[blackguardx]

If you are buying parts for production from Digikey, Newark, or Mouser, then you must have very low production runs. Most companies buy production parts from major distributors who don't sell in low quantities.

It all depends on the scale of your operation. If you work for a big firm, you don't order parts yourself. Someone else does that from whomever the company has relationships with. If you are at small to medium-sized company, you may order parts yourself and your order may be delayed to combine with other orders. If you are are a consultant, you really don't have the time to pour through different catalogs searching for the best price. You just stick with a few companies for most items.

In the end, most people don't order resistors from one company and capacitors from another just to save a few bucks. The time it takes to do this outweighs any price savings. This was the point I was trying to make. Many hobbyists don't like Digikey because they are expensive. I used to feel the same way until I had to order parts for freelance work. Ordering parts sucks and sticking with one company makes it easier.

Unlike others posters, I don't think this Octopart deal is going to cut into Digikey's bottom line. Like I said, Digikey doesn't compete on price, they compete on inventory.