RS components too expensive?

[MartyMart]

What do you make of this, just had a glance through the RS site for some 220pf metal film caps ( and a few others ) which they sell in packs of 5.
They cost £1.50 each !! ( £7.50 for five ) ( 15 bucks !)
Do they think we're made of money?.
That would make the cost of a simple BD-2 mod around  Â£12 just for parts !!.
I dont think their "Trade prices" seem very trade to me!.
Any thoughts ? (smallbear seems very reasonable ! )
Marty.

[Ed G.]

The idiots who work in the stores hate keeping stuff like that in stock. They're more interested in selling radio control cars and cell phone plans.

[Torchy]

Try here ... very reasonable prices
http://www.bardwells.co.uk/

[AL]

RS is there for convenience ... and that's about it. If you need caps right now then you go there. You certainly don't want to get your supply there. It is expensive but you are paying for the convenience.  Mouser & Digi-key have good prices in the states.  Small Bear has good prices also and he'll ship overseas (not sure about the other two mentioned).

AL

[ErikMiller]

I think that in the UK (and perhaps elsewhere) "RS" means http://rswww.com/

In the 'states, "RS" means Radio Shack.

Sounds like neither of them has good prices on components!

[sir_modulus]

This UK RS is great compared to Radioshack. Radioshack has 555 timers for (I quote the sales guy here) "only $4.99. That's real cheap you know."

[Hal]

the 555's at Rat Shack are about $1...it seems that every Semi there is about $1

Yea, there are a couple threads in the past about what is affordable/good quality there.  I wonder if thats what this is gunna become for the guys from the UK :-D

[sir_modulus]

Really? only $1 US (which still is insanely expensive)? I'm in canada and they come out to $4.36 Canadian after tax (14%)

[Paul Perry (Frostwave)]

I'm continually suprised at the variation in proices between stores. And, even 'expensive' stores sometinmes beat others on particular items.
Farnell (Australia)and elsewhere) aren't 'cheap', but if you are in a hurry, the parts are delivered next day, no matter how obscure.
It is a speed/convenience/price tradeoff. Plus, minimum orders and postage complicate things. Also, sometimes only overseas suppliers have stuff.
I think "patience, grasshopper" covers a lot of this..
Cheap, quick, diy-friendly. Choose two (at most!)
The other advantage of Farnell or RS (not RadioShack!) is that if you are prototyping stuff at xxx$ per hour for some big organization, you can just list the catalog numbers & know the person duplicating it will at least bve usign the 'right' parts (don't underestimate the imortance of this!)

[Hal]

Really? only $1 US (which still is insanely expensive)? I'm in canada and they come out to $4.36 Canadian after tax (14%)

almost $2, apparently...but not $5
http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&category%5Fname=CTLG%5F011%5F002%5F017%5F000&product%5Fid=276%2D1718

wow, 14% sales tax ?  no wonder you get free (or cheep) healthcare and drugs!  I thought 8.75% in NY is bad....some parts of the coutnry are as low as 6.5%
edit: actually, i think i got this one:
http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&category%5Fname=CTLG%5F011%5F002%5F017%5F000&product%5Fid=276%2D1723
$1.50

Now im using hte ones i got as samples from TI :-D

[BD13UK]

Couldn't resist coming in on this !!!!!!!! Where I live in Glasgow Scotland I'm about 2 miles away from RS, they dont serve the public and only deal with Trade customers but hang on !!!!! I can order direct online from RS in the South of England 400 miles away and then I have to pay more for the shipping sometimes than the parts, great eh, alternatively theres Maplin who almost never have all the parts required and I mean obvious stuff nothing obscure, I get the fastest  the most reasonable and above all the most friendly service from Steve @ Smallbear and He's on the other side of the bloody Atlantic.

[theaxeman]

I also ardered from small Bear, I live in the UK and the order took less than a week to arive and all the parts were excelent quality and cheaper than places like maplin.

[punkaled]

I use farnell (uk.farnell.com) for large orders, and they seem to be pretty good, there website also allows things like saving orders and setting up repeat orders (i already have parts for a couple of pedals that i was gonna order but didnt have enough cash, saved on their site ready to go in one click once i get funds ), But many of their components (resistors, capacitors etc.) will only sell in minimum quantities of 5 or 10, which isnt to bad really as you soon end up with a decent stockpile of common components.
I've also heard rapid electronics are good, but their website ordering doesnt work properly in my browser so i couldnt say.
And i have to confess to nipping into maplins for odd bits and pieces (just because its local)