Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is SourceESB.com?
A: SourceESB.com is a one stop website where OEM buyers and engineers can easily source electronic components and services. Our website features all of the useful information found in our printed directories as well as a Part Number Search feature. Our website will quickly and easily provide you with contact info for distributors and vendors for nearly 8,000 worldwide manufacturers.
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Q: What types of searches can I do?
A: We offer 6 types of searches:
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Part Search - finds distributors and their quantities for a specific part number.
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Manufacturer Search - finds distributors for a specific manufacturer line.
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Other Searches
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Distributor Name Search - finds distributors by their name.
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Product Type Search - finds distributors for a specific type of electronic part (e.g. capacitors, connectors).
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Value Added Services Search ¿ finds vendors for a specific service (e.g. contract manufacturing, cable assembly).
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Value Added Vendors Search ¿ finds vendors by their name.
To perform a search:
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Select one of the 3 search tabs to locate the search you would like to perform. Part and Manufacturer searches have their own tab, while the other 4 searches are in the "Other Searches" tab.
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If you are performing a search on the "Other Searches" tab, select the search type, from the 4 listed there.
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Enter what you want to search for in the search box.
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Click the Search button or hit Enter.
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If you are doing a search other than the Part Search, you will have to select from the list of matching results the one that you prefer and click on it.
Example: To get a list of distributors who carry "Amp" parts.
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Select the "Manufacturer Search" tab.
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Type "Amp" into the search box.
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Click the "Search" button.
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This will display a list of Manufacturers that start with "Amp". Then click on "Amp/Tyco Electronics", this will display the list of distributors for that manufacturer.
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Q: What happened to the region map?
A: We received feedback from users that they prefer to not limit their searches to a particular region in most cases. Therefore we removed the region map and now display all results regardless of their location by default.
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Q: How do I search for results within a specific location?
A: All searches except for Part Search now contain a "location filter" control, which allows you to narrow your results by displaying only distributors or vendors within a particular region.
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Canada - All of Canada
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Central States - Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahama, South Dakota, Texas
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Mid Atlantic - Eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York
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Mid West - Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Western Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Wisconsin
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Mountain States - Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Southern Nevada, Utah, Wyoming
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New England - Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont
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Northern California - Northern Nevada, Sacramento, San Francisco, Silicon Valley
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Northwest - Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington
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South Atlantic - Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington DC
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Southern California - San Simeon south to the Mexican Border
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Q: How do I search by Part Number?
A: Simply enter the Part Number you're looking for. Select "Part Number" as the Search Type and click the "Search" button. Our system will display a list of all part numbers matching the search text you entered, as well as all distributors with current inventory for those parts.
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Q: There are too many results for my Part Seach. . .help!
A: In response to user feedback, we changed the Part Search so that all results of a search are displayed within a table on the first result page of the search. (It used to work like the other searches, where you must narrow down your search to a single result on the first page, and then final results are shown on the second page.) Because of this change, you may find that some of your part searches result in a large number of results. We recommend several techniques to manage large lists.
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viewing other result pages - only 50 distributor results are displayed on each page. To view the rest, you must go to the bottom right corner of the page and select the page number that you would like to view.
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viewing all results on a single page ¿ if more than 50 distributors are found, you may view them all on the same page by selecting "show all" in the bottom left of the page.
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sorting by column ¿ column headings shown in blue may be clicked in order to sort by that column. If you click the column heading a second time, results will be sorted by that column in reverse order.
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filtering by part or manufacturer ¿ you can narrow down the results to a single part number or a single manufacturer by using the "filter by" controls in the upper left of the page.
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Q: Why should I register for an account?
A: By registering you will have unlimited access to our searches (beyond the 3 free searches you get before registering) as well as the RFQ features on our website. You will be able to send RFQs to multiple distributors at once from your email address so they will reply directly to you. Also, registering helps us understand what types of people are using our website and for what reasons, which helps us improve the site to better meet users' needs.
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Q: How do I register for an account?
A: Registering for an account is fast and FREE. Click on the "Register" link at the top of every page or just follow this link. Fill out the online form and select a user name and password. Check the user agreement and click "Submit". SourceESB respects our users' privacy. Click here to review our privacy policy.
