Is this typical service from Fastenal?

[pendragon1998]

I recently made my first purchase from Fastenal. I needed a small assortment of stainless steel fasteners which came out to $15 or $20, so I realize it was a small purchase and I am not their target customer. Anyway, everything was listed as being in stock on the website when I purchased it on December 20 and I paid for their standard shipping, so I was expecting it sometime right after Christmas. I just got my box yesterday. That was 20 days between my order and my **** getting to me. Glad I wasn't in a huge hurry. Is that what I can typically expect from Fastenal?

ETA: Sorry, I meant to post this in Free Parking.

 

[charger0926]

yup!

 

[SCWOOD]

Yep! they ****! look at MSC industrial supply.

 

[Shadowdog500]

I've stopped in several of thier stores several times and I was the only customer in the store every time. They rarely have what I need and the guy who is sitting behind the counter, doing nothing, doesn't seem over eager to help me find what I want. Guess a guy like me looking for a small amount of hardware for a home project isn't thier target customer.
For the opposite end of the spectrum, the employees at the Grainger near me practically fall all over themselves helping me get what I want.

Chris

 

[Super Mech]

I have a Fastenal about one block from my shop. How the hell they stay in business is beyond me. If I have to get anything other than nuts and bolts I'm in trouble. Two guys in there alternating their thumbs from their assholes to their mouths all day. Whatever stuff is there is dusty and old and they've got some Rodeo Drive prices to boot.

 

[PT Doc]

They ****. Pricing and then shipping charges if you pick up in the store.

 

[reader2580]

A pretty good part of Fastenal's business now seems to be the supply vending machines they put in places like factories and garages. I saw two of the machines at the Dodge dealer when getting my vehicle fixed. I guess it is supposed to cut costs for the customer by tracking who is using stuff which cuts theft. It also frees the customer from having to have a worker track and handle supplies. I assume Fastenal automatically ships supplies as they are used.

I have no idea how the retail locations stay open as the few times I have been in one I am usually the only customer.

 

[johndeereman]

YES and if you have a local store near you their even worse, we now call them fasten some because they never have anything in stock. Prime example I needed 5/8 hss drill bits stop in real quick before night shift project. Guess what they didn't have any WTF! so I had to run back home to the shop and grab a couple out of personal stock. THEY ****

 

[Verg]

Give McMastercarr a try. I typically receive orders in under 12 hours if made before 5pm from their new jersey warehouse to Dc. Prices are no worse then fastenall but their website a million times better.

 

[A_Pmech]

I'm still amazed Fastenal manages to survive.

 

[mopar01]

Wow. They have been great to our shop and always helpful when I go into the store
I really cant say anything bad about them. I gurss my experience is diffirent.

 

[JDon99]

Mc Master Carr is another good place to buy from, I've had nothing but good luck buying stuff from them in the past with super fast shipping.

 

[platypus20]

we use them a lot, they are like Graingers, they are convenient, but hardly cost effective unless, you do a volume business with them. Their main business is deliveries to construction sites and vending machines for plant maintenance departments. They have minimum orders, usually run by low paid minions and usually stock what is commonly used in your area, they all differ, but like Graingers, can have it there in a day or two. You pay dearly for the poor service.

 

[pete379]

I've been to my local Fastenal store a couple of times, they did have the 5/8 nuts I needed,but the place just seemed "meh" I buy some stuff from Mcmaster-carr, it is usually ok priced AND decent quality. I also have a fairly close (25 miles) independent bolt supplier (VERY reasonably prices ) that I buy a lot from, sometimes have them ship (have it next day usually) or call in my order , it is in will call when I get there
pete

 

[Eds_tls]

Fastenal *****. That is all.

Mcmaster-carr is always my first place to shop for hardware

 

[Thumper68]

I have a friend of a friend who works for them in sales (Not at the store) and even he thinks that their stores are a joke. The do a huge business shipping direct to the big users that is his job, the stores are just there to fill in and have a face for the company.

Personally I go to a local supplier for most of my bulk stuff, the place I go also has different price ranges as well, you can get cheap chicom grade 2 or usa made grade 5 and 8, they will special order usa grade 2 as well but for grade 2 I just get the chicom **** when I do buy it.

 

[rustyjames]

I emailed my local store with a question and they never responded. If I email McMaster I can expect a reply within a half hour. I will never consider Fastenal for anything, ever.

