dads you want make list and order
them in bunches 25 0r 35 on part's from Tayda and you would have lot's of
toy's to play with.
Same with Arrow or Digi-key
 

Papabravo

Joined Feb 24, 2006
21,159
Buying from Digikey or Mouser drastically reduces your chance of getting counterfeit parts. Amazon has no reputation for preventing third-party sellers from selling the worst imaginable crap.
 

be80be

Joined Jul 5, 2008
2,072
We taking about parts if I want shoes I go where I can try them on
But Yes you can find some good deals on part's on Amazon
1795 pieces $15 bucks on Amazon
parts.jpg

Buying from Digikey I got a 1000 red leds 300 was bad
But the 700 good one last a bit LOL
I buy micro's from Arrow and Microchip
If I need it for work I only buy from big part houses but to play at home
anywhere I can find the part is open season.
 
Last edited:

be80be

Joined Jul 5, 2008
2,072
Buying thing's is like this you check it out make sure of what your getting.
Make sure if what your paying for is what you ordered.

Last make sure if you don't get what you paying for you can get your money back. And they pay the return.

The above knocks the fakes out of the ball park.
 

BobaMosfet

Joined Jul 1, 2009
2,110
I'm looking to order a few more resistors, just to have on hand. And with shipping from China in lockdown or whatever, looking at NorthA sellers only, it's like $8 for 25pcs on ebay. Were as normally I'd order 100pcs for probably $1 from china, and that's fine for breadboarding and little projects.

The prices here in NorthAmerica for the most basic parts are a ripoff. And what does it cost from the big names? Probably $15-20 after shipping for a handful of resistors would not surprise me. I don't know because it's too much.
You don't buy from ebay unless you have no other choice. I purchase from most parts houses here in the USA, as well as about 70 other countries. Try Digikey, Mouser, JameCo, Allied, etc to name a few.
 

Hymie

Joined Mar 30, 2018
1,277
If you check out ebay, a pack of 600 ¼ Watt resistors can be had for not much more than £3.00 (incl. p&p). The only problem is that the series covers a wide range; extreme values might be less useful.

When I started in electronics, a single BC108 transistor cost around 10p - that would be equivalent to more than £1 today.
 

Thread Starter

DarthVolta

Joined Jan 27, 2015
521
Ok thanks I check them out. I know Tayda for ebay.

I want to get a few genuine IC's for projects so I'll get them from 1 of the big retailers online, but I should wait and make it a bigger order, I need more caps , they cost a lot.



What about ordering from TexasInstr. or other chip makers directly ? I looked on the TI site for a chip I want, but I didn't sign-up to find out the shipping cost to Canada
 

SamR

Joined Mar 19, 2019
5,031
You might want to look into getting sample chips from TI. They say they will provide free samples. Probably only 1 but worth looking into.
 
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