Digi-Key has changed and it is not very good

[james_s]

They fixed problems I had with the Applied Filters, which is nice but they worked a while back so how do they break that and not notice it in test?

Simple, there is nobody testing it. They probably have at most one QA person on the team and releases come far too quickly for a proper test pass, that person is probably not a hardware engineer and is totally clueless about the specific parameters an engineer will use to select a part. The rest of the testing will rely on automated tests which of course will only confirm the specific things the person writing the test script thought to check.

[thm_w]

And you STILL have to click the stupid thing to show more parameters, and the stupid checkbox to exclude marketplace items EVERY SINGLE TIME too. 

Marketplace is useful to me, I've bought from it once, but I also don't understand at all why its not off by default (and then add a hint to turn it on if nothing is in stock).
Look at this listing, why would I buy from Digikey when marketplace is cheaper?

[james_s]

And you STILL have to click the stupid thing to show more parameters, and the stupid checkbox to exclude marketplace items EVERY SINGLE TIME too. 

Marketplace is useful to me, I've bought from it once, but I also don't understand at all why its not off by default (and then add a hint to turn it on if nothing is in stock).
Look at this listing, why would I buy from Digikey when marketplace is cheaper?

Maybe because you want your whole order shipped from the DigiKey warehouse in a single shipment? Maybe because you want a single source for customer service? Maybe because you want parts that are fully vetted and come from a known supply chain, not some random seller offering them on the DK website?

It's fine to offer a marketplace, but the setting should be simple to disable and it should STAY set however you set it. I don't want to set it every single time.

[cortex_m0]

Thm_w: That diode is only cheaper from Rochester because they are showing you a price for a 4,000 piece minimum order. The same part, sold by DigiKey and made by ONSemi, is 3.7 cents when you use comparable quantity.

https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/on-semiconductor/BAV199LT1G/918322

[thm_w]

Maybe because you want your whole order shipped from the DigiKey warehouse in a single shipment? Maybe because you want a single source for customer service? Maybe because you want parts that are fully vetted and come from a known supply chain, not some random seller offering them on the DK website?

It's fine to offer a marketplace, but the setting should be simple to disable and it should STAY set however you set it. I don't want to set it every single time.

yep, thats what I said.

Thm_w: That diode is only cheaper from Rochester because they are showing you a price for a 4,000 piece minimum order. The same part, sold by DigiKey and made by ONSemi, is 3.7 cents when you use comparable quantity.

https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/on-semiconductor/BAV199LT1G/918322

Yes missed that, it won't even let me order it if I wanted to as well..

[St66666]

I found out today I can't place certain parts in my shopping cart when I'm logged in, but I can do it as a guest.
It was like that for a while and I was ordering those parts from different sources. Today I logged out and the suddenly I could place the part in the cart.
Are they limiting some accounts or is it only my account?

[helius]

Might be regulatory requirements by country. Were the items chemical in nature, or IR cameras or other Wassenaar items?

[Bud]

Are you on a same regional site (.com or .ca) when logged on and logged off?

[St66666]

They were various semiconductors in the past what I remember I was not able to put in the cart. It probably started one or 2 years ago.
I was not paying much attention to it and ordered it elsewhere, but lately it is more and more.
Yesterday it was a SMCJ22A diode.
I could order it by creating another account, but later I received an email with this PO exception:

11-OCT-2022 21:24 A7N7 EMLD STEVE Gxxxxx TO ADVISE THAT THIS PART CANNOT BE SOLD TO HIS COMPANY CLASSIFICATION PER THE MFG. THIS PO WILL NOT BE PROCESSED

I'm in Canada and ordering from the Canadian web site. I was getting 90% of my needed parts from DigiKey the last 23 years.
Suddenly being discriminated against feels strangely familiar.

This is their explanation from this morning:

Hello Steve Gxxxx,

Thank you for contacting Digi-Key! I am sorry, but we are unable to supply you with part number 497-18723-1-ND due to the part’s limited availability.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or concerns.
Thank you,
Rylee Lundeen
Global Customer Support
DIGI-KEY ELECTRONICS
701 Brooks Ave South
Thief River Falls, MN 56701 USA
+1 800 344 4539 x 11658
+1 218 681 7979

[St66666]

Something is going on with that outfit. Pay attention when you are ordering how many items you will get with the missing quantity window and not being able to add it to your cart.
It can't be only me with that issue.

I wrote back to Rylee to see if I can get any more clarification:

Hello Rylee,

This is just a simple discrimination. Nothing else.
You have 5797 pieces in stock and the part is widely available from other sources.
Perhaps the "limited availability" only applies to my company?
If you don't want me to be your customer after 23 years just say so.
It will save me time going through creating orders on your web site and I take my business elsewhere.
Thanks

[thm_w]

Order to your home address or get someone else to order it for you. Did you check off the "this product will be exported outside of Canada" question?

[VK3DRB]

Digikey's management might have thought it was a good idea at the time to link up with brokers, but we users generally dislike it. It will do Digikey damage in the long term unless when Chipageddon is over, the marketplace stuff will move to another site completely and free up Digikey to be the supplier.

