New Grainger catalog

Got a note the other day that there was a parcel for me at the P.O. Went there and discovered that rather than some nifty-type gift, it was the latest Grainger catalog.

Unbelievable.

As late in the new online, digital, paperless day as it is, here it is in all its weighty glory. All 4,434 pages of it! About 8 pounds of dead trees.

I can't believe this thing costs them any less than $10-15 a unit, considering all that goes into it: design, compilation, product photography, prepress, printing, bindery, shipping and postage.

Also a little surprised I got one, since I think I *might* have bought one little thing from them all last year.

Reply to
David Nebenzahl
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? "David Nebenzahl" wrote in

Many of them go to the maintenance department where there may not be computers or internet access. We got the McMaster-Carr catalog last week. I've not used the paper for years, but our printed book goes to the shop where it is used frequently.

As for web access, McMaster is far superior than Grainger and gets 99% of our orders for that reason.

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

Personally, I think that Sears Roebuck would still be a viable business if they hadn't abandoned their catalog. I love Graingers. I've been buying from them for around 25 years. I also do electrical work for the local branch and they've hired me to troubleshoot problems with electrical equipment bought and installed by others. IMO, THEY HAVE THE WORST ONLINE CATALOG I'VE EVER SEEN!!!! I can't even find things that I know are in the catalog. If they ever intend to abandon their paper catalog, they better get their online act together or they're doomed

Reply to
RBM

And if you find out let me know how to stop getting phone books. I can't remember the last time I opened one and we haven't had a home phone in years. Verizon and the two other companies who deliver their version locally seem to think phone books are still relevant.

Reply to
George

Sure, but that is getting rarer and rarer. I am in and out of a lot of facilities and it is pretty rare to see folks without Internet access. I was working at a place yesterday where the maintenance guy has a notebook with an aircard and a smartphone. I can't think of a place I have been in where they don't have a computer available for research and ordering stuff. Even the remote facility I visit some times that is a 4 mile ride on a dirt road has a satellite dish for Internet.

Yes, some companies really don't get it. I buy from one company mainly because they are the only one who sells certain products and it is almost impossible to find stuff unless you know an exact part number.

One company where we buy stuff used to produce a thick paper catalog. They stopped that quite some time ago and started mailing out CDs. They stopped mailing the CDs some years ago.

Reply to
George

Easier to read in the bathroom than having to take the computer with you.

Wait until your internet connection goes out and you haven't memorized your ISP's phone number.

Perce

Reply to
Percival P. Cassidy

This used to be true, but now that small tablet devices are readily available, it's less true. It's also easier to browse through a paper catalog to find interesting stuff you didn't know you needed.

My cable Internet connection rarely goes out, when it does I still have dial backup (I think, haven't had to use it in at least a year), and anyone with a "smart phone" or "air card" has that for backup.

Reply to
Pete C.

I think I nailed this one. They continue to send phone books becasue the "yellow pages" needs to keep the circulation numbers up so they can charge more for ads. I used to run an ad in 5 different books every year and they do use circulation to price yellow page ads. Every book is different with different ad pricing.

Reply to
Tony Miklos

Sometimes a catalog will get you there faster than on-line search, but when catalogs get too big, they are restrictive. I hate opening a Grainger, Digi-Key, or MSC, I also need to put on my Digi-Key glasses for that. Digi-Key Electronics catalog is thicker than Grainger and probably has twice the print.

When I get a Jameco catalog, I actually thumb through the whole thing, like I used to do in all catalogs.

greg

Reply to
zek

My old boss liked MSC MUCH better than McMaster at the time. I don't look at them much but my current boss always asks me if I want anything from MSC. I usually say no since electronics is my prime requirment. I do deal with Grainger mostly and they give me a good price from my company and I can also pick it up if i want.

greg

Reply to
zek

It's the Neman Markus (needless markup) of hardware.

Reply to
LSMFT

Call "Ernestine". Remember her?

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Reply to
Dean Hoffman

My gripe is grainger. I buy nearly nothing from them anymore. I used to buy cases of expensive motors, and other things in quanity and got a discount:)

Then a beancounter said no discounts unless the customer is buying over 6 grand a year.

beancounter fails to realize the small customer of today might be the large customer of tomorrow.

who will never exist, since the company sent the clear message we dont want you......

I have found other sources except for a couple cheap items.....

every few years grainger reinvents themselves, only to shoot themselves in the foot

Reply to
hallerb

Are they cheaper than Grainger?

Reply to
G. Morgan

Call them up and tell them to pick up the ones they left, and never leave any more. I did this with each of them (we have four of them in this area), and the only one I get now is the one from the phone company, which is how I want it.

Jon

Reply to
Jon Danniken

About the same price. Never found enough of a difference to do a lot of comparison shopping between them, but on big items, I can get a discount from Grainger if I call and ask. My time cost money also. Not long ago I was looking for a particular solenoid valve. After 15 minutes on Grainger web site, I found more stuff to hunt through. In two minutes I found what I wanted on McMaster and placed the order. Next day delivery 99.9% of the time.

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

Because that 8 pound 4,434 page catalog can be used by personnel in a building that has lost power and thus has no internet service to identify and then call around for the parts or equipment they need to get back up and running...

The new digital age with its on-line paperless wonders really craps out during power failures and ISP issues where service is interrupted, but the old tech printed catalog can be read by flashlight if need be and used to seek out the magical gizmos to make the kingdom whole again...

~~ Evan

Reply to
Evan

Reply to
Joseph

Thanks. :)

Reply to
G. Morgan

Numbers are in the contact list on the computer which is also synced to my smartphone. If not I can look them up using the smartphone.

Reply to
George

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