 

[kluckfab]

Acutally yes however! Instead buying a few stuff if you purchase full boxes it will come next day. At least that how it works at mine.

 

[warmpancakes]

they aren't set up for consumer purchase they are set up for company's, my work uses them for a lot of stuff, we spend way to much but I can call them at 5pm and ask for a fastener and I will have it before 10:30 am the next day, I've had them overnight bolts from California for us,

 

[ZRX61]

I gave up buying anything from those asshats after they fucked about for THREE months to warranty a ******** 1/4in drive GW ratchet. I also gave up buying anything from GW at the same time.

 

[2004.5cumminsman]

Fastenal looked at me like I was a monkey doing a math problem when I asked if they carry 12 point fasteners in stock. What is a 12 point fastener? Then tried to sell me welding rod because they saw my machine and had a sale going on!

 

[warweapon762]

I have a Fastenal about one block from my shop. How the hell they stay in business is beyond me. If I have to get anything other than nuts and bolts I'm in trouble. Two guys in there alternating their thumbs from their assholes to their mouths all day. Whatever stuff is there is dusty and old and they've got some Rodeo Drive prices to boot.

The fastenal here is a ******* joke too. I dont know how they are still in business when you can get the same **** off Mcmaster carr without losing your damn mind when employees cant tell the difference between grade 5 and 8.

 

[theoldwizard1]

If you are willing to go up from 1-2 fasteners per size to 10-25, eBay is a great place for stainless fasteners.

 

[MG11068]

I don't think customer service is a very high priority, at least it isn't at my local store. Love it when I go there during their advertised store hours and they are closed.

 

[Gregg33]

About the only things I like about Fastenal is that they sponsored the late Bobby Hamilton's NASCAR team years ago, they carry good drill bits and about 1 out of 5 stores has a cute girl working there.

Everything else about them *****. When I was a retail customer, they'd always make me spend $10 or buy a 100 pack when I only needed a dozen, when I worked in construction and my boss had an account it got even worse. It took them 5 or 10 minutes to find contact info our "home" branch, then they'd have to call that branch to verify our credit and pricing (why in 2014 would they have been linked by computers? lol). The employees appeared to be minimum wage types with no experience or knowledge. It's safe to assume that anyone knowledgeable wouldn't be compensated well enough to stay. The stock was a joke. Prices are mediocre, they carry way to much Chicom and even the most common fasteners they are often sold out of or have only 1 or 2 packets. I don't remember how many times I had to buy longer bolts and cut them or buy stainless because they were sold out of the bolts I wanted. My ex boss for whatever reason wasn't a big fan of "mom and pop" businesses of any type so I was stuck dealing with Fastenal.

When I went back into the auto parts profession, other than working in the cold, Fastenal was the thing I missed least. I used to have a saying "if my day is going good and I want to ruin it, I'll just go to Fastenal". Now for my own projects I deal with a local guy that I know from racing. He is knowledgeable, well stocked and I can buy any quantity I want without being gouged.

 

[Glammers37]

They ****, never have anything in stock , and most of their counter guys are arrogant pricks. I honestly don't understand how they stay in business. We have a locally owned company that services our business and is awesome.

 

[SKFishing]

McMaster is amazing. Most orders show up the next day. I once placed an order in the morning on Presidents Day, a federal holiday, and a guy showed up in his car the same day.

 

[RivennHewn]

I'm doing a job in downtown Seattle.

I have a Fastenal 1 block away from my site.

I sooooo want to be able to walk there at break, and buy supplies for my job.

Every time I try, they either don't have what I'm needing, or it's so stupidly priced I can't justify spending my client's money.

Good thing I have a construction supply company that will bring me anything I need next day, with reasonable pricing.

 

[Engine]

I had seen their stores several times but I didn't really know what they sold. Actually, I thought the little buildings were offices or something since there were never but one or two cars there. I only bought some flux-core wire from them once and only because it was posted on sale here by someone in the hot deals section. It was a great price, about 75% off as I recall.

