Bill: All Graingers wants is a business name since they are only licensed to sell to business. That way they don't have to conform to tons of consumer laws. Just give them a name like "Bill's Marine" or Russell Service Company and your home address and they will be happy and even send you a catalog. I regularly use their website and have things shipped to my apartment using the apartment number. The people there are instructed to only sell to companies, so if you tell them there is no company they can't sell it to you. T They accept cash and credit cards because they want to sell to everyone but their rules say Company so all you need to do is give them a name and then your own credit card or cash. McMasters-Carr and others are the same way. If you don't want to use any of the above names just give them the name of a former employer. I am sure the college you are associated with has an account with Grainger. You don't need the account number because they keep track of this stuff with the main telephone number of the company or institution. Your maintenance people buy stuff there to repair things. Just use that name and give them a credit card to pay for the purchase. Remember the people there don't care. They just need a name to put into the box that says company. They only need a PO number if you are going to charge. You are actually helping the company or institution whose name you use since the additional discount they earn off the catalog price is based on the total volume of business they do with Graingers. Frank Burrows >The concern I work for buys >everything on bid or purchase orders (and everybody knows it), so I can't >just walk in and claim to be picking it up for them. Please describe how >us non-businesses can buy from them.

I needed something I could only find at McMaster-Carr. I eMailed the McMaster-Carr Atlanta office suggesting I was an individual, not a business. Below find the official reply... Nick in Spartanburg, SC >From: ATL Sales <atl.sales@mcmaster.com> >To: "'jeff_nicholas@hotmail.com'" <jeff_nicholas@hotmail.com> >Subject: RE: Your message to McMaster-Carr >Date: Thu, 26 Apr 2001 13:13:56 -0400 > >Jeff, > >Yes, you can order as an individual via phone, fax, e-mail, or our website >at the telephone numbers or electronic addresses below. We accept Visa, >MasterCard and American Express. > >Please let us know if you need additional information or assistance. > >Sincerely, >Tracy Owen >MCMASTER-CARR SUPPLY COMPANY >Internet Address: http://www.mcmaster.com >e-mail: atl.sales@mcmaster.com >phone:404-346-7000; fax:404-349-9091 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Frank Burrows" <fburrows@mail.com> To: <trawler-world-list@samurai.com> Sent: Saturday, April 28, 2001 7:53 PM Subject: Fwd: TWL: Various references to Grainger > Bill: > > All Graingers wants is a business name since they are only licensed to sell > to business. That way they don't have to conform to tons of consumer laws. > Just give them a name like "Bill's Marine" or Russell Service Company and > your home address and they will be happy and even send you a catalog. I > regularly use their website and have things shipped to my apartment using > the apartment number. The people there are instructed to only sell to > companies, so if you tell them there is no company they can't sell it to you. T > > They accept cash and credit cards because they want to sell to everyone but > their rules say Company so all you need to do is give them a name and then > your own credit card or cash. McMasters-Carr and others are the same way. > If you don't want to use any of the above names just give them the name of > a former employer. > > I am sure the college you are associated with has an account with Grainger. > You don't need the account number because they keep track of this stuff > with the main telephone number of the company or institution. Your > maintenance people buy stuff there to repair things. Just use that name and > give them a credit card to pay for the purchase. Remember the people there > don't care. They just need a name to put into the box that says company. > They only need a PO number if you are going to charge. > > You are actually helping the company or institution whose name you use > since the additional discount they earn off the catalog price is based on > the total volume of business they do with Graingers. > > Frank Burrows > > >The concern I work for buys > >everything on bid or purchase orders (and everybody knows it), so I can't > >just walk in and claim to be picking it up for them. Please describe how > >us non-businesses can buy from them. > > >