[GreenKeys] Using McMaster Carr: one wrench buyers experience

[Don Robert House]

I have found that dealing on the phone is way too troublesome due to  
the language barrier and the fact that my hearing is bad.

I have had success with McMaster Carr by ONLY ordering on-line, and  
not ordering too many items at one time.

Don


On 1 Apr 2006, at 7:32 AM, S. Dashiell Hammett wrote:

McMaster Carr can be one pain in the butt if you are not careful.

I once ordered half a dozen different size Torx wrenchs, same  
physical size as Allen wrenches by phone and used my credit card.  A  
few hours after the sale I thought of a size i forgot to specify so I  
called in again and made the mistake of asking if they could append  
my order and add one wrench.  I did not know that they had sales  
offices all over the US using the same call in number and a  
computerized order entry system that was not easy for their agents to  
use.

What the second salesperson did was replicate the whole order with  
typos.  The wrenches started coming in from different locations.   
After six boxes from three different McMaster Carr warehouses had  
arrived,  I not only had three sets of the wrenches but two expensive  
pairs of pliars which I had not ordered but stock number wise  
appeared because of a single typo in the order number.  My original  
$25 order had charged up to well over $300 through their  
automation.   I began the process of trying to return the materials  
and get credit.

Their return system is a similar headache.  Two of the packages i  
returned did not come back to me but McMaster Carr warehousing  
claimed their records did not show receipt.  I used the USPS delivery  
confirmation but was told it did not help them any.  USPS claimed  
they could only show delievery but could not confirm location !  I  
finally let it all go and took the wife out to eat.

The moral:  send a check.