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I've done a lot of ordering through McMaster Carr, and the ease, delivery time and selection are amazing. It's strange to say this, but they're the one company that I don't see Amazon being able to distinguish themselves from. McMaster is already operating at that level.

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Delivery time is why I buy from McMaster. If I get the order in early enough, a dude in a van shows up in a few hours.

Where do you live?

My office is in the Chicago area, near O'Hare airport. Heavy industrial area which explains a lot... =)

I think they also have a big Chicago warehouse. We get the same thing living in Atlanta, and it blew away a bunch of clients that were down here working on a project that we could just drive to McMaster and get something within an hour at will-call.

I like Amazon alright, but I love McMaster. Hope they can keep it going.

McMaster's HQ is in Chicago area, Elmhurst IL - they also have a major warehouse in Atlanta (and NJ, LA, Cleveland I think, maybe others)

This happens to me with Amazon sometimes, when they ship from Nashua, NH to Nashua, NH.

Even Nashua to Cambridge has been same-day for me a couple of times.

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