Frequently Asked Questions

The short answer is no. You will get some initial emails with your account information and if you place an order, we will send you status updates regarding your order. But we do not use your email later to send your information unless you specifically request this by signing up for one of our email lists. Simply creating an account or placing an order will not add you to our list of people who have requested to be emailed. There is an excellent book by Seth Godin called Permission Marketing that explains this better but the general idea is that we always ask for your permission before sending you emails and we do not try to expand your permission into something more than you intended.

The catalog list of all available items (electronic components, tools, supplies, etc.) will appear on the side of your screen when you click on the tab at the top that says "store". Now that we have a blog, books, and training incorporated into one site, it became too cluttered to always display the catalog and shopping cart. Now you will only see the catalog and shopping cart when you are actually shopping for components.

Yes. Once you have items in your cart, you will be able to checkout with PayPal. There is a quick link at the bottom of the itemized list to go straight to PayPal or you can also choose to use PayPal during the normal checkout process - it will be listed as a payment option.

Please let us know through the contact form if you are having problems because your country is not listed when entering your shipping address. We have already listed many countries but there are still many more that still need to be listed. We will do our best to make sure that your country is available upon request.

No. We will process and ship any order big or small. If all you want is a small hard-to-find component, then we will be happy to help. Don't forget though that orders above $30 are shipped free within the US.

Yes. While we try to maintain our stock levels, there may be times when you need more than we have in stock. Unless you tell us differently, we will ship what we have in stock first and then wait until all of the other items are in stock before making a second shipment.

Yes. If you prefer to call instead of using our website, we will be happy to assist you with your order. You can call our toll free number (800) 742-9630 or our direct number (425) 903-3050.

You do not need to create an account first. It is our goal to make the ordering process and follow-up as easy as possible for you.

The photographs that are displayed on the website should be used as a guide. While we do our best to provide realistic images, there may be some differences in the actual product due to manufacturing differences. If the part you received looks drastically different or clearly has markings or color codes that represent a different value, then please let us know by using the contact form so we can send you the correct part.

Our site is still growing and we are adding more products every day. The alternative would be to keep the site closed until everything has been added and the site is complete. Instead, we plan to first offer a selection of electronic parts, then expand that with hardware such as nuts and bolts, and then begin offering projects and instructional videos.

Yes you can get free shipping! Keep reading for details. Our normal shipping charges are:

Standard shipping within the US: $6.00

3 day shipping within the US: $20.00

2 day shipping within the US: $30.00

Next day shipping within the US: $50.00

Standard shipping to Canada or Mexico: $11.00

Standard shipping to any other country: $17.00

The standard shipping is actually quite speedy and you will likely not need to select 3 day shipping unless it is critical that you get your order within 3 days. 2 Day shipping is a good choice when you are in a rush but don't want to spend the extra money to get next day. And we do offer next day shipping for those times when you just have to get your parts in time for a project, a demonstration, a meeting, etc.

Now for free shipping, all you need to do is order at least $30.00 in parts for free shipping within the US. If you are in Canada or Mexico, we also offer free shipping for orders above $50.00. And we offer free shipping to any other country for orders above $75.00.

Please note that for orders shipped outside of the US, there may still be import duties and other charges that you will need to pay when receiving your package. Our offer of free shipping and even the standard shipping rates are just for our charges that we have to pay to send your packages.

We will package and ship your order the same day if we receive your order and payment before noon on a normal business day. We may even be able to ship the same day if it is after noon depending on the day's order volume and the exact time. If this is important to you and it is after noon, please call to ask for same day shipping. If you place your order over the weekend or during a holiday, then we will ship your order on the next business day.

Yes, we will ship items to post office boxes as well.

Yes, we will ship products worldwide. Please be aware that there may be delays at customs that are not under our control. There may also be extra charges or taxes that you will need to pay to your local authorities. Any extra charges or fees are not included in your purchase price and will be your responsibility to pay.

Yes, we will ship items to apartments, houses, businesses, and schools.

Yes. We want you to be happy with your purchases. If you don't want your purchase anymore or don't like it for any reason, then please return it within 90 days. There are only two things that we ask of you:

1. Let us know first by calling or use the contact form to request a return. Depending on what you are returning, we may even be able to help you by sending an empty box for you to use for packing. The reason we ask this is because we get shipments all the time and it is hard to know what to do with a package that we are not expecting. If you expect a refund, then please let us know.
2. The items must be in new and re-sellable condition. We don't charge restocking fees but we do ask that the items be in a condition that can go back on our shelves. An exception to this is damage caused by shipping. If you receive a package that is broken upon delivery, then please call us or use the contact form right away so we can make it right.
3. Ok, there are three things. But this one is not really related to your purchase. The last thing we ask is that you consider us again for a future purchase.