Coercing McMaster into sending me a catalog.

[Andy Brockway]

One thing about McMaster catalogs, they really do not go out of date. I have a 103 at work and a 101 at home. I use them for browsing then plug the number into the web site for current price and it will update the number if required. It is absolutely true that they are stingy with their catalogs.

The web site can be cumbersome but you can find anything, eventually, unless what you or they call it is too unique.

As for service, the NJ office has been nothing but professional. Orders in the afternoon are on my doorstep when I get home the next day. Split orders are defined on the paperwork in each box, those included have the price attached, the rest are just listed.

[Richard Wallace]

Sorry for reviving a dormant thread. I didn't notice it in Nov-Dec '05; guess I was busy with my day job, trying to clear the deck before FRC started to get intense. Anyway, I finally did notice it when this spotlight showed up at the top of the CD screen:

Originally Posted by dlavery

If they want my business, then they should act accordingly. If they don't, I am quite happy to take my business (and that of my $16.5 billion organization) elsewhere.

I also work for a $17B organization (measuring annual sales; NYSE symbol is EMR). At my location we have about 200 engineers; we are a centralized R&D facility supporting a network of manufacturing sites which ship a total product volume exceeding 300,000 units daily. (And that is just the electric motor segment of Emerson, about $2B annual sales.) While we don't buy much that goes into actual products from McMaster-Carr, we do buy a lot a stuff from them to keep our labs and plants running. Given all that, we have no problem getting service requests handled, including updated paper catalogs on demand. My lab technician probably orders from McMaster-Carr every other day on average. Because we have a nearby McM distribution center, orders normally reach us by 10:30 am the next morning; occasionally we get some material shipped from another center that arrives later the same day or the following day.

I am amazed to hear that McMaster-Carr does not view NASA as an account worthy of the same excellent service that they give my employer. That just doesn't make sense to me -- I'd expect that NASA would buy a lot more stuff for R&D support than Emerson does.

McMaster-Carr is not the best cost supplier for raw stock, as many others on these fora can confirm. But they are my favorite for wide variety, excellent online information, good product line searchability, and very fast delivery.

[ConKbot of Doom]

Originally Posted by Rickertsen2

I like paper things better. Its nice to be able to sit down with the thing and flip though it.

You never know when you'll find something you didnt know you needed. Its like walking though a super walmart

[RivetsRUs]

Getting a catalog out of Mc Master Carr can be quite difficult towards the end of the year. Let me ask a few questions:
1. Have you bought any thing from them? Paper catalogs are expensive and are typically reserved for paying customers or companies. Has you Team bought anything from them?
2. Have any of your sponsors or school purchased anything from Mc Master Carr? If so ask them to request a catalog for you.
3. If all else fails use their online catalog, try to use a dsl or faster line. A dial up will take a while due to the heavy graphics content as the scan all the catalog pages.

Hope this helps.

[jeffmorris]

I ordered a few things from McMaster Carr, Mouser, and Woodworker's Supply. Mouser sent me a 1650-page catalog and Woodworker's Supply sent me a 640-page hardcover catalog. I don't know how many pages in the McMaster Carr catalog because I didn't get it. It would cost those companies a lot of money to print and mail big catalogs and they could need a lot of trees to print them.

[teamtestbot]

In the combat bot world, where most teams are individual or small-time setups, receiving a McMaster catalog is some sort of rite of passage.

If I recall correctly, McM will only send you a paper catalog after you do enough business with them. I don't know the exact amount, or if there even is one.

[Rickertsen2]

Originally Posted by teamtestbot

In the combat bot world, where most teams are individual or small-time setups, receiving a McMaster catalog is some sort of rite of passage.

If I recall correctly, McM will only send you a paper catalog after you do enough business with them. I don't know the exact amount, or if there even is one.

Our team has done small amounts of business with them throughout the years. Perhaps i should try from the school.

[rees2001]

Originally Posted by Rickertsen2

Our team has done small amounts of business with them throughout the years. Perhaps i should try from the school.

After reading this thread I figured I would attempt to get them to send me a copy. No such luck.

"Because we produce and distribute a limited number of catalogs each year, we are unable to fulfill your request."

I have ordered only a few thousand dollars worth of stuff from them, I am a regular user of their website, & purchase stuff a couple dozen time a year. I tried from the "Technology Teacher" position.

Good luck.

[Elgin Clock]

Originally Posted by rees2001

"Because we produce and distribute a limited number of catalogs each year, we are unable to fulfill your request."

That's pretty funny.

"McMaster-Carr Supply likes to spread things around -- especially things like tools and industrial supplies. The company distributes more than 400,000 products (98% of which it keeps in stock) such as air conditioners, clamps, drills, exhaust fans, generators, pipes, pumps, valves, saws, switches, and thermal insulation. McMaster-Carr has no sales force; it does its business through online and catalog sales. Customers can order the company's products via e-mail, fax, the Internet, or the telephone in English, French, or Spanish. The company has operations in California, Illinois, Georgia, New Jersey, and Ohio"

I guess catalog sales are irrelevant as of now. How can you do major business through catalogs when you print a limited number of them. Sounds like a company I don't want to deal with.

