Describe the part in free text or paste a photo — it is turned into structured fields for you. Pick CRITICAL, HIGH or MEDIUM urgency. Eligible UK sellers are routed in seconds, you compare quotes side-by-side and accept one (or several, for partial fulfilment). One supplier of record, one invoice, one returns process — we handle the procurement.
Type a part name, category, brand or manufacturer part number — we'll tell you if we source it.
Type any part, category, brand or manufacturer code — live catalogue coverage, no sign-up.
Every request lives inside one of four canonical broad types — Mechanical, Electrical, Pneumatics, Hydraulics — with a fifth, Consumables, planned. Each has a tree of Level 1 main categories (Motors, Bearings, PLCs…) and Level 2 subcategories. The right category is picked for you on submission — you can always override it on review.
Rotating, translating and load-bearing components. The most-requested broad type by volume on the platform.
Power control, motion control, automation and protection. Motors, drives, PLCs, sensors and wiring all live here.
Compressed-air actuation, control and conditioning. ISO 6432 / 15552 cylinder spec is recognised from the part number.
High-pressure fluid power — including seal kits, hose assemblies and obsolete pump lines, the latter often via our wider sourcing network.
Planned broad type — not yet requestable. The recurring spend behind every maintenance job: PPE, adhesives, lubricants and cleaning supplies.
Every request picks one of three urgency levels. The tier sets the expiry window and how quickly your request widens from the most proven sellers out to the full matched network. Extend unlimited times — just wait the gating window since the last extension. The net keeps widening while you still need quotes — so urgency buys you speed, not just a deadline.
For genuine line-down emergencies. The most proven sellers are alerted first, and the net widens faster than any other tier while quotes are still short — the quickest route from posting to priced offers. Requires buyer email + phone verification before submission.
Urgent repair, same-day-needed parts. Top-rated stockists are alerted first, with the net widening quickly while quotes are still short. No additional verification beyond standard onboarding.
Scheduled MRO, BOM sourcing, multi-line panel builds. The most proven sellers still hear first, then the full matched network — a measured pace that favours price discovery. The default tier; legacy LOW values normalise to MEDIUM.
Sellers don't set delivery prices — the platform does, live from a pool of vetted UK couriers. You pick the speed tier per quote at checkout. The quote is frozen on the order record at acceptance so the price never moves between display and pay.
What the platform will route, what it conditionally routes (with verification or trade-account requirements), and what it declines on principle. Column three isn't us — we'll point you at the right specialist channel.
Request the quantity you need and multiple sellers quote to supply it. You compare on price, estimated delivery and tier, accept the quote that fits, and pay once, securely by card (or Purchase Order for TRADE accounts) — with tracking, payment protection and a dispute window on your Order. Splitting one quantity across several sellers, each shipping independently, is on the roadmap.
When the exact part is obsolete, long-lead or simply not on a shelf, Smart Alternatives lines up functional equivalents — the same manufacturer’s successor line or a cross-referenced match from another brand. It’s opt-in when you post, and you review and approve every suggestion before sellers are notified. When an equivalent needs its matching companion part, that’s sized to the host and requestable in the same step. All of it sits inside the price — matching and compatibility checks are never a paid extra, and nothing is ever silently swapped.
Accepted a quote? Before you pay, you can add more from that seller’s shelf — the consumables and spares you’d otherwise raise a second order for next week. It’s a short, curated list from the accepted supplier only, with photos and condition shown. Anything you add travels in the same package, with the delivery price recalculated for the combined box, in the same single payment.
Four questions to suggest your account type and approximate fit. STANDARD buyers are card-only and fastest to start. TRADE buyers unlock the Trade portal, Purchase Order trade credit, and Companies House — verified procurement.
No email, no signup. The result lives only in your browser.
You're a clear TRADE account fit.
If your part fits the four-type taxonomy, the answer is yes. Post in free text — the fields are structured for you — choose CRITICAL, HIGH or MEDIUM, and the most proven matched sellers see it inside the second.
