well, without being snarky, I would suggest you read up on the dictionary meaning of the word 'invalid', and just to be on the same page, I did my homework, you have over 100 (that I read) wisconsin BBB complaints on the same item. nearly one a day this month alone, so I am not alone...(no pun)
*1*
RockAuto allows returns on all parts that have not been installed within 30 days. Therefore, the claim "... and when it does arrive, it technically is the correct part and it was technically delivered, so you cannot return it." is invalid (see:
https://www.rockauto.com/help/?page=2&qsearch=return poli#Returns).
Lets read what you suggested:
Shipping charges are not refundable unless the return is due to our mistake. If you refuse delivery or the carrier returns a package because you provided an invalid address, the cost of return shipping will be deducted from your refund.
This is not a return. This is a partial credit. If your ordering website tells me the part will be delivered by say 5/24-/5/25 and it is in stock, and I order it, and I pay for it, and the next day I get a 'order shipped' email that says the part will arrive 5/30, that is your mistake. You did not deliver on the promised time, which was the required negotiation to cause the transaction to proceed. Since the build date of this vehicle will be 5/26, a crucial part delivered on 5/30 will not suffice, which is why I verified stock and delivery BEFORE I clicked buy. You may want to argue with this point but my viewpoint is the correct one, so correct in fact that when the part fails to show on the original date (not accompanied by any correspondence stating sorry for a delay) and I tell the credit card company, they will disallow the charges and shipping and I get to keep a part which I dont really want to, as I will have replaced it and you lose out. IS this the BEST optimal solution? Its not the one I recommend, but it is the one your company has presented us with.
Result: I stand on my position
*2*
RockAuto offers customer support via our help pages and via email, therefore the claim "There is no method to contact anyone via phone, email, web or chat concerning an order." is invalid (see:
www.rockauto.com/help). Additionally, all order problems and returns are handled online on our order status & returns page:
www.rockauto.com/orderstatus.
As always, I am prepared to be proven wrong, so here is your shot:
1) I claim there is no phone number, 800 or otherwise to talk to customer service *LIKE THERE USED TO BE AT SOME POINT IN THE PAST*. You may disprove this by posting the 800 or otherwise number and to avoid confusion, the link to the page where it is displayed on the website
2) I claim that there no email address to where you can report problems about an order *LIKE THERE USED TO BE AT SOME POINT IN THE PAST*. You may disprove this by posting the email address(es) and a link to the page where it is displayed on the website
3) I claim there is no web based messenger program, or chat (IRC or otherwise) and never was on the rock auto site. That is not a contention, but in this world of 'pare all costs down by any means' most companies who rid themselves of, or hide phone/email contacts, use these in their stead. Verizon, for example, being one of them. Comcast another...the list goes on. If I am incorrect, please post the link to the communication program or chat window and the page on which it appears on your website.
There are numerous pages dealing with returns or orders made, not for questions or live help. And truth be told, all you are doing is taking a current order and the parts listed on it and checking web boxes, clicking submit and hoping for the best. And not mentioned, even if the part is defective, the consumer is responsible for shipping of the original, return shipping, and shipping of the replacement. (IF you check the BBB site, the registered complaint on 5/10 IIRC is likely going to result in a lawsuit that you are going to lose.)
semi-related: what the heck happened to the tech help section? Its all self serve?
Result: I stand on my position.
*3*
All orders placed on RockAuto.com ship within one business day unless a delay is clearly noted prior to checkout, therefore the claim "And too many times we click on submit order once the shipping dates are given to us, to find that all was not as it seemed and some part - typically crucial - is in stock, but delayed 1-2 weeks." is invalid, as the customer is made aware of the delay prior to placing the order (see:
https://www.rockauto.com/help/?page=3&qsearch=delay #ORDERSHIP).
the first clause of the first sentence is true. However, as I stated, I placed an order that had no delays indicated. When I received the 'order shipped' email *today*, a day later - resonable - the stated date was changed.
recall what I said: 4 major parts, 4 shipping costs, 4 shipping locations. From the email *you* sent me:
part 1:
You should receive by Thursday, May 24, 2018
part 2:
You should receive by Friday, May 25, 2018
crucial part 3:
You should receive by Wednesday, May 30, 2018
part 4:
You should receive by Thursday, May 24, 2018
Given a vehicle scheduled for shop time, 9am saturday, may 26th this is damaging. Oddly noted, the part in question is the *lightest* of them all and could be sent USPS priority mail, which would have a) been cheaper b) been faster. And even stranger still, if I go to the rock auto site *RIGHT NOW* and try to order the part, it tells me I will have it friday, May 25th. I could give you the order number and the part numbers in this open forum and post images of all the emails and web pages, but that would embarrass you further and that is not my goal. My goal is to get customer service. Real, human, real time customer service, reinstated.
Result: I stand on my position
*4*
All orders can be cancelled online by the customer before the part ships, therefore the claim "Since there is no customer service, you cannot cancel." is invalid (see:
https://www.rockauto.com/help/?page=4&qsearch=cancel#CANCEL).
