Terms & Conditions of Sale

Terms & Conditions of Sale

All orders accepted by RS are subject to the Terms and Conditions of Sale set out below:
(Version updated June 2021)

1. General

1.1 All orders for products and services on the RS website at https://uk.rs-online.com/ (the “RS website”) accepted by RS Components Limited (“RS”) are subject to these terms and conditions of sale. No other terms will apply to the supply of products and services by RS unless agreed in writing by an authorised signatory of RS or expressly stated otherwise in these terms and conditions of sale.
1.2 All descriptions of the products and services contained on the RS website or otherwise communicated to any purchaser of such products or services (the “Customer”) are approximate only and shall not form any part of the contract between RS and the Customer. RS shall not be liable to the Customer for any errors or omissions on the RS website, the RS catalogue or other product advertisement. The advertising of products and services on the RS website is not an offer capable of acceptance; it merely constitutes an invitation by RS for the Customer to make an offer to purchase products and services. RS' acceptance of the Customer's order will take place when RS confirms pricing and delivery dates to the Customer in writing, at which point a contract will come into existence between RS and the Customer.
1.3 Products with 10-digit stock numbers starting with '2508…' or '2509…' (Extended Range products) are not stocked by RS. Any clauses in these terms and conditions of sale expressly stated to be in relation to Extended Range products will prevail over any inconsistent provisions elsewhere in these terms and conditions of sale.
1.4 These terms and conditions of sale do not apply to export transactions, nor to Product Plus Products, to which separate terms and conditions of sale apply.
1.5 RS is a business-to-business supplier. The RS website is intended for use by business customers and not by private individuals acting as consumers (“Consumers”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in these terms and conditions of sale shall affect the statutory rights of a Customer who deals as a consumer.
1.6 The Customer’s particular attention is required for clause 11, which sets out certain limitations of RS’ liability.

2. Prices

2.1 The prices of the products and services are as set out on the RS website. RS reserves the right to change prices without prior notice at any time. Customer is informed that prices and products in the printed hard copy catalogue are subject to change. Up-to-date information can be found on the RS website. In the event of any conflict between prices for any products listed on the RS website and prices listed in the physical catalogue, prices listed on the RS website shall prevail.
2.2 The price of an ordered product or service will be as set out on the RS website at the time of order acceptance by RS, except for products or services ordered for delivery at a future specified date (“forward orders”). The price for forward orders may be varied by RS after the date of order acceptance by written notice to the Customer.
2.3 All prices exclude VAT, which RS will add at the rate applicable at the date of order acceptance.
2.4 The prices of Extended Range products are as set out on the RS website, unless agreed in writing with an authorised representative of RS. Discounts given by RS in relation to RS' standard stocked products or any other RS offer will not apply to Extended Range products. Extended Range products will be invoiced separately from standard stocked product.

3. Ordering

3.1 RS reserves the right to decline to trade with any company or person. RS may decline to accept any order, whether or not payment has been received, by giving notice of non-acceptance to the Customer by telephone, email or facsimile within a reasonable period of receipt of the order by RS. Further, RS may cancel orders which have been accepted by giving written notice of such cancellation to the Customer by telephone, email or facsimile within a reasonable period of receipt of the order by RS. If RS rejects or cancels an order for which payment has been taken, it will refund the amount to the Customer as soon as reasonably practicable.
3.2 RS executes orders to the Customer's requirements, but may provide substitute products where requested by the Customer, or where the product has been superseded by the latest version. To the extent that orders cannot be fulfilled completely from stock, the unfulfilled balance will (at the Customer’s option) either be put on back order to be fulfilled when RS next has available stock or be cancelled and refunded to the Customer.
3.3 The Customer must submit orders using the RS stock numbers and the priced units used on the RS website or in the RS hard copy catalogue, and must specify which delivery option is required. Any confirmation of a previous order by the Customer must be marked 'CONFIRMATION ONLY' or otherwise clearly identified as a confirmation to avoid duplication. If the Customer orders the wrong product or number of products, or duplicates orders, the provisions of clause 12 (Cancellation and Returns) will apply.

