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Javelin
Javelin MegaDork
5/28/14 12:04 a.m.

As most of you know, I have been modifying the suspension on my new daily driver, a Saturn Vue. Well, part of that project was the purchase of a set of KYB GR2/Excel-G struts and shocks (Part Numbers: 339053 339054 343433 343433, as seen here on Tire Rack).

On 4/9/2014 I placed an order on Amazon for the set of four through the seller "Just Suspension" with guaranteed delivery by 4/16/2014. On 4/14/2014 they finally shipped my shocks, which arrived on 4/21/2014, which is when the fun began...

As seen in this thread with photos, the seller threw all four struts/shocks into the same box with no packing material and sent them on their merry way. One strut punched through the side of the box and had the spring perch ground away on cement, causing the retraining strap to snap which let the strut fully extend, punching through the box and allowing damage to the threaded top portion.

I immediately emailed the seller through Amazon and it took three emails and almost 2 days for the seller to reply, and their response was "Thank you sir, have you opened the box?". Three emails and another day later, I get "Can you send some photos?" (Keep in mind that I had attached photos to my first email, and uploaded them to Amazon's invoice page). Multiple emails back and forth of them claiming that can't see or open any of those files finally got to me, so I opened an Amazon A to Z claim. My only request the entire time was that a replacement set be sent ASAP, and a return label generated so I could pop this one back in the UPS system. I just wanted what I had paid for.

Now the seller finally acknowledges my complaint but declares that they have to wait for "Amazon's decision" (which according to Amazon is totally bunk, the seller is in full control). Well they claim they won't do squat until the old ones go back, and Amazon won't help. I tell them there's no way I'm paying for return shipping, so Amazon gives me $10. I run the box over to the UPS store and the quote is $66.59, so Amazon finally gives me another $56.59 to actually pay to ship this debacle back (why they couldn't just email a pre-paid return label like every other Amazon return ever is beyond me). We are now at 4/29, some 8 days after receiving the item. I send them the next morning and send all the tracking info over.

Fast forward to 5/7 and UPS shows my box was delivered. Another round of unanswered emails, and a refund finally appears on 5/8, but for less the shipping amount. Another round of emails directly to Amazon now, and the full amount comes through on 5/11. So 32 days worth of frustration, and I still don't have my items. I'm told the only resolution is to just purchase the item again (apparently replacing stuff damaged in shipment isn't an acceptable way?!?).

So what do I do? Buy the damn things again, I need them! So order on 5/15, a tracking number is generated at 11:59 on 5/19, and they finally arrive today 5/27. Are you sitting down? Not only did I get damaged items again, they sent me the exact same set I had returned! They even left it in the original box, with damage everywhere and return labels, and just shoved the whole thing in a larger box with no other packaging.

That's the story so far. Tomorrow I will be calling the credit card company to have them just cancel the payment. Then I will do what I should have done in the first place, and pay Tire Rack some $50 more for the damn things.

David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
5/28/14 12:25 a.m.

Is it odd that their feedback is either 5/5 or 1/5?

lnlds
lnlds Reader
5/28/14 12:55 a.m.

I should not have read their feedback before trying to go to bed. Their replies to poor feedback is infuriating.

Trans_Maro
Trans_Maro UltraDork
5/28/14 1:13 a.m.

What a bunch of clowns.

series8217
series8217 Reader
5/28/14 2:12 a.m.

Ugh, that really sucks. At least Amazon did help you out a bit even though it wasn't their sale.

If you click on "more buying choices" you will find that Amazon.com itself also sells those struts, at $72 with prime shipping (for the first part number at least). Of course, buying from Amazon is safe since you get their full support if there are any issues.

I do find it weird that when another vendor undercuts Amazon's price they show the other vendor's product instead. I'd usually rather pay more for Amazon's excellent custom service and return policy..

novaderrik
novaderrik PowerDork
5/28/14 2:14 a.m.

i would have ordered them somewhere else after returning them the first time... surely there is a local parts store that would love to take your money in exchange for the items you are looking for...

moparman76_69
moparman76_69 SuperDork
5/28/14 6:04 a.m.

That isn't some fly by night either. I remember seeing ads in magazines for them before.

Their reply to your negative feedback is awesome. They tell you to order it again and when you do and leave another negative they say you've left negative feedback before but keep ordering from them.

I tend to go for fufilled by Amazon items to both avoid these types of issues and to be able to use my prime shipping.

Dusterbd13
Dusterbd13 Dork
5/28/14 6:32 a.m.

Having had good experience with them in the past om quite a few orders, im suprised and appalled by this. Granted all I've ever ordered is complete front end kits.

HappyAndy
HappyAndy UltraDork
5/28/14 6:57 a.m.

I ordered a set of KYBs from that seller about a year ago too. The boxes were received beat up, but everything was intact inside. Shipping was also behind schedule by several days.

GameboyRMH
GameboyRMH MegaDork
5/28/14 7:30 a.m.
Trans_Maro wrote: What a bunch of clowns.

Total assclowns.

Well thanks for the warning, I might have bought stuff from them by chance otherwise.

Fr3AkAzOiD
Fr3AkAzOiD New Reader
5/28/14 7:35 a.m.

Sucks to hear that. Hope you get a half decent resolution.

