Microchip.com

How do I get passed this to get samples?

Microchip currently only accepts online sample orders from registered business or university email addresses. We currently do not accept orders from generic ISP accounts. Please do one of the following:

1. Register with a valid business or university email address and place your sample order
2. Visit www.microchipdirect.com to purchase parts

Thank you for your interest in Microchip.

Do you have any company/university email address?
Microchip changes their policy in our country, even with university email address, we couldn't order the free sample from Microchip's website. I was told to inform the local Microchip sales office for samples, but I haven't done it, don't need sample currently.

This is what hapen when everyone abuse the system, MC send the $15 part + $50 for UPS so you can buid your falshing LED project.

WOW

my 2 cent


csaba911

I didn't know Microchip only sends samples to businesses and universities now. I never noticed because I only have a university e-mail address. I don't order samples from them anyways.

Sample availabilty also varies from country to country.

While their policy can't be critisized, they can promote small sales in those countires at nominal rates, instead of force suggesting that we have to place order in microchip direct and pay a lot for the international courier.

this is really a prble. and if these devices are avaialble even at double thse one off price < if not at 150%, people will be happy to buy few for their experiments. Free samples only is not a must, many times.

Guess this is a good example of the power of the internet. A few dozen people brag and encourage the abuse of a courtesy provided to professionals... Wonder how long it will take before someone posts about a way to get around the new restrictions, or how long it will take before no more free samples to any individuals?

I've never been afraid to work. Have no trouble making do with what I have on hand, or can afford to buy. These free-sample threads always rub me the wrong way. If you can go to the manufacturer's website, fill in all the information honestly, then you qualify to receive the benefit. If you have to struggle and strain yourself trying to work around the truth, don't you even realize you are doing something wrong?

Funny thing is, several of these threads were from people who seem perfectly able to purchase parts, if they can't scam them for free. Wonder if this behavior extends beyond a few chips? If they see free samples at a market, do they walk off with the whole tray and have a free meal? Do the call all their friends, and tell them where to get a free snack? If a resturant gives a 50% discount if you aren't satisfied, do these people complain just to get one over on the business?

It's unfortunate that such old and generous tradition is coming to an end this way. I've known about free samples since high school (mid 70's), never took advantage just because I knew I wouldn't be purchasing production quantities. Hopefully, this will be a wake up, but most likely it will just create a mad rush to grab them while they last...

At least prices for the rest of should drop some...

OK your account info says you're from California?

I picked a random dsPIC part number and clicked on samples and get this:

Please note that the online sample site no longer accepts orders from generic ISP accounts such as Yahoo and Hotmail.
Your sample order will be forwarded first to a Microchip sales office, and then to your final address. Sample orders normally take 2 weeks for delivery. If you need faster delivery, please visit www.microchipdirect.com.

Reminder for customers in South Africa: Please be sure to provide a postal address for your orders (PO Box). Street deliveries cannot be made.

Click to expand...

I see nothing about banning people outside of universities/verified businesses here. No hotmail crap... which is indeed crap. I could get 100 post office boxes and have fun ordering 100 samples from every manufacturer I find on the web. Actually banning hotmail only cuts down on that partially. I can say I've seen eBay "dealers" who had an "inventory" remarkably similar to the samples limits of Microchip and TI.

So I take it you're quoting an email that Microchip actually sent you after a samples order? Did you by any chance use one of these generic accounts, hotmail/gmail? Who's your email domain? They may be saying it would be ok to have a hotmail account IF you also could show you're a real business/university.

If they really were going to cut off hobbyists/experimenters, that would be a pretty dark day. I suppose it's possible but I'd need more proof.

Yeah I diddnt see any change.

How do you believe there are so many chips in Ebay, for sale?

So many companies put a lot of restrictions according where you are from (country). They ask for your postal address before going any further.

In the past it was easier. In the last years restrictions have increased. Too many idiots that DO NOT need them are just asking them for that free lunch, if at all...

Here, we pay insane values for just a chip if ordered as per catalog. But we have not so many chances...

I think you need to read what it actually says?, basically that you need a 'real' email address, not hotmail or yahoo etc. - as long as you have a sensible address, and aren't in a country banned because of abuse, then there's no problem.

Nigel Goodwin said:

I think you need to read what it actually says?, basically that you need a 'real' email address, not hotmail or yahoo etc. - as long as you have a sensible address, and aren't in a country banned because of abuse, then there's no problem.

Click to expand...

Perhaps no other email address one can abtain unless he / she owns a Industrial firm or uses the tag of ones' office address.May be one can float a website at few bucks and use it. Ofcourse a student can use the institution address.

Normal persons can't get a special e-mail address. this poses a problem to restrain not to visit good exhibitions even.

Overall , it does'nt appear easy to get free samples, from many firms. I was lucky to get few from National semiconductors and Maxim. It was problamatic to get from Fairchild semi. the main problem is non avialbility of parts at samples level even if one could pay, as I already mentioned, one has to shell three times or more for international shipment itself, though the said company has offices in that country.

Nigel, I've read it. The valid email part IS clear. But if you are in a banned country nothing could be done.

I ordered samples last week without any problem. My email address is neither university nor business.

Funny thing is, when I first arrived in Australia and wanted to purchase pics from a local supplier they stated they could not supply individuals due to terrorism restrictions. I got the parts I needed as samples from Microchip.

Mike.

atferrari said:

Nigel, I've read it. The valid email part IS clear. But if you are in a banned country nothing could be done.

Click to expand...

Correct, a banned country is banned, end of story, but a proper email address is easy enough to come by - and of course no company would be using a hotmail address or similar.

Doesn't everybody get an E-mail address from their internet provider? Hotmail and Yahoo are for people who want to keep their ISP given E-mail private, and remain anonymous while doing questionable stuff over the internet (scamming, cheating on their spouse, sexual prediators, stealing music/video/software/, free-samples). Perhaps some people don't have a home computer, or internet, and use their school or local library for internet, and need to setup E-mail through Hotmail or Yahoo.

Have you thought of just calling the company on the phone and talking with them? Certainly if you qualify and are entitle to participate in the free samples the offer, the would be more then willing to chat, and likely be quite generous, might even get better then if you'd ordered over the web.

Of course, most the people asking here, how to get free parts anonymously prefer to hide in the shadows. It surprising how many are willing to step forward and help pull off the scam. I guess I really am getting old, and my values outdated.

I would guess that everyone can see that if the companies have to keep adding restictions, and making it more complicated to determine who receives the freebies, it'll get to a point where it's just not worth the time and expense. They have a mailing list of all manufacturers and universities, they can just ship directly, like junk mail flyers. They will still do great business without the freebies.

I don't know why scamming samples continues to be a tolerated topic. This whole thread needs to be moved to the trash bin.

Typical lot of fuss about nothing. People forming statements without having any real knowledge of the situation.

Nothing changed other than the base web page color from orange to blue. Do not use generic web based email. Delete thread.

It was just the e-mail company I was using

I got it to work

I only got what I needed

and just diy not everyone scams