So, let's say you order a large amount of parts...

[ModernMuseum]

Originally Posted by groovyjay

This looks to be the trend at the moment. I ordered load of stuff from a vendor who is not on this forum and I called them in advance to hear if they'd have all the parts in stock. The sales rep insured me that they had all the parts ready to go so I gave them the credit car number and green light to go a head with my order. They were supposed to email me a tracking number and after two weeks I emailed them to ask about the tracking number, got no answer. I've been very busy at work and haven't had the time to work on the projects and that's why I didn't start bombard them 6 months ago about my order I just emailed them every now and then and NEVER got a reply...

After about 4 months I called them to see what kind of excuse they'd have. They said that they were waiting this and that to arrive and they had been really busy and all that. They also said that my order would be out the door in two days... After two more weeks I sent them couple of more emails, no reply, tried to call them, no answer.

Then I emailed them how I really felt about their way of doing business and said that I would go public with all of this on all the internet forums they are vendors on. 5 minutes later in the middle of the night my email was replied and the sales rep pleaded to get another day to get everything ready to go. I gave them 2 days to come up with a tracking number. 3 days later they emailed me my tracking code. 3 days ago I finally got my parts after 6 months wait...

If the economy is as bad as it seems, I'd think all the small companies would be fighting with customer service if nothing else, prices are pretty even with all the vendors so it's the company with good customer service that gets my business.

De ja vu!

I feel ya though, man

[214Chevy]

Originally Posted by rjsjea

.....the "walmarts" of hot rod parts (Summit/Jegs).

Hahahaha, I love Jegs. What I love about them the most is you can return parts up to a year later. That's a plus in my book in case your project gets put on hold or you change your mind and want to go a different route. Perfect example...I bought a F.A.S.T. 102mm throttle body in March 2010. My Chevelle is on hold due to my twin boys starting college. Meanwhile, due to my car being on hold, I no longer wanted to run a cable driven throttle body. I didn't even call Jegs or anything (I already knew the returns policy). I simply filled out my return form on the back of my receipt last week, mailed it back and got a full refund. No questions asked. Now that's customer service. I waiting to buy the new 102mm DBW throttle body by ERL Performance.

[7TSS]

This really sounds like a growing concern. Until now I've never mentioned it before but I can really relate to your situation since I was in the same boat for about half that amount of money (that was taken up front). Lesson learned--I'm not doing that anymore. Not positive if it was the same vendor but sounds like it could be. I eventually got everything after a stressful 10+ month wait.

Hope you get the balance of your stuff soon.

[Romulus]

This reminds me of a small order (relative to this one for sure) that I bought some time back.

General lack of communication, had to remind him several times what exact parts I ordered, follow up as I knew a couple pieces were being drop shipped, , etc., etc. Of course my credit card was charged within hours of placing the order.

I knew SEMA was around the corner and I'm sure that didn't help and I think I was pretty patient (several months). Parts got here eventually and all was good, but I've never ordered again because I just didn't feel like he cared or just had too much ego to say sorry it took a while and SEMA is making me crazy.

I think *some* of the problem is these business owners are running around trying to do everything, run the shop, manage the business, employees, projects, shows, keep up with the forums, and on and on, and then they run a parts business too. Ego tells them they can do it all and that's how they built their business and success. Awesome. But...

At some point they can't remember or have the time to do it all and suddenly everything is falling through the cracks and more often than not - ego prevents them from accepting this or apologizing when it does happen and everybody loses. Customer gets pissed off, vendor is frustrated, future business lost, and the rollercoaster ride takes off.

I think (no real "build" experience) here that the profit in the shops is in labor and service - not in mostly small profit margins from selling parts (even though it certainly feels like that on my credit card ) and it's easy for the "admin" work of ordering, tracking, shipping, customer service, to take a back seat.

In these cases, a key to further business growth is finding someone they can trust to take on responsibilities like keeping track of these damn orders, keeping customers apprised of statuses or delays, and much of the other behind the scenes stuff. Tough order to fill in some cases as I'd guess most of us want or expect to talk to the owner. Their the ones with the experience in fitting all these off the wall combo's we end up with, right?

Then there's the stuff I bought from Autoloc at a Good Guys event - what a HUGE mistake that was. Lesson learned there. That guy bleeds shyster.

Hopefully this gets resolved quickly from here on out. Good luck.

