Digi-Key Rated #1 for Most Preferred Distributor

Electronic engineers worldwide were asked to evaluate their preferences among the industry's leading electronic component distributors. This survey, the 2012 Distributor Customer Evaluation Study, was conducted by UBM Electronics, a technology publication group.

Based on the study’s results, Digi-Key was ranked the #1 distributor across a variety of categories, including:

#1 Overall Most Preferred Distributor
#1 Distributor by Patronage of All Product Categories (Semiconductor, Connectors and      Interconnects, Passives, Power, and Electromechanical)
#1 for Product Availability
#1 for On-Time Delivery
#1 for Ease of Doing Business
#1 for Distributor Brand Loyalty
#1 for Ample Product Information
#1 for Competitive Pricing
#1 for Supply Chain Services
#1 for Knowledgeable Field Application Engineers
#1 for Assembly and Product Enhancement

The study also found Digikey.com to be, by far, the website most frequented by respondents. Additionally, Digikey.com enjoys the highest ratings across the following evaluation criteria:

#1 Most Visited Site
#1 for Organization of Site
#1 for Accurate Search Engine
#1 for Ease of Navigation
#1 for Value of Online Content
#1 Ease of Ordering Product Online

Methodology:
Between February 29 and March 27 of 2012, EE Times Group subscribers with engineering, procurement and/or business management responsibilities who buy, design or approve the purchase of electronic components, equipment, or services through distributors participated in a web-based survey offering more than 1,900 usable responses. Results of this survey were published in May 2012.

In a separate survey conducted by Hearst Business Media, 2,300 U.S. engineers were surveyed regarding their impressions of suppliers, their need for product information and other services, how and when they interface with suppliers, and how they see the quality and value of that interface.

Digi-Key gained high marks in Hearst’s 2012 Design Engineer and Supplier Interface Study as well, being named ‘Best in Class’ in the following categories:

Broadest Overall Product Selection

Parts in Stock Available for Immediate Delivery

Data and Product Selection Support

Consistent, On-time Delivery

E-Commerce/Online Buying

Competitive Pricing

Ease of Website Navigation

Design Support Content on Website

Methodology:
The Hearst Electronic Group’s 7th Design Engineer and Supplier Interface Study gathered information from engineers regarding their need for product information and other services as well as how and when they interface with suppliers and how they see the quality and value of that interface.

Over 2,300 U.S. engineers participated in this year’s web-based survey. The survey results present a highly accurate and reliable portrait of design engineer attitudes, perceptions, and behaviors. The results are of those completed by March, 2012.