Buyer missed one option and got 1% of the cable they needed

Every Monday, The Register asks the question "Who, Me?" – a column shared by readers about incidents where they didn't quite meet the brief, but still found success. This week, we feature a reader known as "Terry," who worked for a defense-related company in the 1970s. Terry needed 100 meters of RG8 50 ohm coaxial cable and placed an order with an "accredited" supplier.

However, Terry overlooked an option for "partial delivery." When the order arrived, it contained only one meter of cable, along with paperwork stating the remaining 99 meters would be delivered later. Terry clearly needed more cable to connect the two laboratories using an RF connection. Sadly, Terry later learned that the partial delivery option led to the supplier losing their accreditation.

A junior employee at the cable supplier was even fired after admitting that he thought sending one meter of cable was a joke. Terry regrets not considering the possibility of this joke costing him dearly. If you have experienced a procurement error that impacted you or your supplier, The Register invites you to share your story. Visit our mailbag for more details.