Here's the experience I had with them; I ordered the wire on their website and requested "ship-to-store" to save on the shipping. It showed that would be at the local store in three days. When it was supposed to be there, I went to get it and they said it wasn't there yet. They it would be there in a day or two more. They agreed to call me when it arrived. After no call for three days I went back again. After checking this part number and that order number, etc. the employee that I talked to went to the back for 15-20 minutes and finally came out with two boxes that looked like they had been run over by a fork truck, and had half a roll of packing tape holding them together. Luckily, this delay gave me a chance to browse through their "vast" selection of merchandise and I must say I was truly underwhelmed with what I saw. Additionally, it took another associate nearly ten minutes more to find a company catalog that I foolishly asked for.

After arriving home I excitedly sliced though the multiple layers of tape and crushed cardboard to rescue my prize from its packing. My joy was short-lived however, as I discovered upon pulling out the pair of wire rolls that one was new and the other had been partially used and the top 20-30 feet had been rewound. Also, I forced my self to overlook the slight rust on the wire because the extra effort that someone had put into the wrapping of several layers of aforementioned packing tape to hold the used wire onto its spool. Yes, it was an "interesting" experience overall -- one that I'm unlikely to repeat -- at Fastenal.

 

[theoldwizard1]

I'm lucky to have an independent fastener store close by. They are great and are happy to sell small quantities.

 

[blazemaster83]

I used to live in a place where fastenal was the only tool/bolt store other than home depot. The one that I went to was ran by a younger guy and he was very helpful. The prices weren't great but they had what I needed most of the time, and he didn't mind opening a 100 pack to get 1 bolt if I needed it. I liked it.

I moved and found a new local fastenal. This one is much smaller and never seems to have what I need. It is a lot like the stories I have read from people above. Completely different experience, not very helpful and just don't seem to care about small guys.

Tacoma Screw is a local place I found in washington, and I have to say it blows fastenal away. They have a much larger selection, the guys know their stuff and the prices seem to be a lot cheaper than fastenal (they are right next to each other, and I have compared prices)

 

[bobbycos]

Didn't we have a thread like this a while ago

Since I work more hours than they are open I hit the Grainger right next to my route (UPS)

Those guys know me and I get the corporate discount since we have an account with them

 

[Leaky88]

Probably only bought from them 10 times max. Usually large quantity of bolts/nuts that are non-standard at big box stores. My experiences have been good, but like most companies they "know" where their bread is buttered. Not saying it right to discount the common counter customer, but competition has driven it that way. The stores I know who strive to treat counter customers are slowly fading away. Regretfully societies are becoming more and more impersonal. How many times do you hear someone say: "Send me a text." , compared to "call me", "stop by". MHO. Leaky

 

[venturesomerite]

I have never had a pleasant experience at fastenal.

I got in an argument the last time I was there. Called the # to order some parts. Not in stock right now, we will have them at the store on Friday, you can come get them then.
So I go Friday, the branch is closed (a few days after holiday). So ok, maybe the guy just fucked up and forgot.

I go in Monday, the total is $70.**. "what? the guy told me the cost was $55.** over the phone. "
Guy - "Well yeah it is, but we had to ship it here. So you have to pay for that?" m
Me - "That's rediculous, no one even mentioned that I would have to pay for shipping of any kind"
Guy -"well everyone else charges you too"
me - "not true. I've ordered stuff from Grainger for 15 years and have never once been charged shipping and they will over night it for you everytime"
guy- "oh"

 

[Notgrownup]

We use a small local outfit, it a DO IT bEST hardware store, If I need something bigger I call my Grainger rep. I never pay full price. McMaster Carr is also good, fast ship...In this day an age customers pass on bad experience like we just did...Funny how word of mouth works.
The other thing is, you. Should entail their corporate people. Tell them you will go elsewhere next time and it might be a bigger purchase......Little potatoes grow up to be big potatoes it nurtudered well.

 

[priceman1414]

it took another associate nearly ten minutes more to find a company catalog that I foolishly asked for.

Funny you mention that. For an automotive project, we needed some plastic body fasteners. We found them in a Fastenal catalog we'd had for a few years. When a family member went to pick up the order, they brought the catalog to the store, so they could double check to make sure the right product had been ordered.

The younger guy behind the counter had never seen a Fastenal catalog before, he didn't even know Fastenal had catalogs... I think he said he had worked there for a year or two.

 

[_Dock_]

All depends on the branch. The one closest to us is about 300 yards away and is garbage. The one in the next town over is great. We use fastenal for stock items bought in bulk. If you need something quickly and it to be right the first time use mcmaster Carr.