Javelin
Javelin MegaDork
5/28/14 7:35 a.m.
novaderrik wrote: i would have ordered them somewhere else after returning them the first time... surely there is a local parts store that would love to take your money in exchange for the items you are looking for...

My place of employment doesn't carry these particular KYB part numbers. In fact, they are quite hard to find not online. I have never had a bad experience with an Amazon subcontractor/ seller before.

Rob_Mopar
Rob_Mopar SuperDork
5/28/14 8:26 a.m.

Michael, what's the part numbers? I can check with my warehouses to see if they carry them.

Javelin
Javelin MegaDork
5/28/14 8:34 a.m.
Rob_Mopar wrote: Michael, what's the part numbers? I can check with my warehouses to see if they carry them.

Top of the thread in the first paragraph Rob. I'd be delighted to get them from you.

docwyte
docwyte HalfDork
5/28/14 10:13 a.m.

Why in the world would you order from them AGAIN after the first debacle? You got all your money back, at that point you should've just ordered from The Tire Rack and been done with it.

Rob_Mopar
Rob_Mopar SuperDork
5/28/14 10:23 a.m.

In reply to Javelin:

Sorry I missed them.

Just checked. Looks like one warehouse has all in stock. Don't know if I can price match Tire Rack. Shoot me an e-mail or give the call a whop when you have a chance.

Javelin
Javelin MegaDork
5/28/14 10:57 a.m.
docwyte wrote: Why in the world would you order from them AGAIN after the first debacle? You got all your money back, at that point you should've just ordered from The Tire Rack and been done with it.

Near as I can tell, all they are is a wholesale drop-shipper. So the order should have just shipped straight from KYB again. And also, Tire Rack is over $75 more expensive, same with Rock Auto, after shipping. I was able to use my free Prime shipping on this, so it was $186 all-in shipped to my door for the whole set.

PubBurgers
PubBurgers Dork
5/28/14 11:38 a.m.

Do you have a link to the amazon page for the shocks/struts? If you used your prime membership it's highly likely it was a fulfillment by amazon item and the actual seller had practically nothing to do with shipping. If that's the case amazon themselves bear the brunt of the blame.

On the other hand it might have been a direct ship listing with free shipping, and therefore all the sellers fault.

slefain
slefain UltraDork
5/28/14 12:50 p.m.

Wow. Reminds me of an incident at a previous job. We had a limited availability part we sold that was damaged in transit somehow. The buyer returns it and our returns guy chucks it in the trash. The part goes on back order and the buyer is told he'll get the next one we receive. The notoriously cheap owner of our company does his daily trash scrounge for "mistakes" our returns guy made, and sees said damaged part. The owner decides the part isn't damaged enough to warrant being discarded, so he puts it back on the shelf and re-enters it as stock. BING! Our back order on that part was just filled automatically by the computer! So the part gets sent back out...to the same original buyer! This happens THREE MORE TIMES until the returns guy finally recognizes what is going on and runs over the part with a forklift before tossing it in the trash. Meanwhile, the poor customer has lost it and promptly returns almost $12k in merchandise. I don't miss retail...

dculberson
dculberson UltraDork
5/28/14 1:01 p.m.

Oh man. I probably wouldn't have ordered from the same people again, but if I did, I would have been absolutely floored to get the same item back the second time. What a colossal f-up. Sounds like a vendor to be avoided like the plague.

docwyte
docwyte HalfDork
5/28/14 1:54 p.m.

Hmm, sounds like $75 would be cheap to get the parts you needed, undamaged, on time, the first time around. But that's just me.

Keith Tanner
Keith Tanner MegaDork
5/28/14 2:45 p.m.

I had a supplier one time like that. Boy, was he pissed when I spray-painted a bad part when I sent it back to him...

alfadriver
alfadriver PowerDork
5/28/14 2:55 p.m.
docwyte wrote: Why in the world would you order from AMAZON IN THE FIRST PLACE? You got all your money back, at that point you should've just ordered from The Tire Rack and been done with it.

FYP.

Seriously, buying car parts on Amazon? Really? I can see books, music, some small electronics. But car parts?

Are NAPA parts really that bad?

Yea, it sucks that they treated you like crap.

But amazon?

Swank Force One
Swank Force One MegaDork
5/28/14 2:59 p.m.

I buy parts on Amazon all the time. Oftentimes the cheapest place to get them, and it's not like they only deal in cheap E36 M3ty parts.

Case in point, i just bought a Dorman oil pan for the MX6. For my time, it was cheaper to just buy a new pan than clean up my old one.

$17.41 shipped. Yeah, i'll support local businesses when they start selling parts for my car, and if they can come within $50 of the price i just paid.

Amazon rules.

http://www.amazon.com/Dorman-264-030-Oil-Pan/dp/B000CGIK0E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1401305413&sr=8-1&keywords=Dorman+264-030

alfadriver
alfadriver PowerDork
5/28/14 3:09 p.m.

In reply to Swank Force One: And we still lament the passing of a good auto parts store. They can order, too.

I recently got an electric mower from a local "do-it" hardware store. They had to order it. Instead of dealing e-mails and phones, when I broke it, I took it to them- they just flat out replaced it. Simple working face to face.

When I buy parts for my Miata soon, it will be a place where I KNOW some of the group, not some random outfit that Amazon deals with.

But I actually value service as part of the purchase price.

Anyway, no point in digressing a bunch of pissed off people.

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