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Deleted thread regarding aftermarket parts quality...


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I deleted a recent thread regarding the quality of parts from one of the larger mopar specific parts suppliers. This was done for several reasons after being contacted directly by the vendor.

First, several statements were made about the vendor by members who had never done any business with them. So they were expressing opinions not based on any first hand knowledge of the subject. This is not acceptable.

Second, the original poster assumed the vendor would not be willing to work with him in resolving the issue. These types of situations are often resolved with a single phone call even after a lengthy time period. The mopar community and it's supporting vendors are a small group and it's to the benefit of the vendor to have the opportunity to try and fix the issue.  As others noted in the thread we don't have a lot of alternative vendors like the Chevy and Ford guys. Giving vendors constructive feedback on needed product improvements will often result in better products. If not your other choice is heading to the boneyard and getting lucky.

 

So just a couple guidelines before going off on a rant:

If you have an issue with a vendor, contact them directly to see if you can come to an agreeable resolution.

If you don't have first hand knowledge, don't pile on with opinions based on stuff "you heard". Realize your unsupported claims/comments could put you in a position for legal action for libel. (It also potentially exposes me as site owner)

Lastly, when a vendor does the right thing, share that experience also. I learned a long time ago having an issue with a customer at some point in time is just doing business. It's how those differences are resolved that determines how the vendor should be judged. 

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I 100% agree that thread did go overboard on some posts and we do have to give the vendor a chance to fix a problem with product before a rant, but if it’s ok I would like to say it’s also good business for the forum itself to educate members on what products to avoid when doing a build.

 

After my own parts issues I try to spend a lot more time seeking out information on either the vendor or if possible exact parts I’m after from said vendor and nothing is better then others first hand experience, and this site is a wealth of information.

 

 I guess what I’m hoping is we just don’t lose the freedom to protect others from parts we should just avoid, it’s a big part of what the community should be about.

 

 

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16 hours ago, NiftyFifty said:

I guess what I’m hoping is we just don’t lose the freedom to protect others from parts we should just avoid, it’s a big part of what the community should be about.

 

 

 

It would be nice if our Mopar vendors would have a "reviews" or "rate this product" or "comment section"on their own web site so folks don't have to spill out over forums. (Kinda like The Home Depot) it could be a helpful tool to their business as well

Then if a product subject came up, the go to answer could be check the rating ?

 

with that, I have had feed back for some of our vendors and the response has always been positive.

 

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5 minutes ago, Brent B3B said:

 

It would be nice if our Mopar vendors would have a "reviews" or "rate this product" or "comment section"on their own web site so folks don't have to spill out over forums. (Kinda like The Home Depot) it could be a helpful tool to their business as well

Then if a product subject came up, the go to answer could be check the rating ?

 

with that, I have had feed back for some of our vendors and the response has always been positive.

 

 

 

I agree that would be good if it worked as it should. Ebay has such a system. Twenty years ago the ebay rating system worked well. However these days I see that several venders can somehow erase any bad reports and that allows them to maintain 100% positive ratings. 

 

John Lydgate > Quotable Quote

“You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time”.”

 

 

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I have done enough on-line deals that I can say that statistically, 1% of the population are crackpots that will complain because they wanted something for free and that it took too long for it to be delivered and that the quality was not as advertised in the first place.  Ebay took steps to give vendors some recourse against crackpots when they modified their rating system to allow for rebuttal against negative ratings, which was kinda helpful to identify crackpot sellers and buyers alike.  On the other hand, I have heard stories about how some vendors have "volunteers" who pad ratings on Amazon and Yelp, witnessing odd spikes in positive feedback immediately after negative feedback is posted.  So when somebody tries to tell me about a vendor's on-line rating, I argue that those results may be skewed by bias on both sides by crackpots who are trying to game the system.  I have found a downside of leaving realistic reviews is that I have been contacted by other customers through vendors' websites, and half of these contacts are by crackpots who cannot be bothered to do their own basic research (does this u-joint have grease in it?) or have no idea what they are doing but want their electronic device to be a magic genie of answers (will this pressure manifold work on my ancient air compressor that I don't even know what its model number is?).  So it boils down to good customer relations, where the customer also has the responsibility to deal with any complaints promptly and realistically.

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I think a few venders have gotten a bad rap due to inferior products but I also know a couple have tried to up the quality.  I also know some care less as there is that next man with money to spend and they have made money on S&H to the tune of if returned they still making money....but, SHOULD THE CUSTOMER be liable for the return postage on an outright lie by the retailer....good question, one I think is not properly addressed by the retailer and apparently a subject not well received here.  Sure the simple answer is to return on your dime and be out for way more than the cost to eat the cost themselves.  This is not right and NEEDS be addressed and the forums in just the avenue for this.  There is no libel when the truth is told.  The forum at large needs to pass on such inferior products but I also agree, we just do not need a pile-on from everyone every time and if you do not have a personal recent experience with the EXACT product in question, stay out of the dogpile.  

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In the days before the keyboard experts, if customers had a problem they were kinda forced to actually call and TALK with the seller/vendor...rather than using forums to express displeasure and then still not call and talk through the issue....ggeeeesh

I recently had a call on a sale that was over 5 years old, easy questions and a nice guy to boot.

As to return freight costs, if the customer made the mistake (wrong application, wrong color, wrong material) the customer needs to accept the mistake and move on. If the vendor made the error (shipped wrong part, defective part) then the vendor needs to man-up. Pretty simple actually.

Recently, a vendor of mine sent a box of material that I had ordered but had also included a quantity of 'stuff' that obviously was intended for someone else's shipment. I did not need or want this 'extra' so I called them and told them the story. They not only sent a call tag for the 'extras' but in a separate shipment sent a t-shirt and a 'Thank-you' card signed by the warehouse crew. That is good service.

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I am honestly not sure which thread got deleted,  I saw a recent thread about bed wood that was delivered in poor shape.

The counter sink hole was off center of the bolt hole, very poor workmanship and one or the other holes needed to be fixed.

Also the wood had split on the routed edge, needs to be dug out and the shovel strip would cover this, but again poor workmanship.

The piece should never had been shipped as it was. The board should be replaced by the vendor with a apology.

 

Of course I would naturally assume the buyer already contacted the vendor before a public flogging.

The vendor needs a opportunity to do the right thing first.

 

please excuse my ignorance if this is not the same vendor / thread you are talking about.

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