I also noticed in many cases Mouser has stock but Digikey has nil stock of the same part. It seems Mouser can often get stock, but with Digikey it seems the lights are on but no-one is home. I think they have a kangaroo loose in the top paddock.

[floobydust]

[...]
This is just a simple discrimination. Nothing else.
You have 5797 pieces in stock and the part is widely available from other sources.
Perhaps the "limited availability" only applies to my company?
If you don't want me to be your customer after 23 years just say so.
It will save me time going through creating orders on your web site and I take my business elsewhere.
Thanks

OP, Digi-Key customer for 23 years and only 4 posts here on EEVBlog? What is this? A TVS for russian tanks or something?
It's a vanilla TVS made by ST. On account I can add it to cart and go to checkout with no messages, but I did not finalize the transaction.
But I've never seen the weirdness you are experiencing, it makes little sense- unless your company is on the ITAR list or something.

[tooki]

I also noticed in many cases Mouser has stock but Digikey has nil stock of the same part. It seems Mouser can often get stock, but with Digikey it seems the lights are on but no-one is home. I think they have a kangaroo loose in the top paddock.

I’ve observed that, too, but I very seriously doubt it’s due to incompetence, and instead to the fact that for many people, Digi-Key is the first place we look for components (thanks to their parametric search, which is IMHO hands-down the best in the industry, even if there’s still room for improvement, as well as them having the largest selection of parts under one roof). So it stands to reason that they’ll be the first to sell out of things.

[St66666]

[...]
This is just a simple discrimination. Nothing else.
You have 5797 pieces in stock and the part is widely available from other sources.
Perhaps the "limited availability" only applies to my company?
If you don't want me to be your customer after 23 years just say so.
It will save me time going through creating orders on your web site and I take my business elsewhere.
Thanks

OP, Digi-Key customer for 23 years and only 4 posts here on EEVBlog? What is this? A TVS for russian tanks or something?
It's a vanilla TVS made by ST. On account I can add it to cart and go to checkout with no messages, but I did not finalize the transaction.
But I've never seen the weirdness you are experiencing, it makes little sense- unless your company is on the ITAR list or something.

I'm more active on my other two home forums more specific to what I'm doing. (mainly TV repair)
Those are completely private forums with paid membership.

I ordered the part from Newark, so it is not an issue.
What is an issue is that so far nobody experienced the same treatment from DK.
I am trying to understand why?

After exchanging a few more emails this is what I received:

Hello Steve Gxxxx,
Due to limited access to new stock, Digi-Key has made the decision to reserve our current stock for companies that are classed as a Manufacturer.
Thank you,
Angie Vanderport
Global Customer Support
DIGI-KEY ELECTRONICS
701 Brooks Ave South
Thief River Falls, MN 56701 USA
+1 800 344 4539 x 12934
+1 218 681 7979

I wrote back to her this and did not receive any further replies:

Hello Angie,

Thanks for the clarification.
I will spread the message through all the forums where I'm member and where small business owners are discussing daily issues.
It is good to know how your company supports the service industry who is trying to prevent items ending in the landfill.
It is very green of you.
Thanks



Is there anybody else who has the same issue with DK?
If it is true for the service industry, somebody else must have the same kind of issues when ordering parts from DK.
If they have a few thousand in stock would 4 make a difference?
Yet as a guest I could order 4 pieces and pay for it and they canceled the order after they figured out it is me.

[tooki]

I’m not sure your tone is conducive to producing a positive outcome. You’re venting, but not actually asking for anything. So they’ll just dismiss it as “well, they’re gonna be cranky, oh well”. If you had instead said “I understand your position, but it really puts me and my customers’ repairs in a pickle. How can we find a solution that works for us?” you might have gotten farther.

[St66666]

I’m not sure your tone is conducive to producing a positive outcome. You’re venting, but not actually asking for anything. So they’ll just dismiss it as “well, they’re gonna be cranky, oh well”. If you had instead said “I understand your position, but it really puts me and my customers’ repairs in a pickle. How can we find a solution that works for us?” you might have gotten farther.

I'm putting up with it for a while and I no longer understand their position.
There are other repair shops in Canada who checked out yesterday if they can order that part and they were not restricted.
I'm asking for an explanation.

[tooki]

I’m not sure your tone is conducive to producing a positive outcome. You’re venting, but not actually asking for anything. So they’ll just dismiss it as “well, they’re gonna be cranky, oh well”. If you had instead said “I understand your position, but it really puts me and my customers’ repairs in a pickle. How can we find a solution that works for us?” you might have gotten farther.

I'm putting up with it for a while and I no longer understand their position.
There are other repair shops in Canada who checked out yesterday if they can order that part and they were not restricted.
I'm asking for an explanation.

Assuming what you’ve shared above includes the entirety of the emails to them, then no, you haven’t really asked them for an explanation. You just got miffed and threatened to take your business elsewhere (Which anyone who’s worked retail can tell you: that just gets an eye roll and “ok, don’t let the door hit you on the way out!”) and to badmouth them online. You haven’t made it clear that you’d still like to find a resolution.

