Jim,
After I sent my email explaining my disappointment. Please see their reply
below. It is very clear there are no restrictions on nuts and bolts and
common hardware items. They clearly have enough customers and consider their
market position impervious to public opinion. I find this extraordinary
considering the amount of business this company has done with the GSA for so
many years. I am angry over this and every other American that supports our
forces should also feel the same level of outrage. I have no idea what could
be done about this, except inform the public. I am not and never have been a
protester, so I have no idea what else to do, but their position, in view of
all the business given to them by our government, should have an associated
cost.

Steve,

We apologize for any inconvenience our policy may cause you. The United
States government regulates the documentation required for material shipped
outside the US and also controls what material companies are allowed to
export. This is a serious responsibility for any exporter, and we have
chosen to minimize the risks involved in these transactions. We are unable
to ship to private individuals overseas using the APO system. If this is a
military requisition, we must receive the order through proper military
channels.



Valerie



"Jim Chandler" wrote in message
news:cvt8k.7$x65.2@trnddc01...
After reading the post by Steve L. I wrote McMaster asking why they
wouldn't sell to individuals overseas. This is what I received from them:


McMaster-Carr only accepts overseas orders from a few long-established
customers. We do not sell to private individuals outside of the United
States.

Donna


They don't seem to want to explain their position, just "That's the way it
is, live with it". I guess they have plenty of customers here so they
don't have to worry about it.

Jim