This is not true in any aspect. You can cancel only before a shipping label is generated and a shipping label is generated if the part is in stock and the business day has started in the automation.
In this case, when I got the aforequoted email, I clicked on the provided tracking number and it was UPS (the carrier) who informed me that ONLY the label was generated, and when the package is actually picked up, it will be updated. ok, so I did what you said I could do, online, but since a) the label was generated b) the date would be out of range and c) it had not actually shipped, been packed, left any building, your website returned:
Your package is still on the way to you!
AND, to add insult to injury:
If you are worried because the tracking does not work or has not updated recently, please note that it is possible for packages to go without a scan for days at a time. If you do not see any ADDITIONAL scans by
May 29, please return to this page to report the package missing at that time. We will not be able to pursue the situation until then since we must allow the carrier a chance to deliver the part to you. Please see our
Help page for more information.
No customer service, no ability to cancel. A simple phone number could have fixed this lickety split
Result: I stand on my position.
*5*
The remark "in the recent past, rock auto seemed to warehouse from a select number of locations, now they warehouse not at all and the shipping is from the manufacturer." is invalid. We sell over a million different parts and a single warehouse cannot hold them all. If you choose parts which are not stocked in the same place, carriers will charge for two boxes. (see:
https://www.rockauto.com/help/?page=2&qsearch=sell over a million#MINSHIPCOST).
Oddly, you are not responding to me at all but rather echoing my thoughts, yet calling me invalid. IF you search my order history, you easily find that over the many years I have sourced entire sections of cars and trucks, many times from *1* location, oft from 2 at most. But that has changed. Note that the phrase 'seemed to....select number...' indicated exactly what I said and you echoed. If I were to look into it, we would find that a) rockauto in fact owns *no* warehouses anywhere in the CONUS and
b) parts vendors used to use intermediate multi vendor warehouses that *all* retail entities sourced from, but now, in the age of amazon, the stuff comes directly from the OEM stock warehouse. and from looking at my tracking numbers, exactly that is happening. But this goes to my OP, it is easier and cheaper and faster to source from amazon with Prime membership in hand. That is not your fault, it is just economic reality. HOWEVER, amazon, with its fulfillment facilities DOES charge 1 shipping charge for multiple items from multiple places. and if my town gets HQ2 (in the top 10) then cheaper cheaper cheaper still.
Result: I stand on my position
So to sum up, yout took issue with 5 points out of my post and each and every reply you made, was wrong.
Granted, you are an employee
Granted, there has to be some home town loyalty and you have to stand up for them
But when a long term customer who has spent countless thousands AND recommended your company for parts, complains asking for no more than *CUSTOMER SERVICE*, your response is the exact opposite of what your bosses would want to see. Now that I have stripped your retorts of any fact and shown hard and cold the truth, what is next?
I dont want to cast aspersions, I dont want a stockload of parts that credit card reversals have given me. I want humans to talk to to iron out problems that do occur with real businesses. and if it affects my business(es) then it also affects the individuals here.
Do we appreciate the 5% discount that allows us to speak to you? sure, but like I said, you send me dozens of them a year that I use, or lose but no foul, I belong to hundred of automotive websites and I just happened to grab a copy form here, could have gotten it from the ford truck or cadillac or oldsmobile sites just as easy. So clearly, 5% is 5% but we aint special.
And just in case, am I speaking to even a real human at rock auto or some sort of temp web job to hand out 5%?
I note in your profile that where we list our vehicles you have a year 2000, "1500" which implies chevy/GMC and the engine is listed as a 5.4
In the recent past, 2000 included, chevy/GMC has listed the engine options of the 1500 as:
1500 1998–2003
4.3 L Vortec 4300 V6 200 hp (149 kW) @ 4600 RPM 260 lb⋅ft (353 N⋅m) @ 2800 RPM
2004–2006 195 hp (145 kW) @ 4600 RPM 260 lb⋅ft (353 N⋅m) @ 2800 RPM
1999
4.8 L Vortec 4800 V8 255 hp (190 kW) @ 5200 RPM 285 lb⋅ft (386 N⋅m) @ 4000 RPM
2000-2003 270 hp (201 kW) @ 5200 RPM 285 lb⋅ft (386 N⋅m) @ 4000 RPM
2004-2007 285 hp (213 kW) @ 5200 RPM 295 lb⋅ft (400 N⋅m) @ 4000 RPM
1999
5.3 L Vortec 5300 V8 270 hp (201 kW) @ 5200 RPM 315 lb⋅ft (427 N⋅m) @ 4000 RPM
2000–2003 285 hp (213 kW) @ 5200 RPM 325 lb⋅ft (441 N⋅m) @ 4000 RPM
2004–2007 295 hp (220 kW) @ 5200 RPM 335 lb⋅ft (454 N⋅m) @ 4000 RPM
2005-2007 310 hp (231 kW) @ 5200 RPM 335 lb-ft (454 N-m) @ 4000 RPM
So congrats on getting that triton V8 in there...
