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Mcmaster.com is the best e-commerce site I've ever used

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Re: Mcmaster.com is the best e-commerce site I've ever used

#251

Post by paxys »

fmajid wrote: post #85

The counterpoint to this is that a site like Amazon can still succeed to dominate the industry despite being a horrendous mess with nonfunctional search, a horrendous counterfeiting problem, and widespread review fraud. Does take the wind out of the sails of IA/UX purists somewhat.

Amazon succeeds because they can get a tube of toothpaste, an onion, a washing machine, an extension cord, a can of paint and an iPad at your doorstep in under a day. Sure their search interface might not be the best but no one really cares. They are a logistics company, and don’t go too deep into any one niche.

Re: Mcmaster.com is the best e-commerce site I've ever used

#252

Post by paxys »

Their description of the site and its usefulness is probably correct, but I think people are taking the wrong message from it. Mcmaster.com isn’t good because of its UX. The service would be exactly as useful had it looked exactly like Amazon.com. Its UX is simply secondary to its inventory and logistics.

Simply put - to build a successful business focus on the entire business and not just the website. People can get over an unintuitive UI and slow search. They cannot get over the fact that you don’t carry what they want.

Re: Mcmaster.com is the best e-commerce site I've ever used

#253

Post by jstanley »

mrb wrote: post #169
Maarten88 wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> being able to buy a custom “off the shelf” part without making a special internal part number How does that work? I have been searching the internet for stainless steel M8 x 20 set screws with a torx socket, maybe uncommon but straightforward. I have yet to find these anywhere outside of having them manufactured in china by truckload - I need maybe 100.

There you go, package of 10 for $7.57: https://www.mcmaster.com/90910A589/ McMaster has everything (almost)!

"Set screw" means the same as "grub screw", i.e. a bolt where the entire thing is threaded, and the head is set within the bounds of the thread, not proud of it.

Like this: https://ever-hardware.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Torx-se...

Torx grub screws are super uncommon, I don't think I've ever seen one. Usually they have a hex socket (for an allen key), or occasionally they're slotted (for a flat-blade screwdriver).

Re: Mcmaster.com is the best e-commerce site I've ever used

#254

Post by Arcanum-XIII »

syntaxing wrote: post #49

MechE here as well. An alternative to McMaster is Misumi. Misumi is nice because you can order parts that are made to order (imagine a rod with the specific thread and length). No next day shipping like McMaster but being able to buy a custom “off the shelf” part without making a special internal part number is huge (so you don’t need drawings or anything). They’ll ship you a couple books like the signature yellow bo…

And Misumi works well in Europe, which helps a lot. They also have quite often great prices. Now the catalog is not as far reaching as Mcmaster. We don't have a Mcmaster in Europe :(

Re: Mcmaster.com is the best e-commerce site I've ever used

#255

Post by sitkack »

PaulDavisThe1st wrote: post #138

At some point several years ago, Amazon actually tried to compete with Mcmaster and others selling in this niche. They had a sub-site or something like that, I think it was called "Amazon Pro" and it focused on nothing but the sorts of parts and fittings that Mcmaster sells. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't as good as Mcmaster, and it sank (AFAICT) without a trace.

Amazon bought a company "Small Parts" in 2005, they were a knock off of McMaster. This was probably to make sourcing fasteners easier for Blue Origin.

Re: Mcmaster.com is the best e-commerce site I've ever used

#257

Post by mcovalt »

paxys wrote: post #252

Their description of the site and its usefulness is probably correct, but I think people are taking the wrong message from it. Mcmaster.com isn’t good because of its UX. The service would be exactly as useful had it looked exactly like Amazon.com. Its UX is simply secondary to its inventory and logistics. Simply put - to build a successful business focus on the entire business and not just the website. People can get…

The article specifically compares McMaster-Carr’s website to Amazon.com to demonstrate a superior UX.

Re: Mcmaster.com is the best e-commerce site I've ever used

#259

Post by MarkMarine »

Part of McMaster is the execution. You order 5 different things, as you realize you need them during a build. They show up tomorrow in one box. There is one shipping charge. Amazon doesn’t even come close.

I tip my hat to them, the most reliable execution I’ve seen from any supplier, always on time, always on target.

Re: Mcmaster.com is the best e-commerce site I've ever used

#260

Post by jjav »

xyzzyz wrote: post #224
wlesieutre wrote: post #216

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Haven't got pot metal bolts, just thinking of some machine screw assortments I've bought on Amazon. They've worked fine for 3d printing projects, but makes me wary of fasteners from unknown sources if strength could matter. Hardware store has been my go to, is that the reference people are using for saying McMaster bolts are 4x overpriced?

Yeah, if you can buy what you want at big box hardware store, then do, prices won't get much lower than that, and you'll get something that's certified to a standard. McMaster is useful if your time is worth too much to waste it on trips to Home Depot, or if you want something less standard.

I don't usually find the local hardware stores to be cheaper than McMaster.

I see Home Depot has 1/4-20 18-8 stainless steel bolts for $7 a pack of 10. McMaster has them for $8 a pack of 50.

The exception is when I need just one or two of something and it is available in the single-unit bins at the local hardware store. With McMaster the minimum quantity is usually a box of N, but the price per unit usually quite a bit cheaper.

And of course the selection is vastly better. For the above example, I'd usually really buy 316 stainless, which Home Depot doesn't even have.

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