McMaster Carr

[chopnhack]

I have heard some members talk of ordering through McMaster Carr before. Their website doesn't list the shipping and handling charges before placing an order?!

What experience have you had with them regarding cost of shipping? I plan to call them when they reopen to get a quote before ordering.

[Tom Slick]

Their shipping is always reasonable.

[LCHIEN]

McMaster Carr, it's more of an industrial supply place than a retail store. They deal the vast majority with business customers rather than consumers as the end customer.

Generally for business to business vendors you pay the freight according to actual weight and distance charges. I.e. prices are quoted only for goods, and freight via the shipper of your choice will be added to the invoice, or billed directly to your account with the shipper, based upon the actual cost of shipping once the package is made up.

Consumers like to know exactly what the shipping charges are so businesses that deal with consumers tend to put fixed S&H charges so that you will know exactly what you are paying... the consumers are more sensitive to cost. You're probably more used to dealing with Amazon, Rockler, Woodcraft, etc which are primarily consumer oriented businesses. To meet consumer expectations they have a fixed shipping cost per dollar amount for everything regardless of weight except for large machinery. They lose money on heavier items and make money on smaller items, but it enables them to give you a fixed cost upfront. I won't order anything without knowing what the shipping costs will be. There's a lot of $10 items I won't buy individually because the shipping will be $7, but I'll wait until i need several items to get better shipping rates.

Generally, business orders have a lot higher dollar value and the shipping is not such a large part of the expense that a purchasing agent will worry about it, and the item is needed to do their business regardless of shipping cost.

[cabinetman]

I haven't dealt with them to know their specific costs or policy. I am fortunate enough though that most of my needs can be met by local suppliers within a 20 mile radius. Of the online suppliers I've used, I try to manifest a large enough order so there may be some shipping consideration. For that small order, yes, shipping can make the order costly.

.

[LarryG]

Their shipping is always reasonable.

+1. I've ordered from them three or four times, and while I don't remember the actual charges, they were indeed very reasonable -- as I recall, invariably less than I would have paid to a vendor like Lee Valley, Woodcraft, etc. for an order of the same dollar value.

[chopnhack]

Spoke with a service rep this morning who was very helpful and quoted me $7 shipping. Ships monday out of Atlanta and I will have it Tuesday. Wow... I think I know who I will do business again with! I got the t-tracks I was looking for at a great price. Thanks all.

[JimD]

I order from McMaster Carr occasionally and have never found them to be unreasonable for S&H. It does seem to be based upon actual transportation costs rather than being influenced by marketing/cost recovery considerations elsewhere - as has been mentioned. Primarily I order from McMaster Carr when they have something I cannot get elsewhere or that I can only get from another site that charges for shipping. I favor on-line suppliers that include shipping, in other words. But you have to be careful and look at the total cost. McMaster's pricing also seems to be cost based and sometimes the materials are pretty cheap. Mainly I get things I can't find elsewhere - like machined 1 inch steel rods for my router lift, heat treated aluminum sheet for a new splitter for my table saw, etc.. I sometimes order hardware items too - mainly if I don't want to drive around to find things or I want 100 or so. They have a great inventory and fill orders pretty fast too.

Jim

[chopnhack]

Thanks Jim, in this case they were the lowest cost supplier of t-tracks and I needed a bunch of them.

[Bruce Cohen]

Chop,
Also check out these other two places. I ordered from both of them and prices and shipping were reasonable too. Also excellet service and selection.
http://www.amazonsupply.com/
http://www.reidsupply.com/?refid=goo_rtool_reid_tool

I think you'll get what you need in either of these

Bruce

[chopnhack]

Thanks Bruce, at $11.55 for a 4' piece I think I scored a decent deal. Not quite tommy and toolguy worthy, but close :-)

[toolguy1000]

good price. even better than rockler's current 4' for $15. i'll have to look at mcmaster carr again.

[chopnhack]

I'll let you know what they look like when they come in. My first choice before going with McMaster was a company called Carbide Processors, they have the woodpecker brand 1/4" t track on sale for $ 13.98 per 4'.