I suggest
http://www.grainger.com/

or

http://www1.mscdirect.com/cgi/nnsrhm

[Rickertsen2]

Originally Posted by Elgin Clock

I suggest
http://www.grainger.com/

or

http://www1.mscdirect.com/cgi/nnsrhm

Both of whom are generous with catalogs. Sending out catalogs doesn't seem to be bankrupting those companies. I agree with Elgin. If your only sources of sales are your website and catalog, why eliminate soo many potential customers? The website is great if i know exactly what i am looking for and the school's internet is in a good mood. Half the time i only know "I need a thing about ye big with a hole in it". Having access to a catalog and being able to flip through the possibilities is a great help.

[Jay H 237]

Originally Posted by rees2001

After reading this thread I figured I would attempt to get them to send me a copy. No such luck.

"Because we produce and distribute a limited number of catalogs each year, we are unable to fulfill your request."

I have ordered only a few thousand dollars worth of stuff from them, I am a regular user of their website, & purchase stuff a couple dozen time a year. I tried from the "Technology Teacher" position.

Good luck.

This seems to be true. I wonder if they'll let anyone know when they print them every year so we'll know the exact time to ask for them before they're all gone. They need to know that FIRST teams come first, not businesses.

I went to thier website and couldn't find a way to recieve a catalog. At MSC's you can request one and also a CD which I have. The CD I find handy. I loaded it onto my laptop that I carry around. The laptop's easier to carry the the MSC catalog.

I mostly deal with MSC and in fact I placed an order with them yesterday, personal not business related. They have never given me any problems especially being an individual not a corporation.

Grainger doesn't like to deal with individuals, instead they prefer businesses. You can get around this by either ordering through a company or like what I have done, order through thier website and use a credit card. Going the website/credit card route they've never asked for a tax ID # or purchase order. There's also a Grainger local to me (25 minutes) in Southington. I've gone in there but without being a business they won't deal with me. This is one place I found where cash doesn't talk. I went back home and was able to order through thier website. Gotcha Grainger!

Just let the adults, mentors, ect. on your team know you're looking for one. Someone somewhere is bound to be cleaning out old catalogs this time of year and might be able to get one before it gets tossed. Then once you get one hang onto it like gold and never let it out of your sight.

[Andrew Blair]

My answer: Be like Dave, give up, and go to MSC. For the time I have been in FIRST, our team has dealt exclusively with MSC. Though they are very generous with their catalogs (we get a new one every year), you don't even really need one. You can just call them, literally. Whatever we need throughout the year, we tell our mentor, he calls them, and they find a solution for us. Of course, its easier if you have something in mind, but they're wonderful. And if they don't have it, which is a very rare occurrence, they will find it from someone else, and maybe even order it for you. I talked to a representative on one occasion, and it made absolutely no difference that I was a student he had never talked to. And, on top of that, they are reasonable, offer a FIRST discount, and ship very quickly, although I have never found my part in the CD drive. Probably for the better...

I hope I've made myself clear. MSCDirect or Bust!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Mike Martus]

WoW! Such a variety of answers here.

My experience with McMaster Carr has been great. Order it by 5pm and it is at my door by 2pm the next day.

Yes, some orders are split, but I have always been sent an e-mail explaining what is going on.

I think it depends on what you are ordering.

Nothing beats the local hardware store.

[Starman]

I have been doing business with McMaster-Carr for about 15-20 years now and have nothing but good things to say about them. I first started doing business with their Chicago office before they built a warehouse here in Atlanta. I was always impressed with how friendly and courteous their telephone order-takers were. They always went out of their way to help me and gave me as much time on the phone as I needed.

I now do business with the Atlanta office and the same holds. They must have a fantastic corporate culture. Everyone is very professional, but very helpful, looking out for my interest and making sure I have just what I need. I often pick up my orders at will-call, especially when I worked close to the warehouse. Once I ordered the wrong bolts, so when I went by to pick up the order, I told them what I had done and they immediately changed the order, called up to have the right bolts sent down, and had me out of there in no time. All this happened while the place was going nuts around me because UPS was on strike and they were looking for other ways to get their orders out (at any one time, there will be a half-dozen UPS tractor-trailers backed up to the doors being filled with orders on a normal day, so you can imagine how a strike would disrupt operations). Anyway, they went out of their way to make sure my $6.00 order was correct, even when I had made the mistake on it.

Getting a catalog is difficult, but if they have them in stock and I need a new one, they will usually give me one. If you ask at the wrong time of year, however, they will be out. I find it necessary to have a paper catalog, since they have so many things I don't even know exist. I leaf through the catalog until I find something that will do the job I need. It's amazing what they have that I can use for something besides what the item was designed to do. Or else I will find something better than what I was going to use.

In my book, they can't be beat. I also do a lot of business with Grainger and have had good luck with them. If you are associated with a school system, contact someone in the purchasing or maintenance departments to see if you can use their catalog or have an old one. I'll bet they have some.

[MrForbes]

So...since you deal so well with them, could you maybe see about getting this issue to the attention of the wonderful folks who run M-C? perhaps you could even see if they would like to sponsor FIRST in some way.

This looks to me like an opportunity.