I am in the process of building one of my electronic gizmos.
For this particular project, I need a transistor. But not just any old transistor… I’ve got plenty of those. No, for this I needed a ZXTP2012ASTZ.
Yes, a ZXTP2012ASTZ.
As I’m sure you have realised, this transistor is a little bit out of the ordinary and, as such, none of my normal suppliers stocked it.
I eventually found it on Mouser. They’re a major supplier of electronic components, but I’ve never used them before.
I added the transistor to My Basket and clicked Checkout.
Mouser presented me with a price for my purchase: 59p.
Fifty-nine pence. That’s alright. But then they added another £12.00 for postage!
How the hell can something of that size warrant 12 quid postage?
For those of you not sure how big a transistor is, that it should justify 12 quid postage, I have included a picture… with a 5p coin for scale.
Turns out, Mouser have a standard 12 quid P&P added to any order under 33 pounds.
No matter what it is.
Ridiculous!
Obviously, I didn’t buy it.
But then, I mentioned this to a chap I talk to regularly on the radio. Jim said that he often ordered stuff from Mouser and would be happy to add my transistor to his next order. What a top fellow!
I received an email from him yesterday, telling me it had arrived.
As he only lives ten miles from me, I took a drive over and we had a good ol’ chat over a cup of tea and a biscuit.
It was good to finally put a face to the voice I’ve spoken to, so many times over the past couple of years.
And he never even charged me for the transistor.
February 18, 2018 at 8:27 am
‘and it only cost you 14 quid in petrol to pick it up. Bargain.
When you got there did you say “Hello little Jim”
February 18, 2018 at 10:22 am
Oh yes, the irony of petrol money spent to pick it up, wasn’t lost on me.
However, it was a good excuse for a meet up.
Nah. It would have been lost on him, if he wasn’t a fan of the highly steamed Goon Show.
February 18, 2018 at 8:24 pm
I have to say that P&P is a little bit steep!
February 18, 2018 at 9:20 pm
A little bit?
It’s the north face of P&P charges!