4. Delivery

4.1 Subject to any cancellation, substitution or non-fulfilment of Customer's orders in accordance with clause 3 (Ordering), RS will deliver the products specified in the Customer's order. RS may use third party delivery agents to deliver products to Customers.
4.2 The Customer's delivery options, and the prices for them, are as set out on the RS website at the date of order or will be notified to the Customer at the time of order. Customer is informed that delivery options and prices in the printed hard copy catalogue are subject to change and up-to-date information can be found on the RS website. In the event of any conflict between delivery options and delivery prices for any products listed on the RS website and in the hard copy catalogue, the delivery options and delivery prices listed on the RS website shall prevail.
4.3 Delivery prices apply per order, irrespective of the number of products ordered. Delivery will be made to the Customer's usual business address, unless otherwise agreed in writing.
4.4 RS will aim to deliver products in accordance with the times and dates for delivery quoted on the RS website or by RS' employees (the 'Quoted Delivery Times'), but Quoted Delivery Times are approximate only and RS shall not be liable for the consequences of any delay in delivery. Time for delivery shall not be of the essence. Delivery of products marked in the hard copy catalogue or on the RS website as requiring special handling may (because of the nature of the products) take longer to be delivered.
4.5 If any delivery has not been made by the Quoted Delivery Time, then subject to the Customer notifying RS of such delay, RS will endeavour to ascertain if the product has been delivered and will inform the Customer of the status of the delivery or the new expected delivery time. RS may also, at its discretion, refund the total delivery charge to the Customer. If a revised delivery time is not acceptable RS may also, at its discretion, offer an alternative delivery option. These are the Customer's exclusive remedies for late delivery.
4.6 RS will aim to deliver Extended Range products in accordance with the lead times published for them on the RS website. All such lead times are approximate only, and no other delivery options are available for Extended Range products. RS may, following Customer's order, notify the Customer if RS will be unable to fulfil any order for Extended Range products within that published lead time, and may provide alternative options.
4.7 Orders containing Extended Range products where the total value of Extended Range products in any such order is less than £100 are subject to an additional shipping and handling charge as published on the RS website, or quoted at the time of order (currently £10 but subject to change from time to time). Orders containing Extended Range products with a total value for Extended Range products in such orders of £100 or more will not be subject to an additional shipping and handling charge. These shipping and handling charges apply per order, irrespective of the number of Extended Range products ordered, and will be levied against the first delivery of Extended Range products under the relevant order.

5. Inspection, Delivery Delays and Non-Delivery

5.1 The Customer must inspect the products as soon as is reasonably possible after delivery or collection. The Customer shall, within 30 days of the date of delivery or collection or, in the case of sub-clause iv below, the Quoted Delivery Time or any updated estimated date for delivery, give notice to RS in detail of:
i Any defect in the product that is apparent on reasonable examination. In this case RS shall, at RS's discretion, replace the products or refund the purchase price. In any event the Customer must refuse parcels delivered to it in a damaged condition;
ii Any shortfall in products delivered. In this case RS shall, at its discretion, deliver the undelivered products or refund the price of the undelivered products;
iii Any delivery of products not in accordance with the order. In this case RS shall, at RS's discretion, replace the products or refund the purchase price; or
iv Any non-delivery of the products (in which case the time limit is within 10 days of the estimated despatch date). In this case RS shall deliver the undelivered products or refund the price of the undelivered products.
5.2 If the Customer fails to give any such notice, the products shall be conclusively presumed to be, in all respects, in accordance with the order and free from apparent defects, and the Customer shall be deemed to have accepted the products accordingly. RS' record of the products despatched (including the quantity) shall be conclusive evidence of the products received by the Customer, unless proved otherwise by the Customer.
5.3 The remedies set out above are the Customer's exclusive remedies for non-delivery or short delivery of products, or for apparent defects in the products or delivery of products not in accordance with the order. RS shall not be liable for any losses, consequential or otherwise, or for costs (including legal costs), expenses, liabilities, loss of profits, loss of productivity, business or economic loss, depletion of goodwill, damages, claims, demands, proceedings, judgments or otherwise arising from these circumstances.