I understand your frustration and need to vent. But you’re not giving them any reason or opportunity to work towards a solution. If you actually want to keep buying from them, then ask them to help find you a solution. “We” is the operative word. Being adversarial will not get your problem solved.

[floobydust]

[...] If they have a few thousand in stock would 4 make a difference?
Yet as a guest I could order 4 pieces and pay for it and they canceled the order after they figured out it is me.

Don't dox the DK people who are writing back to you, it's unnecessary and going hostile or personal must have likely happened before with you  All this drama over 4 TVS diodes? WAFWOM. CAD $4.44
It seems suspect that they wouldn't sell to you- unless you made the blacklist 

I've gotten angry at Digi-Key over their website functionality, account policies, technical typos in product descriptions etc. but find their staff has mostly helped out. Lately it's not as good, it seems to be zillions of newbs they've hired and issues get lost in the sea.
I treat the staff respectfully and make an attempt to be constructive so Digi-Key can maybe get better - but not if I have to argue or take up a lot of my time.
Last option is vote with your wallet and buy somewhere else.

[aeberbach]

This thread caught my eye because I just tried to use Digikey. They had some DC connectors in stock that Mouser didn't - so I figured I would give them a try. A couple of minutes later with the broken search and I decided just to wait for Mouser to get them back in, it's only another month.

[Bud]

I'm more active on my other two home forums more specific to what I'm doing. (mainly TV repair)
Those are completely private forums with paid membership.

Paid membership TV repair forums? 

[St66666]

Need more emails?
This issue is not new. I am having a problem ordering items from DK for a while.
Some are available and some are not.
It's not about the 4 diodes. I needed a clear answer why it is so.

Dear Steve Gxxxxx,

I am sorry, but we are unable to supply you with this part due to the part’s limited availability.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or concerns.
Thank you,
Todd Kirby
Global Customer Support
DIGI-KEY ELECTRONICS
701 Brooks Ave South
Thief River Falls, MN 56701 USA
+1 800 344 4539 x 14976
+1 218 681 7979


Hello Todd,

Can you please explain me in plain language what you mean by limited availability?
You have a few thousand, so it can't be not enough volume. (I had that excuse on other items from you)
This part is widely available from other sources and I can order it there.

So, is it limited only for my company or is it limited some other way?
I need a clear answer.
Thanks


Dear Steve Gxxxx,

Part 497-18723-1-ND is not available for distribution, order was cancelled.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or concerns.
Thank you,
Melanie Stenzel
Global Customer Support
DIGI-KEY ELECTRONICS
701 Brooks Ave South
Thief River Falls, MN 56701 USA
+1 800 344 4539 x 11155
+1 218 681 7979





Hello Melanie,

This still does not answer my question.
I could place an order as a guest and I could place an order when I created another account.
That is until you guys figured out it is my company.
I am able to order the part from different sources (I just did), so it is not restricted for distribution from other places.
So, it is not the manufacturer limiting the availability of parts. It is your company limiting my company from ordering certain parts.
That is discrimination.
My question is why?
Thanks


Hello Steve Gxxxx,
Due to limited access to new stock, Digi-Key has made the decision to reserve our current stock for companies that are classed as a Manufacturer.
Thank you,
Angie Vanderport
Global Customer Support
DIGI-KEY ELECTRONICS
701 Brooks Ave South
Thief River Falls, MN 56701 USA
+1 800 344 4539 x 12934
+1 218 681 7979



So, a guest ordering 4 pieces could be a manufacturer... 

[rsjsouza]

Well, that is quite unfortunate. According to US law, they can refuse service to anyone. However, as a customer, you can vote with your wallet. I would suggest you do so, although it can be quite a hassle.

Regarding motivation, I wonder what prompted them to take this action. Further competing brokerage wouldn't be the reason - after all, it is only a very limited quantity.

Perhaps they are pulling a Keysight and found out that cost of sales for individuals is proportionally expensive despite the higher cost per unit?

Oh well, so far my favourite resellers are not (yet) doing this. Knock on wood.

[VK3DRB]

Well, that is quite unfortunate. According to US law, they can refuse service to anyone. However, as a customer, you can vote with your wallet...

Or vote with your feet by going to another supplier. I suspect Mouser has had less damage done to it as a company than Digikey, even though Mouser has its problems.

The company I worked for 12 years ago got burnt by Element 14 (Farnell/Newark) to the tune of around $1400 by Element 14 failing to honour warranty on a proven defective batch of electronic devices they shipped. Not honouring warranty on a defective product is illegal in Australia. They absolutely broke the law. Short of suing these dipsticks, we rarely ever used them for anything from then on. I certainly voted with my feet, and Element 14 is the last resort for me to buy components from. They would have lost a lot more business than the $1400 over the past 12 years.

The point is, when these companies treat the little customer badly it can be much to their own detriment in the long term but they lack the intelligence to understand that.

[tooki]

So, a guest ordering 4 pieces could be a manufacturer... 

Well, what we don’t know is whether that order would actually get filled. I suspect it’d get canceled.