[dubbleu]

Oh no I hope Im not in for the same run around. I ordered new rims on Jan 6th and was charged 3k to my credit card with a small balance and shipping costs to be charged to my card on thier arrival. I was told 4-8 weeks. I waited till thursday (12 weeks) to call and see what was up.
I got no answer but left a polite message to return my call. So far I have not heard a thing. I will keep ya posted.

[ModernMuseum]

Originally Posted by 7TSS

This really sounds like a growing concern. Until now I've never mentioned it before but I can really relate to your situation since I was in the same boat for about half that amount of money (that was taken up front). Lesson learned--I'm not doing that anymore. Not positive if it was the same vendor but sounds like it could be. I eventually got everything after a stressful 10+ month wait.

Hope you get the balance of your stuff soon.

Wow, 10 months? That would be stressful. That's almost a year, man! Completely uncalled for if you ask me.

Originally Posted by jocko124

Let me guess...the vendor's in Cali......

Negatory.

Originally Posted by Romulus

I knew SEMA was around the corner and I'm sure that didn't help and I think I was pretty patient (several months). Parts got here eventually and all was good, but I've never ordered again because I just didn't feel like he cared or just had too much ego to say sorry it took a while and SEMA is making me crazy.

Yep, I think we both agree that's a pretty lame excuse. On the labor vs parts issue, I think there's a nice cushion of profits selling parts, which is why you see a lot of middle-men type guys with connections to the wheel manufacturers. They get the specs from the customer, call and place the order, wheels are manufactured and drop-shipped to your door. Boom, work done. Wheels are just an example though.

Originally Posted by Romulus

I think *some* of the problem is these business owners are running around trying to do everything, run the shop, manage the business, employees, projects, shows, keep up with the forums, and on and on, and then they run a parts business too. Ego tells them they can do it all and that's how they built their business and success. Awesome. But...

I think you hit the nail on the head in this case. Fewer expenses = greater profit margin = good for vendors/sometimes bad for customers when they cause delays and parts lists grow to where they're unmanageable without adequate manpower to handle logistics.

Originally Posted by dubbleu

Oh no I hope Im not in for the same run around. I ordered new rims on Jan 6th and was charged 3k to my credit card with a small balance and shipping costs to be charged to my card on thier arrival. I was told 4-8 weeks. I waited till thursday (12 weeks) to call and see what was up.
I got no answer but left a polite message to return my call. So far I have not heard a thing. I will keep ya posted.

Damn, I'm sure you'll be fine in the long run, but that's pretty ridiculous for wheels.

[skatinjay27]

Another one here with the "6 months is crary" hpefully you get your parts soon and still out the vendor...because even if they make right on it and get your parts asap they still wasted your time that you can't get back... I was thinking its the exact opposite location of cali...

[Van B]

I have my guess and I hope (unlike the other threads) that some day we find out who the vendor is.

[Richio1]

^^ AJ, I'm thinkin the same thing. I had the same experience ordering a Moser rearend. I call to get PT advise and bought the story that he can get me his "special" 4 link rearend I need to go with my airride set up. "takes Moser 3 days to turn one around and ship it" he says. I pay him the 3k to order it. Three days later no tracking # so I email. No response. After a week I call. No call back. Fortunetly I took notes while we were talking and had the guys name he orders through at Moser so after 2 weeks I call Moser. The guy tells me he has no order from him or in my name or to my ship to address. I call "OO" back leaving a stern message that I need an update on my order status mentioning I called Moser and they dont have my order. He calls back, leaving a vm, saying they (moser) are out or 4 link brackets so it is delayed a couple days. The next week I call Moser again and he tells me again that they still don't have the order. I then call F again and call bullsh!t on his story telling him that Moser said they still don't have the order. No call, no email or anything... but that Monday I get a call from Moser telling me they just got the order and it would go out on Wed which it did... Oh and he tells me that they are never out of 4 link brackets. I think fs is full of bs

I will tell you that I have had fantastic service and support from the group a Matt's Classic Bowties. They are about an hour away and since I want to keep the business local I have given them all the business I can. Plus if I ever needed to "drop in" I could. Have never had to so I'm stickin with them.

Best of luck... but why look out for your vendors interest when they obviously aren't looking out for yours!?!?

[ModernMuseum]

Originally Posted by Van B

I have my guess and I hope (unlike the other threads) that some day we find out who the vendor is.

I don't want to give away the name yet, but it shouldn't be too hard to figure out.