6. Payment

6.1 If RS has not granted credit to the Customer, payment terms are cash with order.
6.2 Credit terms (subject to satisfactory references and at RS's absolute discretion) are available. If credit has been granted, on acceptance of a Customer's order, RS will issue that Customer with an invoice. Such invoice will be sent by email in PDF format, unless otherwise agreed between RS and the Customer. The Customer shall pay the price of the product or service by the 20th day of the month following the month in which the products are despatched. All payments must be made without any set-off, deduction or counterclaim.
6.3 If any sum is not paid on the due date for payment then, without prejudice to any other right or remedy:
i all sums then outstanding from the Customer will immediately become due and payable notwithstanding that such sums would not otherwise be due until a later date, and
ii RS may apply a compensation charge as an estimate of administrative and other wasted costs incurred by RS to the Customer of £40 for outstanding sums up to £999.99; £70 for outstanding sums between £1,000 and £9,999.99; and £100 for outstanding sums of £10,000 or more; and
iii RS may also charge the Customer interest from the due date until payment is made in full (both before and after any judgement) on the amount unpaid at a rate which is 8 per cent per annum above the Bank of England base rate as set at 31 December for the period 1 January to 30 June inclusive in the following year and as set at 30 June for the period 1 July to 31 December inclusive, compounded monthly.

7. Risk and Ownership

7.1 In the case of products to be delivered to the Customer's property, risk of loss of or damage to the products shall pass to the Customer on delivery, unless the Customer wrongfully fails to take delivery of the products, in which case such risk shall pass to the Customer at the time when RS has attempted to deliver the products. In the case of products which the Customer orders to be collected from an RS trade counter, risk of damage or loss to the products shall pass to the Customer at the time of collection.
7.2 Ownership of any product supplied shall not pass to the Customer until full payment of the purchase price of the products and of all other amounts owing to RS has been made (in cash or cleared funds). If the Customer is late in paying any sum to RS, then RS shall be entitled to the immediate return of all products where ownership has not passed to the Customer. The Customer authorises RS and its agents to recover any such products in such circumstance, and to enter any premises of the Customer for that purpose.
7.3 Demand for or recovery of the products by RS shall not of itself discharge either the Customer's liability to pay the whole of the price and take delivery of the products or RS's right to sue for the whole of the price.

8. Product and Availability Information

8.1 RS reserves the right, without prior notice, to discontinue any product or to make design changes as part of its continuous programme of product improvement, or to assist product availability, and such changes may take place during the life of any RS catalogue. The most up to date information on the availability and design of the products RS supplies is available on the RS website.
8.2 Unless otherwise confirmed in writing, nothing on the RS website or in any RS catalogue is to be taken as a representation of the source of origin, manufacture, or production of the products or any part of them.

9. Warranties and Remedies

9.1 RS warrants that no product purchased from RS is materially defective.
9.2 In the event of any such product being materially defective, and subject to the provisions of clause 5 (Inspection, Delivery, Delays and Non-Delivery) surrounding defects apparent on delivery, RS will (at its option) replace or repair the product or refund the purchase price.
9.3 RS warrants that any service purchased from RS as referred to in clause 13 (Services) will be provided using reasonable care and skill. If any such service falls short of this standard, RS will, at its option, either re-provide the service or supply to the Customer free of charge a substitute product in place of the defectively serviced product.
9.4 These warranties shall not apply to any defect which arises from improper use, failure to follow the product instructions, or any repair or modification made without the consent of RS.
9.5 The remedies set out in this clause 9 shall be the Customer's sole remedies for any breach of warranty and in respect of the supply or non-supply of products and/or services.
9.6 The availability of the remedies set out in this clause 9 is subject to:
i a claim being made in writing to RS, prior to the return of any defective product, and within 12 months of the original date of despatch or date of service, or such other periods as may be indicated by RS for specific products or services from time to time in writing; and
ii the Customer returning or disposing of the relevant products, or making them available for collection by RS, in accordance with RS's instructions and suitably packaged. In particular, for any returns, the Customer must obtain a returns number from RS and quote this on all paperwork, and state the original invoice number in respect of the products and the nature of any claimed defect.
9.7 Where the Customer returns defective products otherwise than in accordance with these provisions, RS may refuse such products and return them to the Customer at the cost of the Customer.
9.8 Any products which are replaced by RS shall become the property of RS. Title to replacement products shall pass to the Customer in accordance with the provisions of clause 7 (Risk and Ownership), and the period of the replacement product's warranty shall be the unexpired period of the defective product's warranty.
9.9 The Customer shall have no remedy in respect of any untrue statement made to it upon which it relied in ordering products and/or services (unless such untrue statement was made fraudulently) other than any remedy it may have set out expressly in these terms and conditions of sale.
9.10 Save as expressly provided in these terms and conditions of sale, all implied warranties, terms and conditions (whether statutory or otherwise) concerning the supply or non-supply of products and/or services are excluded to the fullest extent permitted by law (including, without limitation, the implied terms of satisfactory quality, fitness for purpose and provision of services with reasonable care and skill).
9.11 Except as required by law, RS will not be liable to the Customer for any loss, damage or liability of any kind whatsoever which arises out of the breach of implied warranties, terms or conditions (statutory or otherwise) or breach of any other duty of any kind imposed on RS by operation of law. The Customer acknowledges that it is responsible for ensuring that the products and services it orders are fit for the purposes for which it intends to use them.

