Does anyone know anything about this company??

[Jim O'Dell]

"Standard Equipment Company"

They advertise to have everything McMaster-Carr has at a better price. But they don't have their catalogue on line, if they even have one at all. You e-mail them a list of MC part numbers for a quote. They say they have equalivant parts to almost everything MC and others sell.
I've emailed them for a quote, but don't want to go further if someone know a reason not to. I'd like to learn from other's experiences. Thanks for any info you may have. Jim.

[Bruce Shiverdecker]

You might look them up in the Thomas Register and, of course, contact the BBB to see if there have been any complaints against them.

Bruce

[Jim O'Dell]

Bruce, thanks for the idea. They are on the Thomas Register, company has been in business since 1906 or something like that. Build water proof marine doors, and and lots of other things. Still bugs me a little that they don't have their own prices on line for the product they carry...kinda feeding off someone else's advertising and good name.
Thanks again, I'll see how the prices come back if they respond. Jim.

[Carl Eyman]

Their's is sure a low cost way to do business. While it may seem to be a bit unethical, do I object enough not to take advantage of their low prices? I'll have to think about it a little.

Maybe they have a brother-in-law who works at McMCarr and can steal anything you want.

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Just a thought, but maybe they supply McMaster-Carr, or are associated with them, and they are just increasing the sales base..?

Dunno....

Cheers!

[Byron Trantham]

Jim, I would not like to have to screw around with "getting prices". Maybe Mcmaster Carr would cost a little more but their on-line catalog have proven invaluable to me. I recently purchased by first items from a popular finishing house and found the process very frustrating. Not only do they not provide on-line ordering they don't have an 800# either! The oder came in a timely manner however. I guess it just boils down to how convient you like things.:D

[Jim O'Dell]

Carl, they say on their web site that they do not purchase from MC, and state fairly clearly that it may be different brands, but equal type of product. And I'm in that thinking stage also, thus my post about if anyone knows about this company.
Stu, the above sentence, but they say they have their own suppliers, and they don't carry everything, but almost everything. I can't imagine they could be price competetive if they didn't buy this in bulk, but it almost sounds like they buy what you order and drop ship, but I may be reading something into it that's not there.
Buron, thanks for another positive statement about McMaster-Carr. Since I haven't done business with either company, both make me a little wary. But hearing so many good comments about MC makes me feel better about them.
Thanks again!! Jim

EDIT: Carl, I just went back and read your post again. I missed the part about "steal"ing parts.

[Jeff Pilcher]

This may be purely rumor, but ...

I recently heard about a group of former MC employees that made off with the MC vendor list. The rumor further states that you can order from them using MC catalog numbers and get a better price.

Don't know if any of this is true, but my rumor combined with other info from this thread seems to be a little too coincidental.

[Jim O'Dell]

Jeff, you're right, sounds a little fishy! I checked my email at lunch, nothing back from them. I'll place my order with MC when get home this evening. Thanks again all! Jim.

[tod evans]

jim, did you try phoning them? my favorite supply house has no internet presence. you may just get an english speaking person who can put speculation to rest?.....02 tod

[Royce Meritt]

Seems like a pretty shady way to run a business. I guess most of us would like to run a business wherein we claim to offer "hundreds of thousands of items" (direct quote from their site) yet not have to publish a catalog, work out our own pricing structure, etc., etc., etc. We will just let the customer do all of the work for us by researching what we need to offer (by using McMaster-Carr's catalog) and then undercut McMaster-Carr. Of course we could sell cheaper. We didn't have to do anything!

I guess I would feel very "dirty" by looking up part numbers on McMaster-Carr's web site and forwarding them to another company and asking them to undercut the company that did all of the work.

For what it's worth, I have ordered from McMaster-Carr dozens of times and been EXTREMELY pleased with their service, selection, prices and delivery!

[Jim O'Dell]

No, Todd. By the time I get home from work, it's too late. I dislike calling from work, hard to drop the call to take care of a customer. At least talking here at the Creek during work hours, I can always (and often do) leave the computer to take care of a customer, then finish up when I'm free again. I'm not that interested in doing business with them if they don't email me back. I did what they requested on their website, it's up to them to follow through. If they haven't emailed me by the time I get home today, I'll be going through MC, may regardless. We'll see what happens.
Royce, I have some of the same feelings. And it would have to be a pretty good savings. I'm guessing it's going to be a penny here, a nickle there type of thing. That isn't worth it. Jim.