Cheap AVRs at Newark

[ralphd]

I recently noticed Newark has a lot of AVRs on sale.
Attiny88-mu is only 27c, qty 1.  Good reason for me to see if I can make the jump from 0.8mm QFP to 0.5mm MLF soldering...
Attiny167-su for 90c, and Attiny45-20SH(fat SOIC) for 36c.
Not many of the atmega's are on sale, though I did notice the ATmega168PA-PU for 1.49, just slightly cheaper than the Chinese ATmega168 Pro Mini's.

Now I'm caught in the paradox of choice. :-(
http://www.ted.com/talks/barry_schwartz_on_the_paradox_of_choice?language=en

[Fsck]

the solution is to simply order them all.

[westfw]

Hmmph.  I'd just ordered some ATtinys from Newark at "sale" (but higher) prices.
Now, does that $0.27 price mean that that chip is about to go away, like the $0.25 ATtiny11s did some years back?

[Len]

Now, does that $0.27 price mean that that chip is about to go away, like the $0.25 ATtiny11s did some years back?

I don't think so. The ones mentioned are not on Atmel's list of "mature" (i.e. obsolete) chips.

[ralphd]

Hmmph.  I'd just ordered some ATtinys from Newark at "sale" (but higher) prices.
Now, does that $0.27 price mean that that chip is about to go away, like the $0.25 ATtiny11s did some years back?

The ATtiny48-mu is 45c at Newark.  The ATtiny88-mu is $1/qty 10 @Digikey, with 46,000 for "Qty available".  The t48/88 datasheet revision history leads me to believe the chip was announced in 2008.  Has Atmel discontinued other chips with little more than 6 years on the market?

Given the number of parts on sale, I don't think the sale listing can be taken as any indication of a part being discontinued.
How's this for a theory:
Many (most?) manufacturers give volume rebates.  Suppose Atmel gives rebates quarterly based on sales levels.  And suppose if Newark sells 10,000 Attiny88-mu in a quarter, they get a 5c/unit rebate.  If the regular price they pay is 35c, and they've already sold 9000 this quarter, their COGS is $3150.  If they sell 1000 more at 27c before the end of the quarter, their total COGS after the rebate is $3000, so the marginal cost on the last 1000 is actually negative.

[ralphd]

Looks like no cheap goodies for me.  I loaded up my cart, get to checkout and the shipping is $25 to Canada!  I checked all the items and they are in stock in the US.
When I ordered from them last year it was $8 for UPS shipping.  Now it's only Fedex or Purolator for $25.  :-(

[westfw]

What if you use the Canada element14.com store?

[JoeO]

According to the prices that are in the catalog for the NCP431, you paid $20 for 50 when 100 would have cost you $17.

[edavid]

They used to have a way to browse all their sale stuff by category but I can't find it now.

http://www.newark.com/overstock-warehouse

Like most electronic parts distributors, they have a brain-dead website.  When you sort the sale items by price, it sorts by list price instead of actual price 

[JoeO]

OK, So what you paid for the parts is not the price that is currently listed.

[JoeN]

They sometimes have insanely good prices.  I just ordered some hall effect sensors from them, AN48841B-NL.  Their price in small quantities is $0.251 for the time being.  Mouser $1.37.  Digikey $1.60.  How do they do that?  Are they selling below cost?

My last postage cost from Newark was $5.25, but I am in the U.S.