10. Export Control and Limitations of Use

10.1 Certain products sold by RS are subject to export control regulations of the United Kingdom, the United States of America, the European Union and other countries (“Export Laws”). The Customer shall comply with such Export Laws and obtain any licence or permit required to transfer, export, re-export or import the products.
10.2 The Customer shall not, directly or indirectly, sell, permit to be sold, dispose of, export, re-export or otherwise provide products to any country or entity under sanction or embargo administered by the United Kingdom, the United States of America, the European Union or other country.
10.3 The Customer certifies that products purchased from RS will not be used, sold or incorporated into products used directly or indirectly in the design, development, production or use of chemical, biological or nuclear weapons, delivery vehicles and systems of the same or in the development of any weapons of mass destruction.
10.4 Products sold by RS are not recommended or authorised for use in life support, surgical implantation, nuclear or aircraft applications or for any use or application in which the failure of a single component could cause substantial harm to persons or property.
10.5 Classifications of product for export purposes, including ECCN and Harmonised Tariff codes, are made for internal use by RS only. Such information is provided by RS in good faith based on the information available to it at the time of compilation. RS makes no warranty or representation that such information is up to date or correct, and shall not be liable to the Customer for any form of loss or damage suffered by the Customer as a result of reliance upon such information. Use of the information is done so at the Customer’s own risk with no recourse to RS. The Customer is responsible for ensuring compliance with all applicable export legislation, including determining the correct classification of an item at the time of any onward export.

11. Liability

11.1 RS shall not be under any liability for damage, losses (whether direct, indirect or consequential), expenses, liabilities, loss of profits, productivity, business or economic loss, depletion of goodwill, costs (including legal costs), claims, demands, proceedings, judgments or otherwise resulting from the failure to give advice or information or the giving of incorrect advice or information (including through the RS technical helpline) whether or not due to its negligence or that of its employees, agents or sub-contractors.
11.2 RS shall not be liable for economic loss, punitive damages, loss of revenue, loss of profits, loss of productivity or expected future business, damage to reputation or goodwill, loss of any order or contract or any consequential or indirect loss or damage, all as may result from, or be connected with: (i) any express or implied terms of the contract between RS and the Customer, or of any order accepted by RS; (ii) any duty of any kind imposed on RS by law arising out of or in relation to the contract between RS and the Customer or order; (iii) any defect in the products or services; (iv) intellectual property rights infringement; or (v) any other loss whatsoever arising out of these terms and conditions of sale.
11.3 If, notwithstanding any other provisions in these terms and conditions of sale including without limitation clauses 9 (Warranties and Remedies), 10 (Limitations of Use) and 11 (Liability), any liability attaches to RS, RS's liability to the Customer arising out of or in connection with these terms and conditions of sale or any order whether in contract, tort or otherwise in respect of one or more of (i) any express or implied terms of the contract between RS and the Customer, or of any order accepted by RS; (ii) any duty of any kind imposed on RS by law arising out of or in relation to the contract between RS and the Customer or the order; (iii) any defect in the products or services; (iv) intellectual property rights infringement; or (v) any other loss whatsoever arising out of these terms and conditions of sale, shall be limited in the aggregate to £100,000 or the total value of the order, whichever is greater.
11.4 Nothing in these terms and conditions of sale (including without limitation this clause 11) shall exclude or limit the liability of RS for death or personal injury caused by the negligence of RS or its employees, agents or sub-contractors, or for fraud or anything else which cannot by law be limited or excluded.

