SparkFun Electronics

Had good or bad service from a supplier, online store or hobby shop? Share your experiences here.

How do you rate your satisfactioin with SparkFun's service?

Excellent
7
88%
Good
1
13%
Average
0
No votes
Fair
0
No votes
Poor
0
No votes
 
Total votes : 8

SparkFun Electronics

Postby RCModelReviews » Wed Aug 04, 2010 12:12 am

I recently placed a small order with SparkFun Electronics (SFE) for electronic components that are being used in the RCModelReviews Telemetry project. The order total came to about $125 including shipping.

The goods were dispatched same day and arrived on my doorstep just a few days later -- very good.

Inside the box, everything was neatly packed -- but I noticed that they'd left out one of the two reels of desoldering wick I'd ordered.

No big deal -- this stuff is only $2.49 a roll and I wasn't busting a gut, I had plenty I could use in the meantime.

I emailed SFE just to let them know that they'd missed that tiny item when they packed the box and suggested to them that they simply drop it in my next order, which would be in a couple of weeks.

They replied within a couple of hours saying "we'll send out the missing item straight away".

I figured this was pretty good customer support -- they didn't want me to weigh the box and packing or send them photos, they just accepted the old axiom that "the customer is always right" and immediately set about correcting their small error.

Well knock me down with a feather, yesterday (just three days after I emailed them) the FedEx man knocks on my door with a package.

Inside the box was the tiny little roll of desoldering wick they'd forgotten to put in my order.

They must have spent $20 in FedEx fees to deliver a $2.49 roll of wick.

That is astonishingly good customer service and deserves mention!

Rest assured, I shall be strongly recommending SFE to RCModelReviews readers and I'll be making the circuit boards for the telemetry hub and dashboard available through their PCB service.

Good service deserves honorable mention -- that's what SFE gets from me.

Have any other RCModelReviews readers had experiences with SFE?
RCModelReviews.com, just the facts.
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Re: SparkFun Electronics

Postby jeffie8696 » Wed Aug 04, 2010 7:32 am

Sweet, its going on my list.
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Re: SparkFun Electronics

Postby pwy » Wed Aug 04, 2010 8:36 am

I have placed quite a few orders with SparkFun and all went fine with quick shipping.
Prices reflect the service though, you can't have HobbyKing prices and SFE service ;-)
The difference between men and boys is the price of their toys!
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Re: SparkFun Electronics

Postby RCModelReviews » Wed Aug 04, 2010 8:44 am

Yes, you're right -- SFE aren't the cheapest option, but still *lots* cheaper than companies like RS or Farnell for the parts they do stock.

I still buy some components in bulk from China and pay much less -- but when i want stuff of a known quality that I also know will be delivered in a very short timeframe it's well worth paying the extra to buy from SFE.
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Re: SparkFun Electronics

Postby pwy » Wed Aug 04, 2010 9:05 am

Don't get me started on RS... I can get reasonable cheap same day shipping from RS but after every order I have the feeling that I just paid for the next luxury getaway-weekend for all RS employes :x
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Re: SparkFun Electronics

Postby RobC » Wed Aug 04, 2010 7:30 pm

off-track excursion, sorry, but for anyone in the UK take a look at www.rapidonline.com before going to RS. Very quick, and cheaper on postage than RS if you don't buy enough to qualify for Rs free delivery.
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Re: SparkFun Electronics

Postby cmulder » Tue Aug 24, 2010 11:42 pm

while i have not bought from them myself the diy drone projects boards (ardupilot ect) are sold trough sparkfun and that shows me they are a proper company.
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Re: SparkFun Electronics

Postby Hal9000 » Fri Jul 27, 2012 1:09 pm

For Kiwis wanting stuff from Sparkfun, consider MindKits. Tim does stock some items but also has "Order On Demand" where has access to just about the whole Sparkfun catalog, but at a 2 or 3 weeks lead time, and only charges $5-6 for courier up to $100 order, free shipping for orders over $100.

If you are in no rush and really want Sparkfun kit, Tim's your man!

Disclaimer : I'm just a satisfied customer! No other ties to MindKits.
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Re: SparkFun Electronics

Postby tgdavies » Fri Jul 27, 2012 1:46 pm

If you're in Australia, note that littlebirdelectronics.com stocks SparkFun (and other) products.
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