Note that when registering for our website, you will also have the opportunity to update or apply for a free subscription to our print directory (copies reserved for qualified users).
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Q: I forgot my user name and/or password. How can I get it?
A: No problem. Go to the main page and click on the "Forgot your password" link in the sign in box at the upper right. Enter your email address and click "Email Password". Our system will send you an email with your user name and password. To avoid this problem, you can opt to have your computer remember your account information by clicking "save info" when you sign in.
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Q: Can I store my password on my computer so I don't have to type it in each time?
A: Yes. Your computer can remember your log in info and automatically log you in every time you visit our site. To do so, go to the main page screen. Enter your User Name and Password. Check the "Save info" box and then hit the "Sign In" button. This will sign you in and store that info on your computer for future visits.
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Q: I can't find what I'm looking for. How can I broaden/narrow my search results?
A: You can try shortening the words in your search string. Our search engine allows for partial word matches. For example, if you are searching for "cable assembly", you can search for "cab assem" or even just "assem".
Also make sure you are using the correct search type. If you're looking for capacitors, don't perform a Manufacturer Search for "capacitor". This will show you Manufacturers that have the word "capacitor" in their name. Instead do a Product Type Search for "capacitor" to get a list of distributors who specialize in capacitors.
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Q: How does the RFQ (Request For Quote) feature work?
A: In the Part Number Search RFQ results screen, you can send the RFQ to multiple distributors who list thatpart in stock. To do this, simply click the RFQ button for one of the distributors and on the resulting RFQ screen you should see a list of all distributors for that part. You may select which distributors you would like to send the RFQ to using the checkboxes, or click "select all" at the bottom to send to all of them.
To send an RFQ, click on the "RFQ" link on any of the results screen. This will bring up our Quote Request screen. If you use the RFQ feature from the Distributor contact screen, fill out the info for the parts you are looking for and click "Submit". An email will be sent to the distributor(s) with your email and contact info, and a separate email will be sent to you. The distributor(s) selected in your RFQ will contact you directly regarding your request.
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Q: Do I need to register in order to use The RFQ Feature?
A: Yes, you will need to register an (free) account to set up your contact info.
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Q: Does it cost anything to use SourceESB.com?
A: No. SourceESB.com is absolutely FREE for users. We are fully supported by advertising revenue. Our goal is to not only make the advertising not distracting to our users, but to make much of the advertising useful to users who may be looking for something that an advertiser offers.
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Q: How do I bookmark SourceESB.com so I can return to the site easier?
A: If you're using Internet Explorer, go to the "Favorites" menu in the toolbar. Select "Add To Favorites" and then click OK. This will create a listing called the "SourceESB.com" in the Favorites menu.
If you are using Netscape Communicator, go to the "Bookmarks" menu in the toolbar and select "Add Bookmark". This will create a listing called the "SourceESB.com" in the Bookmarks menu.
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Q: How can I increase my company's exposure on your site?
A: For advertising information, please contact your SourceESB Sales Rep. If you do not know who your Rep is, please contact our Sales Supervisor at (800) 503-9258 or email us at esbsls@sourceesb.com
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Q: How can I post my inventory for SourceESB.com's Part Number Search?
A: For information on posting inventory on SourceESB.com, please contact our Customer Service Department at (800) 769-7610 or email esbcs@sourceesb.com.
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Q: How do I use the Upload Inventory feature on SourceESB.com?
A: The Upload Inventory feature is for distributors who are currently posting inventory on SourceESB.com. To enable the Upload Inventory feature, please contact our Customer Service Department at (800) 769-7610. (You will need to have a registered account.)
You can also send us your inventory via email or FTP. (Contact our Customer Service Department to set up an FTP account.)
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Q: I have some comments/suggestions for your website. Where can I send them?
A: We are committed to providing users with the most accurate, comprehensive and easy to use sourcing tool for electronic components. Let us know how SourceESB and SourceESB.com can serve you better. You can email us at esbideas@sourceesb.com or give us a call at (800) 769-7610.
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Q: How can I get a print copy of SourceESB?
A: For information on qualifying for a free print copy of SourceESB, please click here or contact our Circulation Manager at esbcirc@sourceesb.com.
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