12. No fault Cancellations and Returns

12.1 RS may, at its discretion and in writing, allow an order to be cancelled where there is no fault with the product subject to RS recovering from the Customer the costs incurred by RS, and subject to the processing charge provided for in this clause 12.
12.2 In the event of cancellation of part of any order only, RS may invoice the Customer any difference in selling price per unit applicable to the quantity actually despatched up to the time of cancellation compared to the quantity ordered.
12.3 For Customers other than Consumers, a processing charge may apply in respect of all products returned other than due to defects covered by the warranty at clause 9.
12.4 Customers may only return products to RS, and receive a credit or refund or replacement on the following conditions:
i The Customer should contact RS to obtain a returns number (to be quoted on all relevant paperwork)
ii Return must be made within 30 days of the date of delivery (as stated on the delivery documentation) or collection of such product(s).
iii Products must be returned to RS in their original condition and packaging and in a condition which will enable them to be immediately fit for re-sale;
iv The Customer must follow any specific instructions which appear on the RS website with any product regarding its return to RS; and
v Products must be returned to RS adequately packed and clearly labelled to: CUSTOMER RETURNS DEPARTMENT, RS Components Ltd, P.O. Box 99, Birchington Road, Corby, Northamptonshire NN17 9RS, using the address label on the despatch note or available on the RS website.
vi The Customer must quote the Returns Number on the parcel being returned.
12.5 Where the Customer returns products to RS not in accordance with clause 12.4 (i) – (vi) above (for example, after the period for returns has expired or in an unfit state) RS may refuse to accept the return and return the products to the Customer at the Customer's expense or may apply a handling charge which relates to the actual cost of reprocessing.
12.6 This no fault returns policy excludes software, calibrated products, production packaging products, non-catalogue products, extended range products, specially manufactured products and any products marked as non-cancellable (NC) or non-returnable (NR). In addition, RS will not accept returned ESD sensitive devices where the integrity of the original RS ESD shielding packaging has been compromised e.g. the bag has been opened and resealed or multiple bags have been stapled together.
12.7 RS accepts no responsibility for any loss of or damage to products in transit from Customer to RS where RS has not provided the collection Services.

13. Services

13.1 RS offers services in respect of products. These services include: REPAIR, CALIBRATION, SOFTWARE, UPDATE, EPROM PROGRAMMING and any other services that the parties agree. RS may quote a turnaround time target for these services, but RS shall be under no liability if it fails to comply with such target. Except in respect of the REPAIR service, the product must be free from physical and electrical damage and from modifications (other than modifications detailed in the literature supplied with the product). The special conditions which apply to repairs, calibration, software update and eprom programming are:
i REPAIRS: The REPAIR service is subject to the availability of parts and is only available if the product has not suffered excessive physical or electrical damage and is free from modifications (other than modifications detailed in the literature supplied with the product). Any instructions set out in the repair information/questionnaire supplied with the product in question must be complied with. RS may at its absolute discretion either repair the product or replace it with a substitute product. Any Customer-generated software returned with a product will be erased or otherwise destroyed on receipt and RS shall not be under any liability whatsoever in respect of any data contained in such software.
ii CALIBRATION: RS will check the product for compliance with the published specification at appropriate points, using working standards which are periodically verified and which are traceable to National Standards. When the laboratory reports a statement of conformity to a specification, it shall use guidance within document: ILAC-G8:09/2019. For the acceptance limits applied for calipers calibrations such as, but not limited to, digital calipers, RS will apply acceptance limits taken from the SCQAR532 document, which is available on request. When an instrument is found to be out-of-specification the laboratory may perform adjustments, where possible. The laboratory shall provide pre-adjustment and post-adjustment data. If you require different acceptance limits and / or no adjustments to be performed please notify our sales team at point of order by emailing calibration.uk@rs-components.com. The full details of the CALIBRATION service are as set out on the RS website.
iii SOFTWARE UPDATE: RS will install the latest version of software. RS will functionally check the unit to ensure software acceptance.
iv EPROM PROGRAMMING: The Customer shall be liable to RS for any damage and/or expense to RS arising from any computer virus present in any media supplied to RS by the Customer for use in the EPROM programming service. Any data or programmes contained in Customer's devices will be erased or otherwise destroyed and RS shall not be under any liability in respect of such data or programmes. The Customer must advise RS of its specific requirements and RS accepts no liability if the Customer fails to do this. The Customer warrants that the copying or processing by RS of any programme supplied to RS in any form will not infringe the intellectual property or other rights of any third party.

14. Force Majeure

A force majeure event is any event beyond the reasonable control of RS (including but not limited to strikes, traffic congestion, the downtime of any external line, or RS's inability to procure services, materials or articles required for the performance of the contract except at enhanced prices). If RS is prevented or restricted from carrying out all or any of its obligations under these terms and conditions of sale by reason of any force majeure event, then RS shall be relieved of its obligations during the period that such event continues, and shall not be liable for any delay and/or failure in the performance of its obligations during such period. If the force majeure event continues for a period longer than fourteen days, RS may cancel the affected order or cancel the whole or any part of these terms and conditions of sale, without any liability to the Customer.

15. Intellectual Property Rights

15.1 The Customer acknowledges that RS and its licensors own the intellectual property rights in the RS website, the RS catalogues, the catalogue content and the stock numbers, and that their whole or partial reproduction without RS's prior written consent is prohibited.
15.2 RS does not warrant or give any assurance to the Customer that any products supplied do not infringe the intellectual property rights of any third party.

16. Anti-Bribery

16.1 The Customer shall (and shall procure that persons associated with it or other persons who are providing goods or services in connection with these Terms and Conditions shall) comply with all applicable laws, statutes, regulations relating to anti-bribery and anti-corruption, including, but not limited to, the Bribery Act 2010 (the Relevant Requirements) and shall:
i not (directly or indirectly) induce any employee, agent or subcontractor of RS to make any concession to or confer any benefit on the Supplier, refrain or withhold from doing any act, in return for any gift, money, or other inducement;
ii not do or omit to do any act that will cause or lead RS to be in breach of any of the Relevant Requirements; and
iii promptly report to RS any request or demand for any undue financial or other advantage of any kind received by the Customer in connection with these Terms and Conditions.
16.2 The Customer is informed that:
i RS employees are not permitted to accept gifts of more than token value, loans, excessive entertainment or other substantial favours from any company or individual that does business with RS or seeks to do so;
ii RS employees are not permitted to solicit gifts or other favours from any company or individual that does business with RS, or seeks to do so; and
iii entertainment of RS employees is acceptable only if it has a justifiable business purpose. It should be of a reasonable nature and such that RS's employees, agents or contractors, can reciprocate.
16.3 Financial restrictions on gifts and entertainment are contained in RS's Anti-Bribery Policy and further details are available on request.
16.4 Any breach of this clause 16 shall be a material breach of these terms and conditions which is incapable of remedy.

17. Data Protection and Customer Information

17.1 Please refer to our privacy policy for more information about how we process your personal data (available at https://uk.rs-online.com/web/generalDisplay.html?id=aboutRS/privacy-policy).

18. Law and Jurisdiction

18.1 The contract between RS and the Customer based on these terms and conditions of sale as applicable to each Customer order shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with English Law and the Customer submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts, but RS may enforce the contract in any court of competent jurisdiction.
18.2 Customers who are Consumers may submit any disputes with RS for resolution to the European Commission Online Dispute Resolution platform: https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/odr/.
18.3 If any part of these terms and conditions of sale is found to be unenforceable by any court or competent authority or would be found to be unenforceable if it were interpreted or construed in a particular way, then it is the parties' express intention that the relevant wording should be interpreted or construed so as to avoid such a finding and that, in the event of such a finding, the remainder of the provision in question shall be interpreted or construed to give it full effect.
18.4 No express term of these terms and conditions nor any term implied under it is enforceable pursuant to the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 by any person who is not a party to it.

Registered office: RS Components Limited, Birchington Road, Weldon, Corby, Northamptonshire NN17 9RS, tel: 0845 850 9900, Fax: 01536 405678. Registered No. 1002091. VAT Registration No. GB 243 1640 91. © RS Components Ltd 2006.
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